Gee Graphite of Dewsbury, UK, has developed a quick and easy way for unpacking valves, called the Geegraf Extractor. Whether unpacking valves and pumps is part of a regular maintenance programme or an unscheduled, but necessary, response to leakage or failure, it is invariably a difficult task. “Removing worn, dried out, carbonised and rock-hard packing is very time-consuming to say the least,” says Colin Gee, MD of Gee Graphite, adding that this is particularly so where the removal of injected sealing compounds is concerned. The Geegraf Extractor – a Portable Water-Jet Packing Extractor – uses micro bursts of a focused water-jet at very high pressure to remove valve stem packing, pump packing and flange gasketing materials of all kinds. It is especially suited to use where asbestos is known to be present as the hydration eliminates hazardous dust particles. The equipment is designed for total safe use by a single operator and is so portable and effective that unpacking 30 valves in one day is not uncommon. The savings in downtime and labour costs are significant.