Introduction To Valves - Only The Basics - Valves Are Mechanical Devices That Controls The Flow and Pressure Within A System or Process
Introduction To Valves - Only The Basics - Valves Are Mechanical Devices That Controls The Flow and Pressure Within A System or Process
Introduction To Valves - Only The Basics - Valves Are Mechanical Devices That Controls The Flow and Pressure Within A System or Process
Introduction to Valves - Only the Basics - Valves are mechanical devices that controls the flow and pressure within a system or process.
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PIPING
DOCS MATL SOCIETIES PIPES FLANGES FITTINGS VALVES BOLTS GASKETS EQPT SPECIALS STEEL DIN STEAM OTHERS
Valve Body
The valve body, sometimes called the shell, is the primary boundary of a pressure valve. He serves as the main
element of a valve assembly because it is the framework that holds all the parts together.
The body, the first pressure boundary of a valve, resists fluid pressure loads from connecting piping. It receives inlet
and outlet piping through threaded, bolted, or welded joints.
The valve-body ends are designed to connect the valve to the piping or equipment nozzle by different types of end
connections, such as butt or socket welded, threaded or flanged.
Valve bodies are cast or forged in a variety of forms and each component have a specific function and constructed in a
material suitable for that function.
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Valve Bonnet
The cover for the opening in the body is the bonnet, and it is the second most important boundary of a pressure
valve. Like valve bodies, bonnets are in many designs and models available.
A bonnet acts as a cover on the valve body, is cast or forged of the same material as the body. It is commonly
connected to the body by a threaded, bolted, or welded joint. During manufacture of the valve, the internal
components, such as stem, disk etc., are put into the body and then the bonnet is attached to hold all parts together
inside.
In all cases, the attachment of the bonnet to the body is considered a pressure boundary. This means that the weld
joint or bolts that connect the bonnet to the body are pressure-retaining parts. Valve bonnets, although a necessity
for most valves, represent a cause for concern. Bonnets can complicate the manufacture of valves, increase valve size,
represent a significant cost portion of valve cost, and are a source for potential leakage.
Valve Trim
Valve's trim is a collective name for the replaceable parts, in a valve. A typically Trim design includes a disk, seat, stem,
and sleeves needed to guide the stem.
A valve's performance is determined by the disk and seat interface and the relation of the disk position to the seat.
Because of the trim, basic motions and flow control are possible. In rotational motion trim designs, the disk slides
closely past the seat to produce a change in flow opening. In linear motion trim designs, the disk lifts perpendicularly
away from the seat so that an annular orifice appears.
Seat(s)
The seat or seal rings provide the seating surface for the disk. A valve may have one or more seats. In the case of
a globe or a swing-check valve, there is usually one seat, which forms a seal with the disc to stop the flow. In the
case of a gate valve, there are two seats; one on the upstream side and the other on the downstream side. A
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gate valve disc has two seating surfaces that come in contact with the valve seats to form a seal for stopping the
flow.
To improve the wear-resistance of the seal rings, the surface is often hard-faced by welding and then machining
the contact surface of the seal ring. A fine surface finish of the seating area is necessary for good sealing when
the valve is closed. Seal rings are not usually considered pressure boundary parts because the body has sufficient
wall thickness to withstand design pressure without relying upon the thickness of the seal rings.
Valve Stem
The valve stem provides the necessary movement to the disc, plug or the ball for opening or closing the valve, and is
responsible for the proper positioning of the disk. It is connected to the valve handwheel, actuator, or the lever at one
end and on the other side to the valve disc. In gate or globe valves, linear motion of the disc is needed to open or
close the valve, while in plug, ball and Butterfly valves, the disc is rotated to open or close the valve.
Stems are usually forged, and connected to the disk by threaded or other techniques. To prevent leakage, in the area
of the seal, a fine surface finish of the stem is necessary.
There are five types of valve stems:
Sliding Stem
This valve stem does not rotate or turn. It slides in and out the valve to open or close the valve. This design is
used in hand-operated lever rapid opening valves. It is also used in control valves are operated by hydraulic or
pneumatic cylinders.
