Valve Repair Facility

    White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) maintains a full-service facility for precision cleaning, repair, and functional testing of fluid components. WSTF’s Technical Services Component Services Section (CSS) is responsible for the disassembly, cleaning, maintenance, reassembly, and testing of pressure relief and pressure safety valves in compliance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) National Board Inspection Code (NBIC)/NB-23. The cleaning process is approved for oxygen service, International Space Station (ISS), and space shuttle support. The system performs functional tests on all rebuilt components and allows technicians to do set point verification on pressure relief and pressure safety valves to pressures over 10,000 psig. After meeting the NBIC Part 3, Section 1 requirements, the WSTF Technical Services CSS is an approved “VR” certified facility holding the NBIC Certificate of Authorization and “VR” Symbol Stamp for the repair of pressure relief valves.


    Valve repair technicians in a Class 100 clean room flowing a Tescom regulator, analyzing posttest data, and installing a pressure relief device for flow.


    Because of the possibility that contaminants could adversely affect the performance of test articles and test systems, components in hypergolic propellant, oxygen, and other fluid systems must be safely decontaminated and precision cleaned.


    After recording a component’s data, it is precision cleaned in an ultrasonic bath to remove oils and particulate and produce a clean item.


    After an as-received inspection, including review of the manufacturer’s drawings and specifications, the item is disassembled for cleaning. Precision cleaning is a combination of chemical, mechanical, and ultrasonic cleaning. Procedures have been developed to safely clean various metals, elastomers, and composites. Reassembly is performed in a clean room. Once the item has been reassembled, it is subjected to various checks and tests to ensure it is operating as the manufacturer designed.


    One-of-a-kind liquid oxygen pump is refurbished with the use of a custom made, precision-guided fixture.


    Valve Repair Facility

    The WSTF Valve Repair Facility ensures pressure relief valves are operating within the manufacturer’s specifications and to the customer’s expectations. Using gaseous nitrogen, the Valve Repair Facility is capable of verifying flow capabilities of pressure relief valves up to 1000 scfm, and pressures up to 2800 psig.

    The Valve Repair Facility also ensures replacement parts operate per the original manufacturer’s specifications. WSTF maintains traceability for parts and testing on code and non-code applications. All inspection measurement and test equipment used to support the Valve Repair Facility is calibrated at WSTF and is traceable to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or other internationally agreeable intrinsic standards.


    To assure items function as designed, piece parts are verified to manufacturer’s tolerance.


    Assembly and testing of the components are performed in a Class 100 clean room. This clean environment makes WSTF the only known clean flow test facility for relief valves in North America.


    A fluid component technician inspects the name plate of a code-stamped relief valve prior to testing.


    With superior precision cleaning and component refurbishment, WSTF satisfies customer needs by meeting or exceeding quality and delivery requirements.