Valves in Water Supply Systems

Valves have been in use on water pipe and lifting systems for over 2000 years. Plug cock, butterfly,
flap, gate and pressure relief valves became widely used. By 1950 valves had become increasingly
sophisticated and several new types of valve had been developed—diaphragm, ball and lubricated
plug. Needle, sleeve, air release and hollow jet valves were also invented in the 20th century and are
now available in numerous variants.

Valve type should be selected according to the required function. Valves for industrial process are
classified in Europe as: isolating; regulating and control valves. The same classifications may be
adopted for water supply valves. There are also other common functions such as air release, non-
return, pressure relief and hydrant: 

Types of Valves
Isolating Set either closed or fully open and normally
not operated in flow conditions
Regulating Set with any degree of opening to regulate
flow and capable of periodic adjustment to
opening
Control Used with autonomous or external systems
to respond to changes in flow or pressure
conditions so as to achieve a set result
which itself is capable of being reset

Non-return Prevents reverse flow when downstream

pressure is higher.
Venting To exhaust or admit air

 Gate Valve
 Globe Valve
 Check Valve
 Plug valve
 Ball Valve
 Butterfly Valve
 Needle Valve
 Pinch Valve
 Pressure Relief Valve

Gate Valves
A gate valve is the most common type of valve in any process plant. It is a linear motion valve used
to start or stop fluid flow. In service, these valves are either in a fully open or fully closed position.
 Gate valves have a low fully open head loss
coefficient and good shut off; therefore, they
are useful for isolation duties, particularly in
pumped systems. However, they are not
suitable for flow regulation or control due to
poor flow characteristics, vibration and play
in the stem. The disadvantage is that manual
full opening or closing of a large gate valve requires considerable work and time, over an hour for a
valve larger than DN 600.

Globe Valves
A globe valve consists of a circular orifice,
usually with its axis at right angles to the pipe
axis, against which a piston or disk obturator
makes a seal. Movement of the obturator
reveals a cylindrical opening which can be
ported (provided with a serrated or perforated
sleeve). The obturator is driven by a shaft,
which can be operated by a device such as a
spring. Flow direction depends on the type of
globe valve. Usually flow is outwards through the circular opening of valves with diaphragms but
inwards through the opening of globe valves with secondary pistons. This disadvantage of the
outflow configuration in cavitating conditions can be overcome by dissipating some of the head just
upstream of the circular orifice or by use of a sleeve with circular ports, but only at the expense of
increased headloss when fully open.

Check Valves
The check valve prevents backflow in the piping system. The pressure of the fluid passing through a
pipeline opens the valve, while any reversal of flow will
close the valve. With all these designs forward flow tends
to move the obturator out of the way while the valves are
designed to close as soon as possible after forward flow
ceases. The most common type of non-return valve
consists of a flat disc within the pipeline pivoted so that it
is forced open when the flow of water is in one direction
and forced shut against a seating when the flow tries to
reverse and is often termed a ‘swing check valve’.

Plug Valves
The principle of the plug valve is similar to that of the ball valve in that closure is effected by a 1/4
turn of a spindle which, in this case, is usually
mounted vertically to allow the weight of the
plug to be taken on a bottom bearing. The
opening is often rectangular rather than circular;
it requires transitions upstream and
downstream and prevents the passage of harder
swabs. Some designs allow the plug to be partly supported by upstream hydraulic pressure, thereby
reducing wear. Eccentric plug valves are available up to DN 1800 and full cone plug valves can be
made in similar sizes if required.

Ball Valves
Ball valves consist of a spherical obturator with a cylindrical hole, usually of the same diameter as
the pipe, although it can be smaller. Operation is by rotation
(1/4 turn) of a shaft mounted (often horizontally) with its axis
at right angles to the cylindrical hole. Seals are usually resilient
and can provide drop-tight shut off. Ball valves are commonly
used in small diameters (up to DN 300) although at least one
manufacturer can make ball valves up to DN 1200. Ball valves
are manufactured in one-piece, top entry, two piece (Figure
16.6) and three piece bodies. A top entry body allows access to
the ball and seats for maintenance without the need to
remove the valve and is preferred for larger sizes.

Butterfly Valves
A Butterfly valve is a quarter-turn rotary motion valve, that is used
to stop, regulate, and start the flow. The butterfly valve has a short
circular body. Butterfly Valve is suitable for large valve applications
due to Compact, lightweight design that requires considerably less
space, as compared to other valves. is. Use of such valves for
isolation of air valves allows maintenance to be carried out on the
air valve in situ with the pipeline in service but does not allow
removal and replacement of the air valve under pressure. Since
replacement of air valves is likely to be cheaper than in situ
refurbishment, flanged isolating valves are preferred in such
situations.

Needle Valves
In a typical needle valve flow passes around the housing for a
piston located centrally within the valve body. Flow can be
gradually reduced by advancing the piston towards a
circumferential seat in the downstream end of the valve body,
often through a sleeve. The piston and central bulb may be
streamlined to reduce losses with the valve fully open. The full
open head loss of needle valves can be low whilst affording
good control and cavitation performance—particularly when a
perforated or slotted sleeve is employed.For ‘free discharge’
high pressure duties such as occur during draw-off at the base
of a dam, the needle valve should be adapted with a jet
disperser. Provided the jet has sufficient height and pace to break up into falling water droplets, little
protection of ‘soft’ river beds is needed. 
Pinch Valves
A pinch valve consists of a diaphragm which is deflected by a cam
or roller to reduce the gap between the diaphragm and the base
of the valve opening. In some designs, an upper and a lower
diaphragm are employed, both squeezed at the same time.
Valves of this sort are particularly useful with very aggressive
fluids if the liner/diaphragm is made of suitably resistant
material.

Pressure Relief Valves

The valve serves various functions within the piping system. Such as:

 Stopping and starting a fluid flow. Depending on whether a valve is open or closed, it let pass
the process fluid or halt the fluid.
 Throttling the fluid flow. Some of the valves let
you throttle the fluid depending open % of the
total opening. Lesser the opening higher the
throttling and otherwise.
 Controlling the direction of fluid flow. The
multiport valve lets you decide the way fluid will
go.
 Regulating a flow or pressure within the piping
system. Some of the automatic control valves
maintain the flow and pressure within the system
by adjusting opening and closing.
 Relieve pressure or vacuum from the piping system and equipment. Pressure and vacuum
relief valve safeguard the process system from overpressure and during vacuum conditions.