Velan Valve Corporation, based in Montreal, Canada (with North American manufacturing and distribution operations), was a supplier of high-performance gate valves, globe valves, and check valves serving the US Navy in high-pressure steam plant and auxiliary system applications throughout the Cold War era. Velan’s all-welded body valves and heavy-duty steam service valves were specified for demanding service conditions — high-pressure main steam systems, high-temperature feedwater service, and superheated steam applications — where their valve design was selected for reliability and steam-tight performance.

Asbestos in Velan Valve Components

Velan steam service valves used asbestos packing and gaskets as standard sealing components throughout the Cold War era of their Navy service:

  • Valve stem packing — braided asbestos packing in Velan gate and globe valve stuffing boxes providing stem sealing in steam service. Velan’s design used a deep stuffing box arrangement requiring a specific packing set — Machinist’s Mates and BTs replacing worn packing cut new asbestos braided packing rings to fit the Velan stuffing box configuration
  • Valve bonnet gaskets — asbestos sheet or spiral wound gaskets sealing the Velan valve bonnet to the valve body at the bonnet flange connection, disturbed during bonnet removal for internal valve seat maintenance and repacking
  • Body-to-flange gaskets at Velan valve inlet and outlet flange connections — asbestos sheet or spiral wound gaskets at the flanged connections to steam piping throughout the plant

High-Pressure Steam Plant Applications

Velan valves were selected for the highest-pressure applications in Navy steam plants — 1,200 PSI steam systems on Cold War-era destroyers and cruisers — where their construction was specified for the demanding service conditions. Packing replacement in high-pressure Velan steam valves required hot work permits and careful procedure as the live steam pressure at the packing gland required controlled packing adjustment.

Engineering Plant Valve Inventory

Navy engineering plants typically contained hundreds of valves of multiple manufacturers including Velan, Crane, Nibco, and Lunkenheimer. Machinist’s Mates and Boiler Tenders maintaining these valve inventories encountered Velan and other brand valves with asbestos packing throughout the engineering plant maintenance program.

VA Claims

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from valve maintenance in Navy engineering plants. Engineering ratings who performed valve packing replacement on Velan and other asbestos-packed steam valves and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.