Control Valve Types
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gad480Control Valve Types
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Powered by AIEccentric-plug control valve bodies minimize contact wear by having an eccentrically mounted plug that reduces contact with the seat ring when opening, thereby mitigating friction and prolonging seat life. This design ensures that contact occurs only as needed, thereby reducing wear and improving throttling performance. The robust body and trim, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 800°F and pressure drops to 1500 psi, are available in hardened and erosion-resistant materials like ceramics. These features make them highly suited for erosive or coking environments where durability and reliable operation are critical .
Three-way valve bodies play a crucial role in flow-converging (mixing) and flow-splitting (diverging) applications by providing flexibility and efficiency in system design through their three pipeline connections. The use of cage-style trim ensures precise plug guiding and facilitates maintenance, which is essential for achieving reliable flow control across high temperature and variable flow conditions. Given the potential unbalance in flow dynamics, choosing suitable actuators is vital for consistent performance, particularly when handling configurations with unbalanced valve plugs. Actuator selection affects the overall system's responsiveness and ability to manage the variable or complex flow demands typical of converging and diverging fluid systems .
Eccentric disk control valve bodies offer advantages in large-sized, high-temperature applications primarily due to their cost-effectiveness compared to other valve types, while delivering effective throttling control. The eccentric mounting reduces seal wear by minimizing contact during opening, prolonging the life expectancy under harsh temperature conditions up to 800°F (427°C). These valves are well suited for constant process load applications as they have a reduced, though sufficient, control range relative to ball or globe valves, making them economical for general industrial applications .
Bar-stock valve bodies are often specified for corrosive applications due to their cost-effectiveness and versatility in machining from metallic bar-stock or plastic materials. When exotic metal alloys are necessary for corrosion resistance, bar-stock valve bodies can be more economical compared to cast valve bodies, while retaining sufficient performance characteristics required for chemical industry applications .
Double-ported valve bodies are typically used for handling highly viscous fluids, or in environments where dirt, contaminants, or process deposits on the trim are concerns, such as refinery applications. They offer balanced dynamic forces due to the opposing flow patterns through the ports, allowing for smaller actuator selection compared to single-ported valves of similar capacity. Double-ported valves usually have higher capacity and can reverse for different plug actions, though they offer less stringent shutoff capabilities (typically Class II or III). These characteristics facilitate stable performance in severe service conditions .
Cage-style trim valve bodies, which are single-ported, manage high pressure by utilizing a sliding piston ring-type seal to eliminate leakage between high-pressure upstream and lower pressure downstream systems. The design allows downstream pressure to act on both sides of the valve plug, reducing static unbalance, and permits operation with smaller actuators. Furthermore, the noisiness is attenuated by noise abatement trim, often reducing noise levels by up to 35 decibels. These bodies are suitable for high-pressure applications such as gas reduction where sonic velocities are encountered, offering ease of maintenance and adaptable flow characteristics .
When selecting actuators for rotary butterfly valves, especially in nuclear applications, it is vital to consider the valve size and the expected pressure drop across the valve. Large butterfly valves or those operating under high pressure may require large or high-output actuators due to potentially high operating torques. Nuclear applications demand stringent leakage prevention, meaning that the actuator must be compatible with precision control requirements. The actuator selection thus directly affects the valve's ability to provide high capacity and secure shutoff in such critical environments, ensuring operational integrity and safety .
Single-port valve bodies are characterized by their simple construction and ability to handle most service requirements, especially applications with stringent shutoff needs. They can be constructed in various styles, such as globe, angle, and bar stock, using materials like PTFE for soft-seating, or metal-to-metal seals. The unbalance force due to high-pressure fluid acting on the port must be considered when selecting actuators for their operation. Modern configurations use cage or retainer-style trim to retain the seat ring cage and provide guided flow characteristics, offering ease of maintenance and options for noise attenuation or cavitation reduction by changing the trim parts .
Butterfly valve bodies are cost-effective and suitable for large-scale applications due to their compact size, minimal space requirement, and high capacity with low-pressure loss. Their economy is particularly noted in larger sizes due to efficient material use and performance per investment dollar. The unique contour of their disks supports throttling control at disk rotations up to 90 degrees, if dynamically streamlined, catering to high flow capacity needs with stringent leakage prevention standards. This makes them ideal for large installations like nuclear power plants where stringent control and cost management are crucial .
V-notch ball control valve bodies are optimal for applications involving erosive or viscous fluids, paper stock, or slurries containing entrained solids or fibers, such as those in the paper, chemical, or sewage treatment industries. They provide excellent control due to their equal-percentage flow characteristic and rangeability exceeding 300:1. The shearing action of the ball contact with the seal minimizes clogging and enhances shutoff capability. This also accommodates temperature and pressure variations commonly found in petroleum refining and power industries .
