Sizing valve

Sizing flow valves is a science with many rules of thumb that few
people agree on. In this article I'll try to define a more standard
procedure for sizing a valve as well as helping to select the
appropriate type of valve. **Please note that the correlation
within this article are for turbulent flow
STEP #1: Define the system
The system is pumping water from one tan to another through
a piping system with a total pressure drop of !"# psi. The fluid is
water at $#
#
%. &esign 'ma(imum) flowrate
of !"# gpm* operating flowrate of !!# gpm*
and a minimum flowrate of +" gpm. The pipe
diameter is , inches. -t $#
#
%* water has a specific gravity of
!.#.
.ey /ariables: Total pressure drop* design flow* operating flow*
minimum flow* pipe diameter* specific gravity
STEP #2: Define a maximum allowable pressure drop for the
valve
0hen defining the allowable pressure drop across the valve* you
should first investigate the pump. 0hat is its ma(imum available
head1 2emember that the system pressure drop is limited by the
pump. 3ssentially the 4et Positive Suction 5ead -vailable
'4PS5-) minus the 4et Positive Suction 5ead 2e6uired '4PS52)
is the ma(imum available pressure drop for the valve to use and
this must not be e(ceeded or another pump will be needed. It's
important to remember the trade off* larger pressure drops
increase the pumping cost 'operating) and smaller pressure drops
increase the valve cost because a larger valve is re6uired 'capital
cost). The usual rule of thumb is that a valve should be designed
to use !#7!"8 of the total pressure drop or !# psi* whichever is
greater. %or our system* !#8 of the total pressure drop is !" psi
which is what we'll use as our allowable pressure drop when the
Sizing valve
valve is wide open 'the pump is our system is easily capable of the
additional pressure drop).
STEP #3: al!ulate the valve !hara!teristi!
%or our system*
-t this point* some people would be tempted to go to the valve
charts or characteristic curves and select a valve. &on't mae
this mistae* instead* proceed to Step 9:;
STEP #": Preliminary valve sele!tion
&on't mae the mistae of trying to match a valve with your
calculated <v value. The <v value should be used as a guide in the
valve selection* not a hard and fast rule. Some other
considerations are:
a. 4ever use a valve that is less than half the pipe size
b. -void using the lower !#8 and upper +#8 of the valve stroe.
The valve is much easier to control in the !#7=#8 stroe range.
>efore a valve can be selected* you have to decide what type of
valve will be used 'See the list of valve types later in this
arti!le). %or our case* we'll assume we're using an e6ual
percentage* globe valve 'e6ual percentage will be e(plained later).
The valve chart for this type of valve is shown below. This is a
typical chart that will be supplied by the manufacturer 'as a
matter of fact* it was;)
Sizing valve
%or our case* it appears the + inch valve will wor well for our <v
value at about =#7="8 of the stroe range. 4otice that we're
not trying to s6ueeze our <v into the ! !?+ valve which would need
to be at !##8 stroe to handle our ma(imum flow. If this valve
were used* two conse6uences would be e(perienced: the pressure
drop would be a little higher than !" psi at our design 'ma() flow
and the valve would be difficult to control at ma(imum flow. -lso*
there would be no room for error with this valve* but the valve
we've chosen will allow for flow surges beyond the !"# gpm range
with severe headaches;
So we've selected a valve...but are we ready to order1 4ot
yet* there are still some characteristics to consider.
STEP ##: he!$ the v and stro$e per!enta%e at the
minimum flow
If the stroe percentage falls below !#8 at our minimum flow*
a smaller valve may have to be used in some cases. @udgements
plays role in many cases. %or e(ample* is your system more liely
to operate closer to the ma(imum flowrates more often than the
minimum flowrates1 Ar is it more liely to operate near the
minimum flowrate for e(tended periods of time. It's difficult to
find the perfect valve* but you should find one that operates well
Sizing valve
most of the time. Bet's chec the valve we've selected for our
system:
2eferring bac to our valve chart* we see that a <v of C." would
correspond to a stroe percentage of around ,"7:#8 which is
certainly acceptable. 4otice that we used the ma(imum pressure
drop of !" psi once again in our calculation. -lthough the
pressure drop across the valve will be lower at smaller flowrates*
using the ma(imum value gives us a Dworst caseD scenario. If our
<v at the minimum flow would have been around !."* there would
not really be a problem because the valve has a <v of !.CC at !#8
stroe and since we use the ma(imum pressure drop* our estimate
is conservative. 3ssentially* at lower pressure drops* <v would
only increase which in this case would be advantageous.
STEP #&: he!$ the %ain a!ross appli!able flowrates
Eain is defined as:
4ow* at our three flowrates:
Fmin G +" gpm
Fop G !!# gpm
Fdes G !"# gpm
we have corresponding <v values of C."* +=* and ,H. The
corresponding stroe percentages are ,"8* $,8* and ="8
respectively. 4ow we construct the following table:
%low
'gpm)
Stroe
'8)
<hange in
flow 'gpm)
<hange in
Stroe '8)
+" ,"
!!#7+" G
="
$,7," G ,=
!!# $,
!"# =" !"#7!!# G ="7$, G !+
Sizing valve
:#
Eain 9! G ="?,= G +.+
Eain 9+ G :#?!+ G ,.,
The difference between these values should be less than "#8 of
the higher value.
#." ',.,) G !.C"
and ,., 7 +.+ G !.!#. Since !.!# is less than !.C"* there should be
no problem in controlling the valve. -lso note that the gain should
never be less than #."#. So for our case* I believe our selected
valve will do nicely;
'T(E) *'TES:
-nother valve characteristic that can be e(amined is called the
choed flow. The relation uses the %
B
value found on the valve
chart. I recommend checing the choed flow for vastly
different ma(imum and minimum flowrates. %or e(ample if the
difference between the ma(imum and minimum flows is above
H#8 of the ma(imum flow* you may want to chec the choed
flow. Isually* the rule of thumb for determining the ma(imum
pressure drop across the valve also helps to avoid choing flow.
SE+ET,*- . /.+/E T0PE
0hen speaing of valves* it's easy to get lost in the terminology.
/alve types are used to describe the mechanical characteristics
and geometry '3(? gate* ball* globe valves). 0e'll use valve
control to refer to how the valve travel or stroe 'openness)
relates to the flow:
!. 36ual Percentage: e6ual increments of valve travel produce an
e6ual percentage in flow change
+. Binear: valve travel is directly proportional to the valve stoe
Sizing valve
,. Fuic opening: large increase in flow with a small change
in valve stroe
So how do you decide which valve control to use1 5ere are
some rules of thumb for each one:
!. 36ual Percentage 'most commonly used valve control)
a. Ised in processes where large changes in pressure drop
are e(pected
b. Ised in processes where a small percentage of the total
pressure drop is permitted by the valve
c. Ised in temperature and pressure control loops
+. Binear
a. Ised in li6uid level or flow loops
b. Ised in systems where the pressure drop across the valve is
e(pected to remain fairly constant 'ie. steady state systems)
,. Fuic Apening
a. Ised for fre6uent on7off service
b. Ised for processes where DinstantlyD large flow is needed 'ie.
safety systems or cooling water systems)
4ow that we've covered the various types of valve control* we'll
tae a loo at the most common valve types.
Eate /alves
>est Suited <ontrol: Fuic Apening
2ecommended Ises:
!. %ully open?closed* non7throttling
+. Infre6uent operation
,. Jinimal fluid trapping in line
Sizing valve
-pplications: Ail* gas* air* slurries* heavy li6uids* steam*
noncondensing gases* and corrosive li6uids
-dvantages: &isadvantages:
!. 5igh capacity !. Poor control
+. Tight shutoff +. <avitate at low pressure
drops
,. Bow cost ,. <annot be used for throttling
:. Bittle resistance to flow

