Control Valve Types

Field Instrumentation Valves
1

Gate Valves

Best Suited Control: Quick Opening

Recommended Uses:

  1. Fully open/closed, non-throttling
  2. Infrequent operation
  3. Minimal fluid trapping in line

Applications: Oil, gas, air, slurries, heavy liquids, steam, noncondensing gases, and corrosive liquids

Advantages: Disadvantages:

  1. High capacity 1. Poor control
  2. Tight shutoff 2. Cavitate at low pressure drops
  3. Low cost 3. Cannot be used for throttling
  4. Little resistance to flow

Globe Valves

Best Suited Control: Linear and Equal percentage Recommended Uses:

  1. Throttling service/flow regulation
  2. Frequent operation

Applications: Liquids, vapors, gases, corrosive substances, slurries

Advantages: Disadvantages:

  1. Efficient throttling 1. High pressure drop
  2. Accurate flow control 2. More expensive than other valves
  3. Available in multiple ports

Ball Valves Best Suited Control: Quick opening, linear

  1. Fully open/closed, limited-throttling
  2. Higher temperature fluids

Applications: Most liquids, high temperatures, slurries

Advantages: Disadvantages:

  1. Low cost 1. Poor throttling characteristics
  2. High capacity 2. Prone to cavitation
  3. Low leakage and maint.
  4. Tight sealing with low torque

Butterfly Valves Best Suited Control: Linear, Equal percentage Recommended Uses:

  1. Fully open/closed or throttling services
  2. Frequent operation
  3. Minimal fluid trapping in line Applications: Liquids, gases, slurries, liquids with suspended solids Advantages: Disadvantages:
  4. Low cost and maint. 1. High torque required for control
  5. High capacity 2. Prone to cavitation at lower flows
  6. Good flow control
  7. Low pressure drop

<img src=“/uploads/default/130/2ce6159b4c1fd95b.jpg” alt="butterfly valve"width=“191” height=“296”>

1 Like