Valves

GENERAL
In industrial piping, the control of flow is very important.
Mechanical devices used for flow control are called valves.
The principal functions of valves are:-

Starting and Stopping Flow

Regulating or Throttling Flow
Preventing Back Flow
Regulating Pressure
Relieving Pressure

Steel valves are classified by

1. Nominal pipe size (NPS)
2. By pressure-temperature service ratings.
There are two service ratings:A Primary Rating and A Cold Working Pressure Rating.
The Primary Rating is a pressure rating established by
standards and accepted practice at an elevated
temperature.
The Cold Working Pressure Rating is the rating at ambient
temperature (minus 20 F to 100 F).
This rating is referred to as the CWP (Cold Working Pressure)
Rating this rating is of most interest when determining
hydrostatic testing limits.

Hydrostatic test pressures at 100 F or less

Pressure Class Max. Allowable Pressure
150
425 psi
300
1100 psi
600
2175 psi
900
3250 psi
1500
5400 psi
2500
Contact Vendor
Cast and steel valves bear a mark such as 150,300 ,600 , etc.
These figures denote the maximum pressure in pounds per
square inch (psi) at a certain temperature (usually 800 F) for
which an item is suited. A certain 600 -pound valve may be suited
for 600 -pound pressure at temperatures up to 850 F.
But if the temperature exceeds that point, say up to 1000 F, the
valve is not recommended for pressures over 170 pounds.

Valve categories
The valve categories, based on the body styles include:
Gate Valves
Check Valves

Globe Valves
Plug Valves

Ball Valves

Butterfly Valves
Safety Relief Valves

Besides these main categories, various other types of valves such as

3 -Way, Swing, and Stop Check, are available for special purposes.
Control Valves, which may use basic design features of any of these main
valve categories
Valves can be obtained with ends flanged, threaded for screwed
connections, recessed for socket welding, or beveled for butt welding.

Gate Valves
Gate Valves have a significant feature of having
less flow obstruction
lower turbulence within the valve
creating only a small pressure drop across the valve.
The main variations of gate valve designs are by the type of disc or
wedge. These include the solid wedge disc, double disc, flexible
wedge disc and split wedge disc and vented disc.

Flexible wedge discs are of one piece construction but are cut
out between the two seats in such a way as to provide a small
degree of flexibility.
It is this "flexibility" that makes the disc tight on both faces over
a wide range of pressures.
The split wedge disc is a two piece, wedge disc that seats
between matching tapered seats in the body.
The spreader device is simple, and integral with the disc
halves.
Vented discs generally used in cryogenic services are a flexible
wedge with a hole drilled in one side to allow even seating
pressure on a downstream wedge for positive shutoff.

A typical cross section view of a gate valve is shown in Figure

Globe Valves

Globe Valves are commonly constructed with its inlet and outlet
in line and with its port opening at right angles to the inlet and
outlet.
This seating construction increases resistance to the flow and
permits close regulation of fluid flow.
The globe valve is used principally in throttling service to
control the flow to any desired degree.
Flow is in the bottom (under the seat) and out the top( it has a
flow direction must be checked )

The main variations of globe valve design are by the type of disc.
Typical disc types are shown in below Figure
These include plug type, composition and conventional discs.
The plug disc is cone shaped with the seat ring having a
matching cone shaped center.
The wide bearing surfaces of the long, tapered plug type disc
and matching seating offers high resistance to the cutting
effects of dirt, scale, and other foreign matter.

GLOBE VALVE DISC TYPES

The composition disc unit consists of a metal disc holder,

composition disc and retaining nut.
The flat face of the composition disc seats like a cap against the seat
opening.
The disc is normally circular shaped, approximately a 3 /16 inch thick
flat piece of material (compressed fiber or plastic).
The conventional disc is the oldest kind of globe valve.
The basic design feature is a flat surfaced though slightly tapered
valve seat that is fitted with a disc of convex configuration that used
the taper in the seat for closing.
This type of seating has only a narrow line of contact that normally
assists an easy pressure tight closure.

