HYDRAULIC PRINCIPALS OF CONTROL VALVES

Goals and Agenda

Goals
• Getting to know more about:
• What a control valve is.
• How a control valve operates.
Agenda
• Basic physics concepts
• How an on/off diaphragm valve operate
• How to control pressure using a piloted control valve
• Applications at a glimpse
 1m3 H 2O  1000kg Static Pressure
0.12m3 H 2O  120kg
0.04m3 H 2O  40kg
1m
1m
1m 3m
1m
1000  g
P  10,000 Pa  0.1bar
1m 2
0.2m
0.2m
40  g
P  10,000 Pa  0.1bar 0.2m
0.04m 2 0.2m
12  g
P  30,000 Pa  0.3bar
0.04m 2

F m  g V    g V  a b  H 
P      H 
A A A A a b
10m 32.8ft = 22046lbf
10,000kg
393.7in

39.37in
1m
1m 39.37in
22046
P  H    10  98,070  1bar P  14.5 psi
39.37 2 in 2
 F
P   F  P A
P  1bar  14.5 psi A

40m P  2bar  29 psi

131ft

P  4bar  43.5 psi

P  4bar  58 psi
A F
P  4bar  58 psi
DIAPHRAGM VALVE COMPONENTS
Single Chamber Valve
Control Diaphragm
Chamber

seal
Spring

Inlet Outlet

Seat
Double Chamber Valve
Upper Control Diaphragm
Chamber
Lower Control
Chamber
seal
Spring

Inlet Outlet

Seat
CLOSING AND OPENING A VALVE
Terminology
• P1 – Inlet pressure
• P2 – Outlet pressure
• P3 – Pressure in control chamber P3

P2

P1
Closing and opening a valve
A2
 F  A2  P3

P3  F  A1  P1
P3  P1
P2
P1
A2  A1
Inlet outlet
 F  F

A1

Valve Closed
Closing and opening a valve
A2
 F  A2  P3

P3  F  A2  P2
P3  0
P2
P1
A2  A1
Inlet outlet
 F  F

A1

Valve Open
Will the valve close if the flow is low?
A2
 F  A2  P3

P3  F  A2  P2
P3  P2  P1
P1 P2
 F  F
What will make the valve
Inlet outlet move to close?

The Spring!
A1
 F  F  spring
 Closing and opening a valve – double chamber valve

 F  A2  P3
 F  A1  P1
P3
P3  P1
A2  A1
P1 P2
 F  F
Inlet outlet

Valve Closed
 Closing and opening a valve – double chamber valve

 F  A2  P3
 F  A1  P2 *
P3
P3  0
A2  A1
P1 P2
 F  F
Inlet outlet

Valve Open
Closing / Opening Speed
100%

Single chambered
actuator valve
Opening

Double chambered
actuator valve

t
MODULATING
 Bernoulli Equation VP1 2 2
P2 V
Z1    h  Z 2  
1 2
 2g  2g
02 0
10    10m
 2g
6 2
1*10 0
10m 0 5
  10m
10 2g
14 2
0
0   10m
 2  9.8
 Bernoulli Equation P1
V 2
P2 V 2
Z1    h  Z 2  
1 2
 2g  2g
• k – Units coefficient
•Q – flow rate
•C – pipe coefficient for roughness
•d – pipe diameter
10m •L - length
k  Q1.85
h  1.85 4.87  L
C d
 Bernoulli Equation P1
V 2
P2 V 2
Z1    h  Z 2  
1 2
 2g  2g
02
0
10    10m
 2g
6 2
1*10 0
10m 0 5
  10m
10 2g
0 v2
0   h  10  h
 2  9.8
How to Control Δh?

k Q 1.85
h  1.85 4.87  L
C d
 h  Q 
Pressure at user will increase
How to Control Δh?

k Q 1.85
h  1.85 4.87  L
C d
 h  d 
Pressure at user will decrease
How to Control Δh?
k Q 1.85
P h  1.85 4.87  L
C d
How to Control Δh?
k Q 1.85
P h  1.85 4.87  L
C d
How to Control Δh?
k Q 1.85
P h  1.85 4.87  L
C d
Connection between Q and d - Kv & Cv
P Kv and Cv describe the amount of
pressure drop in a given pipe
element in given flow.
2
 Kv 
P[bar ]  
Q 3 
 [ m hr ] 
ΔP
2
 Cv 
P[ psi ]  
Q 
 [ gpm ] 
How to control ΔP so P2 will be constant at changing flows?
2
 Kv 
 
