Definition of Cv from Crane TP-410 (p.

2-10):

Rate of flow of water, in gpm, at 60F, at a pressure drop of 1psi across the valve

i.e.

Rate of flow of water, in gpm, at 60F, at a pressure drop of 1 psi for a valve with
effective area, A, and resistance, K

Expression for Cv from Crane TP-410 (p. 3-4):

29.9d 2 29.9d 2
Cv = Q = =
P (62.4 ) f L K
D

Where:

Q flow rate (gpm)

P pressure drop (psi)
fluid density (lb/ft3)
d effective diameter (in2)
K resistance coefficient (non-dimensional)

The following are not specified in TP-410, and these omissions make the equation
confusing:

The units of the 62.4 presented

The units of the 29.9 presented

Rearranging:

P (62.4 )
Q = Cv

29.9d 2 P(62.4 )
Q=
K

I determined that the units of 62.4 are lb/ft3. A similar equation for Cv in the Fischer
Control Valve Handbook (p. 114) uses the specific gravity in the square root term. Since
62.4 is the density of water, /62.4 is the specific gravity.

The 29.9 is less simple. It was more intuitive for me to think of d2 as an effective area
rather than an effective diameter squared. I therefore translated the equation to:

29.9d 2 = 38.08 d 2 = 38.08 A
4

Where A is the area. The new equation becomes:

38.08 A P (62.4 )
Q=
K

Based on the definition of Cv, this means that for water at 60F with a valve that has an
effective area A = 1in2, a resistance K = 1, and P = 1psi, the flow is equal to 38.08gpm
(the specific gravity of water at 60F = 1).

In terms of units, then, the equation looks like:

gpm 2
gpm = 2 in
in psi
( ) psi

So the equation becomes:

gpm
38.08 2 A P 62.4 lb
in psi ft 3

Q=
K

For the sake of consistency with the established equations, A can be put back in terms of
d2 :

gpm 2 lb
38.08 2 d P 62.4 3
in psi 4
ft
Q=
K
gpm 2 lb
29.9 2 d P 62.4 3
in psi
ft
Q=
K

Now this equation can be meaningfully converted to the metric system. The constant
becomes:
 gpm 6.309 10 m s m3
5 3
1.550 10 3 in 2 1.204 10 2 psi 2
29.9 2
= 3.520 10 2 s
in psi gpm m2 Pa
m Pa

And the equation therefore becomes:

m3

3.520 10 2 2 s

( )
m Pa
3 P(Pa )
Q m =
s K Gf

Where Gf is the specific gravity of the fluid.

Just to check my work, I will try a random mix of values for the 2 equations:

For water at 60F, P = 13.2psi, K = 2.27, and d = 1.75in:

13.2psi = 9.101x104Pa
1.75in = 4.445x10-2m

Q=
(29.9)(1.75)2 13.2 = 220.81gpm
2.27

Q=
(3.520 10 )(4.445 10 )
2 2 2
9.10110 4 = 1.393 10 2
m3
2.27 s
m3
220.81gpm = 1.393 10 2
s

It appears that the translation to metric units worked correctly.