Control valve -

Capacity and sizing

Reference: Principles and Practices of Automatic Process Control

(Armando Corripio & Carlos Smith, 2006)
 OBE attainment

 PO (Program Outcome)
PO1: Apply knowledge of mathematics, sciences, engineering fundamentals and
engineering specialization to solve complex engineering problems.

 CO (course Outcome)
– CO1- Select suitable control elements for a particular control system
 Control valve capacity and sizing

• To regulate flow, the flow capacity of the control valve

varies from zero when the valve is closed to a maximum
when the valve is fully opened.

• Flow capacity of a control valve is determine by its capacity

factor or flow coefficient, Cv

• Cv is the flow in US gallon per minute (gpm) that flow

through the valve at a pressure drop of 1 psi across the
valve.
• e.g valve with Cv of 25 can deliver 25 gpm of water when it
has a 1 psi pressure drop.
• FLOW through the valve
• Liquid
-Liquid flow through the valve

Conversion unit

Mass flow , lb/h =

• Answer
• Compressible flow (Gas or vapor)
-equation of gas or vapor flow in cubic feed per hour, at
standard conditions of one atm and 60 o F
• Mass rate through the valve:

•
w is gas flow in lb/h
Mw is average molecular weight of the gas

A 3-in Masoneilan valve with full trim has a capacity factor of 110 gpm/(psi)1/2 when
fully opened. The pressure drop across the valve is 10 psi. Calculate the flow of a gas
with average molecular weight of 35 when the valve inlet conditions are 100 psig
and 100 oF
Gas Mw=35, G=35/29 = 1.207, P1=100+14.7 =114.7 psia, T=100+460
=560 oR, Cf=0.9
Sizing of control valves
• Sizing control valve for liquid service
– Flow through the valve
– Pressure drop across the valve
– Specific gravity of the liquid

• Sizing control valve for compressible flow

– Flow through the valve
– Pressure drop across the valve
– Specific gravity of the liquid
– Inlet pressure and temperature
– Average molecular weight of the fluid
• For sizing the valve, use the information to calculate
the Cv coefficient
• Once the Cv coefficient is known select a valve that is
large enough for the service.
• Generally, the calculated Cv falls between two
different valve sizes. Select the larger valve.
• Capacity factor/ flow coefficient =


f = flow through the valve at nominal production rate (nominal flow )
- obtained from the process steadystate design conditions.
pv = pressure drop across the valve, psi
Gf =specific gravity of liquid
• The valve coefficient must be greater than the one
calculated from the equation

• Ratio of the valve coefficient when the valve is fully open

opened to the valve coefficient at nominal flow =
overcapacity factor of the valve

• Calculate the overcapacity factor of the valve,

Cv ,max

Cv

• Overcapacity factor 1.5 for 50% overcapacity

• Overcapacity factor 2 for 100% overcapacity
Valve sizing – liquid service

P in psi

P
Q  Cv Fluid S.G. Q
S .G. Flowrate
In gpm
Example

Calculate the Cv of a control valve

when a 480 gpm fluid having a SG of
0.85 pass through it. The pressure
drop across the control valve is 15
psi. Size the control valve for 50%
overcapacity.
Example
A control valve is to regulate the flow of steam into a
distillation column reboiler with a design nominal flow of
16,100 lb/h. the supply steam is saturated at 20 psig. Size
the control valve for a pressure drop of 5 psi and 100%
overcapacity
• Answer
• the valve pressure is 20+14.7 =34.7 psia, the molecular weight of
steam =18 lb/lbmole, its specific gravity is G=18/29 =0.621,
assuming Cf =0.8

• For 100% overcapacity, the valve coefficient when fully opened

 Masoneilan’s valve catalog

Valve size Reduced trim Full capacity trim

(in)

½ 1.7 3.7 6.4 11

1 1.7 3.7 6.4 11 12
1½ 1.7 3.8 6.5 12 13 25
2 1.7 3.8 6.7 13 19 26 46
3 14 31 47 110
4 32 49 113 195
6 53 126 208 400
8 133 224 415 640
10 233 442 645 1000

• Cv, max is between 640 and 1000

• Therefore valve size is 10 inch
Exercise
• A control valve is used to regulate the flow of steam. The
nominal flow of the steam is 180,000scfh. The valve condition
are 100 psig and 60oF, and the outlet pressure is 80 psig. Size
the control valve for 100% overcapacity. Steam MW= 18 and
Cf=0.8. (Masoneilan)
 Issues on Control Valves

• What make a control valve becomes linear,

equal percentage or quick opening control
valve?
• Why flashing and cavitation are serious
problem in control valve?
• What causing flashing and cavitation in a
control valve?
What make a control valve becomes linear, equal
percentage or quick opening control valve?

The amount of flow produced with

respect to steady increment in
stem travel.
Why flashing and cavitation are serious
problem in control valve?

Erosion
 What causing flashing and
cavitation in a control valve?
• Flashing
Pressure of the liquid falls below
its vapor pressure, liquid change
phase to vapor phase.
• Cavitation
If pressure recovery experienced by
the liquid is enough to raise the
pressure above the vapor pressure
of the liquid, the vapor bubbles will
start collapsing/imploding
What causing flashing and cavitation
in a control valve?