P
P[bar ]
Q 3 
 [ m hr ] 
P1 2
 Cv 
P[ psi ]  
Q 
 [ gpm ] 

ΔP By having a device
that can change its
Kv (Cv) in response
to flow changes.
P2
Piloted pressure reducing valve

Pilot
Restriction
Pilot – Pressure reducing
Adjusting
Bolt

Spring

Diaphragm
From valve Seat
control To valve
chamber (P3) outlet (P2)

Seal
Restriction
Can be in a fitting
Or integrated
Piloted pressure reducing valve

• Pilot is closed • Pilot sense low • Pilot sense set pressure

• inlet pressure flow to pressure and opens • Flow from inlet equal to
the control chamber. • Flow from inlet is control chamber
• Valve is closed restricted discharge
• Valve opens • Valve modulates
A Pressure Reducing valve will maintain constant P2
2
 Kv 
 
P
P[bar ]
Q 3 
 [ m hr ] 
P1 2
 Cv 
P[ psi ]  
Q 
 [ gpm ] 

ΔP

P2
Pressure Reducing & Pressure Sustaining
Sensing
Sensing from inlet
from outlet

Pilot opens Pilot opens

when pressure when pressure
drops rise
A Pressure Sustaining valve will maintain constant P1
2
 Kv 
 
P
P[bar ]
Q 3 
 [ m hr ] 
P1 2
 Cv 
P[ psi ]  
Q 
 [ gpm ] 

ΔP

P2
PAUSE FOR: CAVITATION
What are the effects of cavitation ?
•Loud and pelting noise (problem for noise restricted areas)
•Erosion of material (from cavitation implosions)
•Excessive Vibrations (can be damaging over time).

After filling a tank with the A cavitating jet creates a breach in the
downstream only slightly submerged valve wall
What is Cavitation?
Cavitation is a physical process, which can arise in liquids.

It describes the phase transition between the liquid and the vapor condition.

The cavitation phenonemen has two stages:

Stage 1: Change from liquid to vapor.
Stage 2: Change from vapor to liquid.

liquid  vapour  liquid

 How can cavitation arise? Vena Contracta

P1 V12 P2 V22
Z1    h  Z 2  
  g 2g   g 2g

• At a restriction flow speed rise

• As a result pressure drops
• With additional sheer forces the
water molecules separate and Pressure

Pressure
water vapors forms (even at low Loss (Δh)
temperatures)

Pv
Cross section

Loss
Pressure energy
energy
Velocity
energy
 Development of energy types at the throttling point
After the vena contracta
Loss
the pressure recovers energy
and the vapor bubles Pressure
energy
collaps
Velocity energy
Implosion of the Vapor Bubbles
The imploding vapor bubbles follow certain paths, depending on the pressure conditions:

Flow direction
In the centre of the
pipeline

Fully developed Flattening and

Implosion Microjet
vapor bubble indentation

On the pipe wall

Flow direction
 Implosion of the Vapor Bubbles

As the vapor bubbles

suddenly collapse (implode),
the water surrounding the
vapour bubbles is accelerated
in an inner direction within a
split second.
The „Microjet“ resulting
thereof hits the wall of the
body or pipe at a very high
velocity (V >1000 m/s),
causing pressure peaks of up
to 10000 bars, which erodes
material at the molecular
level.
When Does Cavitation Arise ?
Essential conditions:
•High differential pressure
•Low counter pressure
•High flow velocity

An imploding (cavitating) bubble

 Cavitation Phenomena - Graph

P1 12.0 bar
Pressure

P2 4.0 bar
Pv
Valve cross section
MORE APPLICATIONS
Solenoid control Valve

Valve closed Valve open

Modulating Level Control – 450-60
No flow from the float pilot - valve is closed.
Float pilot

Restriction
Modulating Level Control – 450-60
Flow from the float pilot is over the flow in the
Float pilot
restriction - valve will open.

Restriction
Bi-Level Control – 750-66
4-way control pilot with double chamber valve control

Valve closed Valve open

There are many many more applications and control options,
all use the same basic valve but different control trims
THANK YOU!