OMAL designs and manufactures in-house valves and actuators for the transport and distribution of LPG, natural gas and compressed gases, on vehicles and on loading, unloading and storage equipment. The range includes the KRATOS high pressure ball valve (TPED qualified to ISO 23826:2021), the MAGNUM Wafer ball valve (TPED certified to EN 14432:2014) and AGO pneumatic actuators, including the AGO Handwheel version.

Growing demand for solutions to transport and distribute LPG, natural gas (CNG) and other compressed gases — such as CO2, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen — calls for components that ensure safety, reliability and tightness at high pressures, in compliance with the requirements of European and international regulations.

LPG valves and valves for natural gas and compressed gases operate directly on vehicles or on transport and distribution systems: from tube trailers and MEGCs to dangerous goods tankers and gas loading and unloading equipment.

At OMAL we design and manufacture valves and actuators in-house, developing complete solutions that deliver maximum performance even in severe conditions.

The options in our portfolio suitable for this application include the KRATOS high pressure ball valve and the MAGNUM Wafer ball valve, both ATEX valves with TPED qualification that can be automated with AGO pneumatic actuators, including the version with integrated handwheel.

Why choose OMAL valves for LPG transport and compressed gases?

In the OMAL range, safety, reliability and tightness translate into four advantages: valves that comply with gas transport standards, a single manufacturer for valve and actuator, materials selected according to the fluid, and reduced weight and footprint on vehicles.

TPED-qualified valves for gas transport

The TPED is the European directive on transportable pressure equipment: compliance is demonstrated through specific technical standards, which vary depending on the equipment.

Our gas ball valve models refer to two of these standards, each linked to a specific area of transport:

●      the KRATOS is qualified to ISO 23826:2021, which covers the use of valves on gas transport equipment such as MEGCs (multiple element gas containers), tube trailers and loading and unloading systems;

●      the MAGNUM Wafer is certified to EN 14432:2014, which sets the requirements for loading and unloading valves on tanks used to transport dangerous goods.

The valve-actuator assembly designed and manufactured in-house

Since 1981, we at OMAL have designed and manufactured valves and actuators in the same facility. Anyone equipping a vehicle for gas transport can therefore rely on a single manufacturer for both components.

All our valves feature an ISO 5211 mounting flange, onto which the AGO pneumatic actuator can be installed directly. We can therefore supply a valve-actuator package that is already coupled and sized: the actuator is selected according to the torque required by the valve, and the assembly is delivered ready for installation.

Having a single technical contact also simplifies component selection and long-term management of the assembly. The certifications are consistent too: like the KRATOS and the MAGNUM Wafer, the AGO is ATEX and SIL certified, up to SIL3.

Materials selected according to the gas and the application

In an LPG valve, as in a valve for compressed gases, the compatibility of materials — both metallic and soft — contributes directly to the safety and service life of the product.

The same control over the production process allows us to manufacture our valves in different materials, from carbon steel to stainless steel and special alloys, and to select the configuration best suited to the gas being transported.

This flexibility matters most in critical services: for hydrogen, for example, we select materials with specific characteristics that ensure compatibility with the gas and minimize hydrogen embrittlement.

Compact, lightweight solutions for vehicle installations

Gas transport valves are installed directly on industrial vehicles or on loading, unloading and storage systems, which makes compactness and low weight two essential requirements.

That is why we develop compact solutions designed to reduce weight and footprint while ensuring maximum reliability. Construction choices, such as cast bodies, also contribute to this goal.

Within our range, the MAGNUM Wafer is the solution that most directly meets these needs: it is the most compact ball valve we offer and, in its cast version, helps reduce the weight of the vehicle installation.

Applications: transported gases and fields of use

OMAL gas transport valves handle a range of fluids: LPG (also referred to as propane in the United States), natural gas (CNG), CO2, nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2). For oxygen and hydrogen service, the KRATOS and MAGNUM Wafer are available on request.

As for fields of use, the most representative applications include:

●      Compressed gas tube trailers and MEGCs: gas transport equipment in which high pressure ball valves such as the KRATOS can be integrated thanks to TPED qualification to ISO 23826.

●      Gas loading and unloading systems: these are also part of the equipment covered by ISO 23826.

●      Tank vehicles: on tanks used to transport dangerous goods, such as an LPG tanker, an LPG trailer or a propane tanker, the MAGNUM Wafer can be used as a loading and unloading valve thanks to its certification to EN 14432.

●      Storage systems: the KRATOS is also suitable for integration into gas storage systems.

Our range of gas ball valves and pneumatic actuators

For LPG transport and compressed gases, we offer two ATEX ball valves from our range, both TPED qualified, and the AGO series pneumatic actuators.

