CSA RFP technology applied to air valves can be thought of as a kind of AIR BAG cushioning the pipeline against sudden overpressures.

It works by ensuring the necessary air flow under vacuum conditions, allowing the air valve to work normally during critical events such as pipe venting, a line burst or a pump stop, with the mechanism acting only when air is being released excessively. This RFP mechanism can be used under all conditions except where column separation is possible or where there is exposure to excessive vacuum conditions.

The graphs show measurements taken on a pipeline subjected to rapid filling with frequent failures caused by water hammer generated by conventional air valves (thick blue line) and with air valves fitted with our RFP mechanism (light blue):