GLOBE VALVE CROSS SECTION VIEW

Check Valves
Check Valves are entirely automatic in their operation and
are activated internally by the flow of fluid or gases which
they regulate.
Check valves permit the flow in only one direction and if the
flow stops or tries to reverse its direction, the check valve
closes immediately and prevents back flow.
As soon as the pressure in the line is re-established, the
check valve opens and the flow is resumed in the same
direction as before.
There are three basic designs of check valves:Swing check
Lift check
Wafer (swinging flappers closed by a spring)

Swing Check Valves

In the swing check, the disc is hinged at the top and seats
against a machined seat in the tilted bridge wall opening.
the disc swings freely in an arc from the fully closed position to
one providing unobstructed flow.
The valve is kept open by flow, with the size of the opening
varying with the volume of the flow.

Lift Check Valves

For lift check valves, the flow is the same as through the globe
valve.
Consequently, there is turbulence within the valve and some
pressure drop occurs.
A general detail for a Lift Check Valve is shown in the next Figure
Lift check valves can be divided into three different types.
Horizontal-Lift Check Valve
Vertical-Lift Check Valve
Ball Check Valve

Horizontal-Lift Check Valve

The horizontal-lift check valve has an internal construction similar
to the globe valve.
The disc, which is seated on a horizontal seat, is equipped with
guides above and/or below the seat and is guided in its vertical
movement by integral guides in the seat bridge or valve bonnet.
The disc is seated by back flow, or by gravity when there is no
flow, and is free to rise and fall depending on the pressure under
it.
These valves are normally only installed in the horizontal
position, however, can be installed in a vertical position with
upward directed flow.

Vertical-Lift Check Valve

The vertical-lift check valve has the same guiding principle as the
horizontal lift check.
It is equipped with a free-floating guided disc that rests when
inoperative on the seat.
These valves are of practical use only when installed in a vertical
piping system with an upward directed flow.

Ball Check Valve

The ball check valve is similar to the horizontal or vertical lift
check valve.
Instead of a guide disc, a ball serves as the flow control
medium.
When operating, the ball is constantly in motion, reducing the
effect of wear on any particular area of its sphere.
On some vertical-lift check valve designs, the disc or ball is
spring loaded for improved performance in vertical applications.

Plug Valves
Plug Valves are composed of a tapered or cylindrical plug fitted
snugly into a correspondingly shaped seat in the valve body.
The plug is provided with an opening in line with the flow
opening in the valve body.
The porthole or flow opening in the plug may be round, square
or diamond shaped.
The valve is opened by turning the plug so that the
opening in the valve body and plug are in line and is closed
by turning the plug so that the plug opening is at right
angles to the valve body opening.
Small plug valves are usually referred to as plug cocks.
Plug valves are either lubricated or non-lubricated.
For non-lubricated valves, the plug may be inserted from the
top or bottom of the valve body.

The use of cylindrical plugs is often preferred since they are less
likely to experience galling or freezing than conical plugs.
In some designs, plastic seats are often molded into grooves of the
plug to provide better seals, and bottom springs assist in operation.
The lubricated plug valve is designed with grooves in the plug which
permits the lubricant to seal and lubricate the valve as well as to
function as a hydraulic jacking force to lift the plug within the body,
thus permitting easy operation.
The lubricant is forced into its various distribution channels by a
special lubricant gun that fits a button head fitting on top of the plug.
The straightway passage through the port offers no opportunity
for sediment or scale to collect.
valve plug, when rotated, wipes foreign matter from the plug.

PLUG VALVE DETAIL

Ball Valves
A ball valve is similar to a plug valve except the plug in a
ball valve is spherical instead of being tapered or
cylindrical.
These valves are quick opening.
They also provide a very tight closure on viscous or hard
to hold fluids.
Ball valves are non-sticking and pressure drop through the
valve is reduced to a minimum due to the full pipe size
opening in the ball.
Ball valves are made in three general patterns:Venturi port
Full port
Reduced port

The Venturi port has a reduced diameter Venturi

configuration. The full port valve has an inside diameter
equal to the inside diameter of the pipe. The reduced port
generally involves one pipe size smaller than the line size.

Butterfly Valves
Butterfly Valves are low pressure valves of simple design,
which are used to control and regulate flow.
They are characterized by fast operation and low
differential pressure drop. They require only a quarter turn
from closed to full-open position.
Butterfly valves are not suitable for pressure tight
services.
Rubber seat butterfly valves are manufactured in a wide
range of sizes, from inch diameter to feet in diameter and
more.
However, in industrial applications valves are usually
found in ranges from 2 to 24 inches.