Rotary Stem
This is a commonly used model in ball, plug, and Butterfly valves. A quarter-turn motion of the stem open or close
the valve.
In the main Menu "Valves" you will find some links to detailed (large) images of Rising and NON Rising Stem valves.
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4. Packing, available in several materials, like Teflon, elastomeric material, fibrous material etc..
5. A backseat is a seating arrangement inside the bonnet. It provides a seal between the stem and bonnet and
prevents system pressure from building against the valve pakking, when the valve is fully open. Back seats are
often applied in gate and globe valves.
An important aspect of the life time of a valve is the sealing assembly. Almost all valves, like standard Ball, Globe,
Gate, Plug and Butterfly valves have their sealing assembly based upon shear force, friction and tearing.
Therefore valve packaging must be properly happen, to prevent damage to the stem and fluid or gas loss. When a
packing is too loose, the valve will leak. If the packing is too tight, it will affect the movement and possible damage to
the stem.
Yoke Nut
A Yoke nut is an internally threaded nut and is placed in the top of a Yoke by which the stem passes. In a Gate valve
e.g., the Yoke nut is turned and the stem travels up or down. In the case of Globe valves, the nut is fixed and the
stem is rotated through it.
Valve Actuator
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Hand-operated valves are usually equipped with a handwheel attached to the valve's stem or Yoke nut which is rotated
clockwise or counter clockwise to close or open a valve. Globe and gate valves are opened and closed in this way.
Hand-operated, quarter turn valves, such as Ball, Plug or Butterfly, has a lever for actuate the valve.
There are applications where it is not possible or desirable, to actuate the valve manually by handwheel or lever. These
applications include:
Large valves that must be operated against high hydrostatic pressure
Valves they must be operated from a remote location
When the time for opening, closing, throttle or manually controlling the valve is longer, than required by systemdesign criteria
These valves are usually equipped with an actuator.
An actuator in the broadest definition is a device that produces linear and rotary motion of a source of power under
the action of a source of control.
Basic actuators are used to fully open or fully close a valve. Actuators for controlling or regulating valves are given a
positioning signal to move to any intermediate position. There a many different types of actuators, but the following
are some of the commonly used valve actuators:
Gear Actuators
Electric Motor Actuators
Pneumatic Actuators
Hydraulic Actuators
Solenoid Actuators
For more information about Actuators see main Menu "Valves" -Valve Actuators -
Classification of Valves
The following are some of the commonly used valve classifications, based on mechanical motion:
Linear Motion Valves. The valves in which the closure member, as in gate, globe, diaphragm, pinch, and lift Check
Valves, moves in a straight line to allow, stop, or throttle the flow.
Rotary Motion Valves. When the valve-closure member travels along an angular or circular path, as in butterfly, ball,
plug, eccentric- and Swing Check Valves, the valves are called rotary motion valves.
Quarter Turn Valves. Some rotary motion valves require approximately a quarter turn, 0 through 90, motion of
the stem to go to fully open from a fully closed position or vice versa.
Linear Motion
Rotary Motion
Quarter Turn
Gate
YES
NO
NO
Globe
YES
NO
NO
Plug
NO
YES
YES
Ball
NO
YES
YES
Butterfly
NO
YES
YES
Swing Check
NO
YES
NO
Diaphragm
YES
NO
NO
Pinch
YES
NO
NO
Safety
YES
NO
NO
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Relief
YES
NO
NO
Valve Types
Linear Motion
Rotary Motion
Quarter Turn
Class Ratings
Pressure-temperature ratings of valves are designated by class numbers. ASME B16.34, Valves-Flanged, Threaded,
and Welding End is one of the most widely used valve standards. It defines three types of classes: standard, special,
and limited. ASME B16.34 covers Class 150, 300, 400, 600, 900, 1500, 2500, and 4500 valves.
Summary
On this page are defined a number of basic information from valves.
As you may have seen in the main Menu "Valves", you can find also information about several and often applied valves
in Petro and chemical industry.
It can give you an impression, and good understanding of the differences between the various types of valves, and
how these differences affect the valve function. It will help to a proper application of each type of valve during the
design and the proper use of each type of valve during operation.
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