A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids,
or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways.
Valves are technically fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category. In an open valve, fluid
flows in a direction from higher pressure to lower pressure.
Classification of valves based on their function:
1. Isolation valve
An isolation valve in a fluid handling system, that stops the flow of process media to a given
location, usually for maintenance or safety purposes.
a. Gate valve
b. Plug valve
c. Ball valve
d. Piston valve
e. Diaphragm valve
f. Butterfly valve
g. Pinch valve
2. Control valve
A control valve is used to control fluid flow by varying the size of the flow passage. This
enables the direct control of flow rate and the consequential control of process quantities
such as pressure, temperature, and liquid level.
a. Globe valve
b. Plug valve
c. Ball valve
d. Piston valve
e. Diaphragm valve
f. Butterfly valve
g. Pinch valve
h. Needle valve
3. Non return valve
A check valve, clack valve, non return valve or one-way valve is a valve that normally allows
fluid (liquid or gas) to flow through it, only in one direction.
Basically classified as:
a. Swing check valve
b. Lift check valve
Use of valve in piping system :
Controlling services
Isolating equipment for maintenance purpose
Isolating instrument for maintenance purpose
Draining fluids from equipment and piping
Venting air, gas from equipment and piping
Emergency shutdown in case of leakage of fluid
GATE VALVE
Gate valves are widely used for all types of applications and are suitable for both aboveground and
underground installation. Gate valves are designed to operate fully open or fully closed because they
operate slowly to prevent fluid hammer.
They are installed in pipelines as isolating valves, and should not be used as control or regulating
valves.
Gate valves are often used when minimum pressure loss and a free bore is needed. When fully open,
a typical gate valve has no obstruction in the flow path resulting in a very low pressure loss.
Classification of gate valve:
Socket welded
Threaded
Flanged
Advantages of gate valves:
1. They have good shutoff characteristics
2. They are bidirectional
3. The pressure loss through the valve is minimal
Disadvantages :
1. Gate valves are not quick opening or closing valves. Full-stem travel to open or close a gate
valve requires many turns of its hand wheel or an actuator.
2. Gate valves require large space envelope for installation, operation and maintenance
3. In systems experiencing high-temperature fluctuations, wedge-gate valves may be have
excessive leakage past the seats due to changes in the angular relationship between the
wedge and the valve seats caused by piping loads on the valve ends.
4. Repair or machining of valve seats in place is difficult.
Gate valves normally have flanged ends. Gate valves are typically constructed from cast iron, cast
carbon steel, gun metal, stainless steel, alloy steels, and forged steels.
Gate valves are characterized as having either a rising or a nonrising stem. Valves with rising stems
are used when it is important to know by immediate inspection whether the valve is open or closed.
Nonrising stem are used where vertical space is limited or underground. The stem is threaded into
the gate. As the hand wheel on the stem is rotated, the gate travels up or down the stem on the
threads while the stem, remains vertically stationary. This type of valve will almost always have a
pointer indicator threaded onto the upper end of the stem to indicate the position of the gate.
PLUG VALVE
Plug valves are valves with
cylindrical or conically tapered
“plugs” which can be rotated
inside the valve body to control
flow through the valve. Plug
valves, also called cocks,
generally are used for the same
full-flow service as gate valves, where quick shutoff is required. They are used for steam, water, oil,
gas, and chemical liquid services. Plug valves are not generally designed for the regulation of flow.
Advantages of Plug Valves :
1. Simple design with few parts
2. Quick to open or close
3. Can be serviced in place
4. Offers minimal resistance to flow
Disadvantages of Plug Valves :
1. Requires greater force to actuate, due to high
friction
2. NPS 4 (DN100) and larger valves require use of
actuators
3. Reduced port, due to tapered plug
4. Typically, plug valves may cos more than ball valves
Typical Application of plug valves
Air, gaseous, and vapor services
Natural gas piping system
Coal slurries, mineral ores, mud, and sewage applications
Oil piping systems
Vacuum to high-pressure applications
BALL VALVE
Ball valve is a form of quarter-turn valve which uses a hollow,
perforated and pivoting ball to control flow through it. It is open
when the ball’s hole is in line with the flow and closed when it is
pivoted 90-degrees by the valve handle.
Advantages :
1. Durable
2. Performing well after many cycles, and reliable closing
securely even after long periods of use
3. Excellent choice for shutoff and control applications
4. Ease to operate & repair
5. Supports pressures up to 1000 bar and
temperatures up to 400 C depending on
design and materials used.
Disadvantages :
1. Trap water in the center of cavity while in
closed position. In the event of freeze, the
sides can crack due to expansion of ice
forming
2. Wear and tear: when used to regulate the
wrong types of fluids, such as slurries, ball valves can stick in position and become jammed
due to suspended particles being trapped. This can cause the valve to wear, or to become
damaged or stuck.
DIAPHRAGM VALVE
Diaphragm valves (or membrane valves) consists of a valve body with two
or more parts, a diaphragm, and a “weir or saddle” or seat upon which the
diaphragm closes the valve. The valve is constructed from either plastic or
metal.
Advantages :
1. Can be used as on-off and throttling service valves
2. Offer good chemical resistance due to variety of linings available
3. Stem leakage is eliminated
4. Does not have pockets to trap solids, slurries, and other impurities. It is suitable for slurries
and viscous fluids.
5. These valves are particularly suitable for hazardous chemicals and radioactive fluids.
6. These valves do not permit contamination of flow medium, this they are used extensively in
food processing, pharmaceutical, brewing, and other applications which cannot tolerate any
contamination.