The two valves complement each other: the KRATOS is suited to high pressure service and to equipment such as tube trailers and MEGCs, while the MAGNUM Wafer meets the requirements of tanks carrying dangerous goods.

Both are available in carbon steel and 316 stainless steel and can be automated with AGO actuators.

KRATOS, the high pressure ball valve qualified to ISO 23826

The KRATOS belongs to our range of high pressure ball valves: it is designed for PN 413 (6,000 PSI) and, thanks to its TPED qualification to ISO 23826:2021, it is suitable for integration into storage and transport systems, making it a valve for MEGCs and tube trailers.

The safety and reliability of the valve are validated through rigorous testing that includes, among other things, mechanical strength, burst pressure, durability, low-temperature tightness and fire resistance.

The KRATOS is available from DN8 to DN50 (1/4" to 2"), with an A350-LF2 carbon steel or 316 stainless steel body. The seat is made of PEEK and the end connections are threaded ISO 228-1 or NPT. Options include a mono-directional ball, BW/SW connections and a stem extension.

It can be supplied with a manual lever or complete with a pneumatic actuator and related accessories.

MAGNUM Wafer, the wafer ball valve certified to EN 14432

The MAGNUM Wafer extends the range of OMAL solutions for gas and dangerous goods transport. Its TPED certification to EN 14432:2014 makes it particularly suitable for use as a loading and unloading valve on tanks.

It is a wafer ball valve covering sizes from DN15 to DN100 (1/2" to 4"), in pressure classes PN 16-40 and ANSI 150-300, with an A105 carbon steel or 316 stainless steel body, in both bar stock and cast versions. The cast version is valued above all for its low weight, an important feature in industrial vehicle installations.

The seat is made of modified PTFE and the end connections are RF flanged. Available options include a mono-directional ball, a locking device, a stem extension and a Bottom tank version.

AGO, the pneumatic actuator for quarter-turn valves

Thanks to the ISO 5211 mounting flange, the AGO can be installed on all our valves. It is our aluminum pneumatic scotch yoke actuator for quarter-turn valves, available in double acting (DA, from 8 to 8,000 Nm, or 70 to 70,806 in-lbs) and spring return (SR, from 15 to 4,000 Nm, or 133 to 35,403 in-lbs) versions, normally closed or normally open.

The AGO Handwheel version integrates a handwheel and is available in double acting (DANV, from 60 to 3,840 Nm) and spring return (SRNV, from 30 to 1,920 Nm) versions.

The AGO is an ATEX pneumatic actuator and is SIL certified up to SIL3. Options include low-temperature (down to -50 °C / -58 °F) and high-temperature (up to +150 °C / +302 °F) versions, adjustable rotation and surface treatments.

Certifications for valves and actuators

Alongside TPED qualification, which relates to transport, OMAL valves and actuators hold certifications covering other aspects: use in explosive atmospheres, compliance as pressure equipment, reliability in safety functions, behavior in case of fire and containment of emissions.

The KRATOS and MAGNUM Wafer are Ex CE/UKCA certified, as is the AGO actuator. Depending on the product, PED (Pressure Equipment CE/UKCA), SIL up to SIL3, Fire Safe, Fugitive Emission and TA Luft certifications are also available.

These are product certifications: they depend on the individual component and the selected version, as summarized in the table.

FAQ: frequently asked questions about LPG valves and gas transport

Which valves are used for LPG and compressed gas transport?

The application requires valves that ensure safety, reliability and tightness at high pressures: OMAL offers two TPED-qualified ATEX valves. For equipment such as tube trailers and MEGCs, we recommend the KRATOS, qualified to ISO 23826:2021, which in its 316 stainless steel version is a high pressure stainless steel ball valve. For tanks carrying dangerous goods, we suggest the MAGNUM Wafer, certified to EN 14432:2014.

What is TPED certification for a valve?

TPED is the European directive on transportable pressure equipment. For a valve, compliance is demonstrated through different technical standards depending on the equipment. The KRATOS is qualified to ISO 23826:2021, which covers valves for MEGCs, tube trailers and gas loading and unloading systems. The MAGNUM Wafer is certified to EN 14432:2014 for use as a loading and unloading valve on tanks.

Which gases can OMAL gas transport valves be used with?

OMAL gas transport valves handle LPG, natural gas (CNG), CO2, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen, so they can also be specified as CNG valves: the KRATOS, for example, can serve as a natural gas ball valve on tube trailers. For oxygen and hydrogen service, the KRATOS and MAGNUM Wafer are available on request.

Can gas transport valves be automated?

Yes. OMAL valves feature an ISO 5211 mounting flange onto which the AGO pneumatic actuator can be installed, in double acting or spring return versions, including the AGO Handwheel version. Like the valves, the actuator is ATEX and SIL certified, up to SIL3.