Elobe /alves
>est Suited <ontrol: Binear and 36ual
percentage
2ecommended Ises:
!. Throttling service?flow regulation
+. %re6uent operation
-pplications: Bi6uids* vapors* gases*
corrosive substances* slurries
-dvantages: &isadvantages:
!. 3fficient throttling !. 5igh
pressure drop
+. -ccurate flow control +. Jore e(pensive than other
valves
,. -vailable in multiple ports


Sizing valve
>all /alves
>est Suited <ontrol: Fuic opening* linear
2ecommended Ises:
!. %ully open?closed* limited7throttling
+. 5igher temperature fluids
-pplications: Jost li6uids* high temperatures* slurries


-dvantages: &isadvantages:
!. Bow cost !. Poor throttling characteristics
+. 5igh capacity +. Prone to cavitation
,. Bow leaage and maint.
:. Tight sealing with low tor6ue
>utterfly /alves
>est Suited <ontrol: Binear* 36ual
percentage
2ecommended Ises:
!. %ully open?closed or throttling services
+. %re6uent operation
,. Jinimal fluid trapping in line
-pplications: Bi6uids* gases* slurries* li6uids
with suspended solids
-dvantages: &isadvantages:
!. Bow cost and maint. !. 5igh tor6ue
Sizing valve
re6uired for control
+. 5igh capacity +. Prone to cavitation at lower flows
,. Eood flow control
:. Bow pressure drop

Ather /alves
-nother type of valve commonly used in conKunction with other
valves is called a chec valve. <hec valves are designed to
restrict the flow to one direction. If the flow reverses direction*
the chec valve closes. 2elief valves are used to regulate the
operating pressure of incompressible flow. Safety valves are
used to release e(cess pressure in gases or compressible fluids.