Disadvantages :
1. The weir may prevent full drainage of piping.
2. Working temperatures and pressures are limited by the diaphragm material. Generally the
pressures are limited to 200 psi (1380 kPa) and temperatures up to 204 C
3. The diaphragm may also limit the hydrostatic pressure
4. The diaphragm may experience erosion when used extensively in severe throttling service
containing impurities
5. Diaphragm valves are available in limited sizes, usually NPS ½ to 12 (DN 15 to 300)
Typically application of diaphragm valves :
1. Clean or dirty water and air service applications
2. Demineralized water system
3. Corrosive applications
4. Rad waste systems in nuclear facilities
5. Vacuum service
6. Food processing, pharmaceutical, and brewing system
Types of diaphragm valves, primarily there are two basic designs of diaphragm valves such as :
1. Weir type
A weir is provided as an integral part of the valve
body. The weir acts as the valve seat against which the
diaphragm is compressed to stop the flow. This type of
diaphragm valve is generally produced in large sizes.
The raised weir reduces the amount of diaphragm
travel from the fully open to the fully closed position,
thus reducing the amount of stress and strain in the
diaphragm.
2. Straight-Through type.
When the straightway valve is open, its diaphragm lifts high for full
streamline flow in either direction. When the valve is closed, the
diaphragm seals tight for positive closure even with gritty or fibrous
materials in the line.
BUTTERFLY VALVE
Rotating the actuator turns the disc either parallel or perpendicular to the flow. Unlike a ball valve,
the disc is always present within the flow, so it induces a pressure drop, even when open. A butterfly
valve is from a family of valves called quarter-turn valves.
Advantages :
1. They are small and, when actuated pneumatically, open and close very quickly
2. The disc is lighter than a ball, and the valve requires less structural support than a ball valve
of comparable diameter
3. Butterfly valves are very precise, which makes them advantageous in industrial applications
4. They are quite reliable and require very little maintenance
Disadvantage :
1. Some portion of the disc is always presented to the flow, even when fully opened
Application :
1. Cooling water, air, gasses, and other similar applications
2. Corrosive services requiring lined valves
3. Food processing, chemical, and pharmaceutical services
4. Slurry and similar services
5. High-pressure and high-temperature water and steam services
6. Throttling service involving low differential pressures, as in cooling water or air supply
systems
7. Vacuum service
PINCH VALVE
A pinch valve is a full bore or fully ported type of control valve
which uses a pinching effect to obstruct fluid flow.
Major components of a pinch valve consists of body and a
sleeve.
The sleeve material can be selected upon the corrosiveness
and abrasiveness of the flow media, a suitable synthetic polymer can be chosen.
A pinch valve may be the best type of valve for flow control application if the operation temperature
is within the limit of the polymer.
Advantages :
1. Low & easy maintenance
2. Low weight
3. Very fast opening/closing times
4. Less air consumption
5. Self cleaning
6. Permanent seal with tight shutoff
7. Minimal turbulence & friction
8. No mechanical parts, and no bearings, seals or packing required
9. Only one replaceable part (elastomer sleeve)
Disadvantages:
1. Temperature range is limited
2. Medium operating pressure is limited
3. Face to face length may be an issue when limited space for fitting the valve is available
Application:
1. Cement industry
2. Waste water industry
3. Chemical industry
4. Food industry
5. Beverage industry
6. Ceramic-/glass-/plastic industry
PISTON VALVE
A piston valve is a device used to control the motion of a fluid
along a tube or pipe by means of the linear motion of a piston
within a chamber or cylinder.
Application :
Excellent performance in steam service
Preferd valve for thermic fluid service (high temp.
2500 C and upwards)
Fatty acid
Gasses and hazardous fluids
GLOVE VALVE
A globe valve, different from ball valve, is a type of valve
used for regulating flow in a pipeline, consisting of a
movable disk-type element and a stationary ring seat in a
generally spherical body.
Advantage :
1. Full closing feature is good
2. Throttling feature is good
3. Compared to gate valves, stroke is shorter so opening-closing time is shorter
4. Body ring seating surface process is easier.
Disadvantage :
1. Compared to gate valves, pressure loss is higher
2. They required a larger amount of force or an actuator with a larger torque, to close under
high pressure
Application :
1. Cooling water systems where flow needs to be regulated
2. Fuel oil system where flow is regulated and leak tightness is of importance
3. High-point vents and low-point drains when leak tightness and safety are major
considerations
4. Feed water, chemical feed, condenser air extractions, and extraction drain systems
5. Boiler vents and drains, main steam vents and drains, and heater drains
6. Turbine seals and drains
SWING CHECK VALVE or TILTING DISC CHECK VALVE
A swing check valve or tilting disc check valve is a check valve in which the
disc, the movable part to block the flow, swings on a hinge or trunnion,
either onto the seat to block reverse flow or off the seat to allow forward
flow. Large check valves are often swing check valves.
LIFT CHECK VALVE
Lift check valves are particularly adapted for high-pressure service
where velocity of flow is high. In lift check valves, the piston disc is
accurately guided by long contact and a close sliding fit with the
perfectly centered dash pot.
Advantage of check valve :
1. Self actuated
2. Require no external means to actuate the valve either to open
or close
3. Fast acting
Disadvantage of check valve
1. Since all moving parts are enclosed, it is difficult to determine whether the valve is open or
closed. Furthermore, the condition of internal parts cannot be assessed.
2. Each type of check valve has limitations on its installation configurations
3. Valve disc can stick in open position
