Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 15 (12): 1834-1839, 2013

ISSN 1990-9233
© IDOSI Publications, 2013
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.15.12.1021

CFD Analysis of a Butterfly Valve in a Compressible Fluid

1
G. Tamizharasi and 2S. Kathiresan

Detarment of ETE, Bharath University, Chennai-600 073, India

1

2
Department of Mechnical Engg, Karpagavinayaga College of Engg. and Tech., India

Abstract: Butterfly valves are commonly used as control equipments in applications where the pressure drops
required of the valves are relatively low. Due to the fast progress of the flow visualization and numerical
technique, it becomes possible to observe the flows around a valve and to estimate the performance of a valve.
In this paper, three-dimensional numerical simulations by commercial code CFX were conducted to observe the
flow patterns around butterfly valves with various opening degrees and uniform incoming velocity were used
in a piping system. Performance of valves under various operating conditions is generally obtained through
an experimental testing of prototype or scaled valves. The availability of performance parameters for
compressible flow is limited and experimental testing can be cost prohibitive. In this case the computational
fluid Dynamics analysis provides better results. The capability of using computational fluid dynamics is a test
to determine its viability for determining its performance parameters.The objective of the project is to analyse
the flow characteristics and performance of butterfly valve with the disc shape namely a) Symmetric disc. The
analysis would be carried at various valve opening positions (20 deg, 40 deg and 60 deg) by using CFX tool.
A comparative study would be made with the parameters such as static and total pressure, intensity of
turbulence, force.

Key words: Butterfly Fluid dynamics Valves

INTRODUCTION computational fluid Dynamics analysis provides

Butterfly Valve: A butterfly valve is a valve which can be
used for regulating flow. The closing mechanism takes the
form of a disk. A butterfly valve is from a family of valves
called quarter-turn valves. The butterfly is a metal disc
mounted on a rod. When the valve is closed, the disc is
turned so that it completely blocks off the passageway.
When the valve is fully open, the disc is rotated a quarter
turn so that it allows an almost unrestricted passage of
the fluid. The valve may also be opened incrementally to
throttle flow.
Objective: Based on the literature review the following
problems are addressed
Performance of valves under various operating
conditions is generally obtained through an
experimental testing of prototype or scaled valves.
The availability of performance parameters for
compressible flow is limited and experimental
testing can be cost prohibitive. In this case the
better results.
Comparative analysis of butterfly valves of
symmetric disc shapes has not been performed.
Scope:
Flow characteristics around the butterfly valve
considering various disc shapes would give insight
idea of their performance so that comparative results
could be made
To analyse the flow field (characteristics) around the
butterfly valve for the various opening angles.
To analyse the performance of butterfly valve by
considering the disc shapes.
a) Symmetric disc
Litrature Review: The importance of butterfly valves has
been more and more increasing in the pipe system. And
there are so many reports on the characteristics, i.e. the
flow Coefficient, the torque coefficient, the pressure
recovery factor and so on.

Corresponding Author: G. Tamizharasi, Detarment of ETE, Bharath University, Chennai-600 073, India.

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Henderson [1] has made a Numerical Study of the CFD Analysis, Modelling and Mesh Creation
Flow through a Safety Butterfly Valve in a Hydro-Electric Modeling: This is the initial step in analysis
Power Scheme. Computational fluid dynamics applied in process. The primary purpose of geometry creation is to
a quasi-steady manner is used to predict the generate a solid that defines region for fluid flow [11-15].
hydrodynamic torque versus opening angle characteristic This section describes creation of geometry.
during a constant head test. Factors influencing these Dimensions and geometry details of existing model was
results, such as Reynolds number and unsteady flow collected.
effects, are found to be significant. Xue guan Song and Modeling was done using Pro E Wild Fire
Young Chul Park [2] have done a numerical analysis of 2.0 and exported in IGES format. The model of
butterfly valve and predicted the flow coefficient and symmetric disc shape has been shown in the following
hydrodynamic torque coefficient. In this paper, figure
three-dimensional numerical simulations by commercial
code CFX were conducted to observe the flow patterns Creating Regions and Meshing: This step defines
and to measure valve flow coefficient and hydrodynamic creation of regions and geometry. 2D region is created for
torque coefficient when butterfly valve with various defining inlet and outlet. Creation of regions facilitates to
opening degrees and uniform incoming velocity were assign boundary condition for inlet, outlet and other
used in a piping system. Zachary Leutwyler and Charles defined regions.
Dalton [3] have done a CFD Study of the Flow Field,
Resultant Force and Aerodynamic Torque on a Symmetric Element type : Tetrahedron
Disk Butterfly Valve in a Compressible Fluid is a test to Global Element Factor : 2
determine its viability for determining performance Mesh Type : Volume mesh
coefficients. Kerh [4] performed an analysis of the Number of Nodes : 157537
butterfly valve on the basis of the experimental results. Number of elements : 935614
Sarpkara [5] theoretically treated the characteristics of a
flat butterfly valve. Kimura and Tanaka [6] studied the Specification of Domain and Boundary Conditions
pressure loss characteristics theoretically for a practical Global Domain Specification:
butterfly valve and so on. With the development of the
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the approach of Domain : Fluid Domain
using the technique of computational fluid dynamics has Fluid : Air
been studied. Huang and Kim [7-10] performed a three-
dimensional numerical flow visualization of Heat Transfer
incompressible flows around the butterfly valve
Model : Thermal Energy
Basics of Computational Fluid Dynamics Turbulence Model : k epsilon
Introduction: CFD provides numerical approximation to Domain : Solid Domain
the equations that govern fluid motion. Application of the Material : Steel
CFD to analyze a fluid problem requires the following
steps. First, the mathematical equations describing the Heat Transfer
fluid flow are written.
Model : Thermal Energy
CFD Tool – Ansys CFX
Introduction: CFX is a commercial Computational Fluid
Dynamics (CFD) program, used to simulate fluid flow in a Boundary Conditions
variety of applications. The ANSYS CFX product allows Inlet Boundary Conditions for Air Inlet:
engineers to test systems in a virtual environment. The
scalable program has been applied to the simulation of Flow Direction = Normal to Boundary
water flowing past ship hulls, gas turbine engines Flow Regime = Subsonic
(including the compressors, combustion chamber, Heat Transfer = Static Temperature
turbines and afterburners), aircraft aerodynamics, pumps, Static Temperature = 40 [C]
fans, HVAC systems, mixing vessels, hydro cyclones, Static Pressure = 1.4 [bar]
vacuum cleaners etc. Turbulence = Medium Intensity

