Mandatory Certification Standards for Lug Butterfly Valves in Fire Protection Systems: A Comprehensive Analysis of UL/FM/CE Certification Requirements

UL

Mainly applicable to the United States and some regions following American standards

Mostly used in fire protection projects in the United States, as well as in fire protection systems of relevant commercial and industrial buildings. It has high market recognition and has a significant influence, especially in North America.

FM

Also focused on the United States and regions that recognize its standards

Widely used in fire protection systems of some industrial sites and large storage facilities with strict requirements for fire protection facilities in North America. It has strong authority.

CE

Applicable to EU member states and many European countries that recognize EU standards, as well as some other regions

Used in fire protection systems in Europe and many countries that have trade relations with Europe around the world. It is an important pass for products to enter the European market.

UL

It is required to pass strict high-temperature flame tests. Under the simulated real fire scene, the butterfly valve can effectively block the spread of fire within a certain period of time, ensure structural integrity and normal operation functions.

Use professional equipment to detect the leakage of the butterfly valve under different pressure levels. The leakage amount needs to be controlled within the extremely low standard range specified.

Place the butterfly valve in various corrosive environments (such as acid-base solutions, etc.) for a certain period of time, and then check the changes in appearance, structure and performance. There should be no obvious corrosion damage affecting normal use.

FM

There are specialized fire tests, focusing on the ability of the butterfly valve to suppress the spread of fire when a fire occurs and whether it can maintain a reliable closed state to prevent the fire from spreading through the pipeline.

Test the sealing effect multiple times under dynamic and static pressure environments to ensure that good sealing can be maintained under long-term use and different working conditions and avoid leakage of fire protection media.

Conduct chemical tolerance tests on the butterfly valve, evaluate its corrosion resistance ability against common corrosive substances that may be encountered in fire protection, and ensure its service life.

CE

It is required to comply with the testing procedures of relevant EU fire protection rating standards, prove that the butterfly valve can meet the fire protection requirements of the corresponding rating in case of fire, and ensure fire safety.

Conduct multi-dimensional detection of the sealing performance of the butterfly valve according to the European standard pressure testing specifications to ensure that it meets the sealing standards under normal and extreme working conditions.

According to the European regulations on the corrosion resistance of fire protection products, use different corrosive media to simulate the actual use scene and verify whether the corrosion resistance performance of the butterfly valve meets the standards.

UL

The valve body materials are required to have good high-temperature resistance, strength and stability. For example, specific commonly used metal materials need to meet the composition and performance indicators specified by it.

The sealing materials need to be able to withstand high temperature, scouring by fire protection media, etc. Some high-performance rubbers or synthetic materials that meet the standards need to meet the specified performance requirements such as aging resistance and wear resistance.

There are detailed process standards for each link such as casting, processing and assembly of the butterfly valve. For example, welding should be firm and dimensional accuracy should meet the requirements to ensure the overall quality is reliable.

FM

The valve body materials need to meet strict performance standards such as fire protection and pressure resistance. From the source of materials to the material characteristics of the finished product, they all need to be inspected. Materials with good fire protection performance are often selected.

The sealing materials should maintain good sealing under long-term use and in case of fire. The selected materials need to pass the tests recognized by FM and have good elasticity and long-term sealing performance.

During the manufacturing process, emphasis is placed on quality control of each process, especially the processing of key parts, which must meet the strict specifications of FM to ensure product consistency.

CE

The valve body materials need to comply with EU directives related to environmental protection, safety and performance. For example, there are clear regulations on the limit of harmful substances in some metal materials. At the same time, they need to have sufficient strength and durability.

The sealing materials need to follow the European material safety and performance standards to ensure that no harmful substances will be produced when in contact with various fire protection media, and the sealing performance is stable.

The manufacturing process needs to follow the unified industrial manufacturing specifications of the EU, and there should be a complete quality traceability system to ensure that the product meets the requirements from raw materials to the finished product.

UL

The UL certification mark, certification number and other information need to be clearly marked in a prominent position on the product for easy identification and traceability.

Product detailed specification manuals, test reports, material lists and other documents need to be provided for the supervision department and users to consult and understand the product situation.

FM

The FM certification mark and relevant key markings such as batch numbers and models should be clearly visible on the product to facilitate the confirmation of its certification status during use and maintenance.

It is necessary to provide comprehensive information documents covering product design, manufacturing process, test results, etc. to ensure the transparency of the product meeting the FM certification requirements.

CE

The CE mark should be affixed to the appropriate position of the product according to regulations, and relevant statements of conformity with standards should be marked at the same time to indicate that the product meets the requirements of EU directives.

Documents such as declarations of conformity and technical files (including design drawings, material characteristics, etc.) should be prepared for inspection by the EU market supervision agencies.