Advances in flow control measurement technologies have made it easier and quicker to measure and control liquid flow rate. As a result, the daunting task of manually controlling the flow rate has been removed while making the process efficient. This article will learn about how different types of liquid control valves work in increasing the speed of controlling fluids and enhancing safety in different industrial plants.
What is a Liquid Control Valve?
A liquid flow control valve is an instrument designed to regulate the pressure and water flows in channels and pipes. Back in the day, fluids such as water were controlled manually, which took a lot of time and effort. With the introduction of automated liquid control valves, flow regulation is easier, faster, and safer. However, since there are many liquid flow systems, you need to ensure that you’ve made the right choice when selecting one. Due to the process control valve operating within its system, a liquid control valve is also called the final control element.
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Sizing A Liquid Flow Control
Adjusting the control valve size means choosing a valve with the correct port size to intelligently adjust the flow within the required range. There are other important factors to consider when choosing a control valve, such as B. Valve type and characteristics, but this article will focus on valve size.
The size of the control valve used for a specific task depends on the required flow. That the valve must pass and the allowable pressure difference that can pass through the valve.
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Pressure Control Valves
The main function of a liquid flow control valve is to control the direction intensity of liquids glowing through the pipe or other channels. The pipe size varies, which influences the type and size of the liquid control valve you want to use in your system. Besides manipulating the flow directly, liquid control valves also affect the pressure, temperature, and quantity of fluid flowing through the channel. It is therefore important to consider all these factors when selecting an ideal fluid control valve and system.
The work of a pressure control valve is to ensure that the liquid’s pressure range is within the preset parameters. Pressure control valves also help to maintain the pressure rate within its safety range. Nowadays, pressure control valves are found in almost all hydraulic systems. Types of pressure control valves include reducing, unloading, sequence, counterbalance, and relief. A restriction is imposed so that these pressure control valves can function as expected. Apart from reducing flow control valves, which are usually open, the rest of the valves are closed.
Pneumatic Pressure Flow Control Valves
The Working Principle of Liquid Control Valves
To help you understand better how liquid control valves work. We shall dig deeper into how control valves work to maintain and control the flow rate of different fluids in hydraulic systems. The variables of the flowing fluid, such as steam, chemical compounds, gas, and water, are kept within the desired flow range by the control valve, which manipulates how the media flows. Manipulation of the CV and changing its location can be done either by a pneumatic or electronic control signal. This results in accurately controlling the fluid leading to high productivity and profitability. Unnecessary costs are also prevented when using liquid control valves correctly. Components used to open or close control valves are called actuators, and they can either be pneumatic, hydraulic, or electrical.
On the other hand, the valve positioners help to adjust the size of the closing and the opening of the valve together with a modulating valve. Pneumatic control valves are the commonly use for valves due since the only thing they need is compressed air. Also called air-actuated valves, these flow control valves are also prefer for their ease of use. Other kinds of control valves, such as electrically operated valves, need additional cabling and switch gears. In hydraulic-actuated valves, return lines for the hydraulic fluid high-pressure supply is require to make them function effectively.
Nowadays, advanced technology has seen cutting-edge electrical control with smart communication signals for 4 to 20mA control current. The health and the position of the control valve can be back to the controller.
Components of a Control Valve
In an automatic liquid control valve, there are three main components. They include:
- Positioner
- Actuator
- Control Valve Body
Flow Valve Positioner –This component of a control valve is to check the position of the valve to ensure that the desired number corresponds with the opening degree.
Control Valve Actuator – The part used to move the modulating element of the valve is called an actuator.
Flow Control Valve Body – The Flow Control valve’s body carries the modulating element such as the globe or the butterfly.
Control Valve Types
Although there are many different types of liquid control valves, some are more popular than others. Let’s look at some of the most used ones.
Liquid control valves are based on the different features that they possess. These features include actuating medium, movement profile of the controlling element, functionality, and pressure drop profile.
According to the pressure drop profile categorizing control valves. Two common types are available: high-recovery valve and low recovery valve. Liquid control valves that fall under high-recovery valves include gate valves, plug valves, butterfly valves, and ball valves. Globe valves and angle valves are examples of low-recovery valves.
Control valves according to functionality. These types of valves include:
- Shut-off and On-Off Valves – Gate Valve and Pinch Valve
- Check Valves – Turbine bypass valve
- Spring-loaded Safety Valves
Two types of control valves are based on the profile of the controlling element. These two options include rotary valves and sliding stem valves. Their movement is what distinguishes the two valve types. The valve moves linearly in sliding stem valve types, while in rotary valves, the valve has a rotary motion. Examples of sliding stem valve types include angle valves, wedge type gate valves, globe valves, etc. Butterfly valves and ball valves are examples of rotary-type valves.
Control valves types categorized based on the actuating media include valves designed in certain features. They include pneumatic valves, manual valves, and hydraulic valves.
The Main Benefits of Using Control Valves
When you want to fully benefit from control valves. High quality is what you need to aim for. Some of the benefits you will get when using high-quality control valves include high performance and easy maintenance. Other benefits are that high-quality liquid control valves can withstand various harsh conditions and durability. Some industries where control valves are applicable include petrochemicals, steel production plants, power generation, and gas plants.
Besides saving you money by reducing unneeded costs, high-quality control valves can also shorten the process and enhance product variability. Furthermore, safety within the system reduction are also depending on the preset parameters. Therefore, always go for high-quality control valves because they will perform as expected.
Different applications require particular types of control valves. Therefore, you need to know which type of control valve best suits your system. If you are unsure of the application you want to use it for, you can consult the manufacturer to get more insights about the control valve.
Conclusion
That is all you need to know about liquid control valves for today. We trust that this post was useful to you. You are now knowledgeable about liquid flow control valves. To buy high-quality control valves, research first online for reputable manufacturers.