Safety and Relief Valves

Safety and Relief Valves are mounted directly on piping,
pressure vessels, and equipment that is subject to
potentially dangerous overpressure in case controls
malfunction.
They are set to open automatically at a set pressure to
relieve system pressure before it gets high enough to
cause damage.
Safety Valves are also known as pop safety valves. They
are a spring loaded, quick opening, full flow valve for
systems containing pressurized, compressible fluids such
as steam, air, or other vapors or gases.
Manufacturers set and test each safety valve in
accordance with code requirements, then seal the set
pressure and overpressure adjusting devices.

The set pressure is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the

spring compression.
Spring pressure holds the valve closed until the set pressure is
reached, at which time the system fluid pressure forces the
valve completely open.
Spring pressure forces the valve disc back to the seat when the
fluid pressure drops slightly below the opening pressure. The
difference between the opening (set) pressure and the closing
(resetting) pressure is called blowdown.
Relief Valves are similar to a safety valve but open only slightly
at set pressure.
Instead of immediate full opening, they open wider if the
pressure increases above the set pressure.
Relief valves are normally used for liquids, such as water or oil,
where release of a small volume will rapidly lower the pressure.
The diameter of the piping on the downstream side of the relief
valve is always larger than the piping on the upstream side.

Rupture Discs
It much less costly device than spring loaded or electrically
actuated safety valves for pressure relief is the rupture
disc.
A rupture disc is a pre-bulged membrane made of various
metals, depending on the service for which it is intended.
A disc may be used instead of a safety valve or installed
ahead of a safety valve if:
The maximum pressure rating of the disc does not exceed
maximum allowable pressure of the system being
protected.
The disc is guaranteed to burst within 15 % of its
specified bursting pressure.

The rupture disc provides instantaneous full-opening within

milliseconds of an overpressure situation
In most cases where a safety valve is used in conjunction with a
rupture disc, the rupture disc is set to relieve at 20 % above the
safety valve.
The safety valve will take care of all normal over pressurization,
while the rupture disc will take care of excessive pressures and
will protect the system in case of safety valve failure.

VALVE STEM VARIATIONS

The stem is the link that connects the valve operator or
actuator to the sealing disc, plug, or ball.
A particular motion (travel) is necessary to open and close a
valve.
Linear motion is needed for gate and globe valves, whereas
rotary motion is needed for ball, plug, and butterfly valves.
Types of stems for gate, globe and angle valves are are
summarized as follows:
Rising Stem with Outside Screw and Yoke (OS& Y)
In this arrangement the outermost part of the stem is
threaded.
The stem is smooth along the part that is inside the valve,
and is sealed (packed) so that the threads are isolated from
the fluids that are in the line.

Two styles are available; one having the hand wheel fixed to
the stem so that they rise together, and the other having a
threaded sleeve that causes the stem to rise through the
hand wheel.
In both styles, the position of the stem indicates the position
of the valve disc

Rising Stem with Inside Screw

This is the simplest and most common stem arrangement for
smaller size low to moderate pressure gate, globe, and angle
valves.
The threaded part of the stem is inside the valve body and the
stem packing is along the smooth part that projects to the
outside.
The threads are in contact with the process fluid inside the valve.
The stem and hand wheel rise when the valve is opened, thus
indicating the position of the valve disc.
Only the smooth end of the stem is exposed to the atmosphere.
Non-rising Stem with Inside Screw
In this arrangement the stem turns, but does not rise when the
valve is opened.

Instead, the disc travels up and down the stem threads when the
stem is turned to open and close the valve.
The stem threads are exposed to the line fluid; thus limiting
use to fluids that will not corrode or erode the threads or leave
deposits on them.

Ball valve, for on/off control without pressure drop.

Butterfly valve
for flow regulation in large pipe diameters .
Check valve , allows the fluid to pass in one direction only .
Gate valve
mainly for on/off control, with low pressure drop .
Globe valve
good for regulating flow .
Needle valve for accurate flow control .
Plug valve
or on/off control but with some pressure drop