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Fig. 4: (a) 20 degInclination

Fig. 1: Symmetric Disc

Fig .4: (b) 40 deg Inclination

Fig. 2 (a) 20 deg Inclination

Fig. 2 (b) 40 deg Inclination Fig. 4: (c) 60 deg Inclination

Fig. 4: Computational Domain

Wall Boundary Conditions:

Heat Transfer = Adiabatic

Fig. 2 (c) 60 deg Inclination Wall Influence on Flow = No Slip
Fug. 3: Wall Roughness = Smooth Wall

Solver Stage: After defining all the conditions the model

is imported in CFX- Solver Module for doing iterative
calculations and to generate result file.
The following solver control parameters have been
specified in CFX- Pre Module.
Fig. 3 (a) 20 deg Inclination
Solver Control Parameters:

Number of iterations : 150

Time scale control : Auto Time scale
Residual Target :

Fig.3 (b) 40 deg Inclination RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Pressure Distribution: Fig 5 shows the pressure

distribution across the valve for the 20 deg, 40 deg and
60deg opening positions. The pressure drop observed in
the flow at downstream immediately after the valve for
40deg and 60 deg opening position which is significantly
Fig. 3 (c) 60 deg Inclination high in latter case. In the case of 20deg (Fig 5 (a)) opening
Fig. 3: Meshed Model position comparatively reduced drop in pressure has been

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Fig. 5(a): 20 deg Inclination

Fig. 5(b): 40 deg Inclination

Fig. 7(a): 20 deg Inclination

Fig. 5(c): 60 deg Inclination Fig. 7(b): 40 deg Inclination

Fig. 5: Pressure distribution across the various valve
opening positions

Fig. 7(c): 60 deg Inclination

Fig 6(a) 20 deg Inclination Fig. 7: Turbulence kinetic energy across the various
valve opening positions

observed at downstream. It is also observed from the

results that pressure rise at the face of the valve is less in
the case of 20deg opening position

Fig 6(b) 40 deg Inclination Total Pressure Distribution: Fig 6 shows total pressure
distribution along the flow for various valve opening
positions. Generally stagnation pressure (total pressure)
variation in flow creates wake region. Uniform stagnation
pressure distribution in the flow is generally desirable.
The stagnation pressure in the flow decreases
immediately at rear face of the valve and it continues
Fig 6(c) 60 deg Inclination along its flow stream. The increased stagnation pressure
Fig 6 Total pressure distribution across the various valve loss is observed in the case of 60deg (fig 6 (c)) opening
opening positions position.

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 Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 15 (12): 1834-1839, 2013
Fig. 8(a): 20 deg Inclination
Fig. 8(b): 40 deg Inclination
Fig. 8(c): 60 deg Inclination
Fig. 8: Intensity of fluid force on the valve surface
Turbulence Kinetic Energy: Fig 7 shows turbulence
kinetic energy variation along the flow. The turbulence
kinetic energy refers intensity of turbulence in the flow.
More the turbulence causes energy loss in the flow. The
turbulence level is quite increased at the flow downstream
for all cases and it is significantly high in the case of 40
deg (Fig 7 (b)) opening position.
Force on the Valve Body: Fig 8 shows Intensity of fluid
force on the valve surface. The results show that force
concentration on the valve surfaces. The increased
force concentration has been observed for 40deg (Fig 8
(b)) opening position. It is relatively reduced in the case
of 60deg (Fig 8 (c) opening position.
CONCLUSION
Thus CFD analysis of symmetric disc valve has been
carried out and following conclusion has been drawn
At smaller opening angle the pressure loss is
comparatively less.
The total pressure variation and the intensity of
turbulence increase at downstream when opening
angle increases.
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Force concentration has been observed for 40 deg
valve opening position.
Increased wall shear has been observed for 40 and 60
deg opening positions.
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