Calculate Flow Rate Through Control Valve For

Incompressible Fluids When There Is No Flow Meter

Hadi Veyse – CCR Supervisor

Terminology

Flow coefficient (CV):

CV is represented as the number of US gallons of water, within a temperature range of 40 °F to 100
°F, that will flow through a valve in 1 min when a pressure drop of 1 psi exists.

Inherent flow characteristics:

Inherent characteristics are the flow through the valve (or CV) relative to the percentage opening
(the pressure drop at both ends of the valve is constant) of the graph. This is the result of a
workshop test in which the upstream and downstream pressures are constant and the only variables
are the flow and opening of the valve. This curve is true regardless of the system effects on the
valve. The three most common types of flow characteristics are quick opening, equal percentage
and linear.

Installed flow characteristic:

Installed flow characteristic is relationship between the flow rate and the closure member travel as it
is moved from the closed position to rated travel as the pressure drop across the valve is influenced
by the varying process conditions.
Terminology

Inherent Flow Curves for Various Valve Plugs

Terminology

Inherent flow characteristics vs. Installed flow characteristic:

The inherent equal percentage trim exhibits a nearly linear installed characteristic, while the inherent
linear trim appears to be almost quick opening installed.
Terminology

Choked flow:
Choked flow is defined as the point at which increasing the pressure drop (ΔP), while maintaining a
constant inlet pressure (P1), yields no further increase in flow rate.
Note: It is important to note that this definition assumes a fixed flow area. It is also important to
note that increasing P1 will also increase the flow rate.
Terminology

Additionally, if a valve is choked, it does not necessarily mean unfavorable performance will occur.
For example, in liquid sizing, a globe valve may choke, but it might not experience damaging
cavitation. However, with a rotary product, the valve may experience damaging cavitation before it
chokes. This is because of the FL values and the flow geometry of the valve. Globe valves generally
have a numerically high FL, which results in a lower recovery factor. Rotary products generally have
a smaller FL, which results in higher recovery.
Terminology

Pressure Profile of Fluid Passing Through a Valve:

Abbreviations
Calculation Procedure for Incompressible Fluids

∆𝑝𝑝𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑄𝑄 = 𝑁𝑁1 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 𝐹𝐹𝑃𝑃 𝐶𝐶𝑉𝑉
𝜌𝜌1
𝜌𝜌0

𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 ∆𝑃𝑃 < ∆𝑃𝑃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 ⇨ ∆𝑃𝑃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = ∆𝑃𝑃

𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 ∆𝑃𝑃 ≥ ∆𝑃𝑃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 ⇨ ∆𝑃𝑃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = ∆𝑃𝑃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐

2
𝐹𝐹𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿
∆𝑃𝑃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = 𝑃𝑃1 − 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝑃𝑃𝑣𝑣
𝐹𝐹𝑃𝑃
Calculation Procedure for Incompressible Fluids

1
𝐹𝐹𝑃𝑃 =
2
𝛴𝛴𝛴𝛴 𝐶𝐶𝑉𝑉
1+
𝑁𝑁2 𝑑𝑑 2

𝛴𝛴𝛴𝛴 = 𝐾𝐾1 + 𝐾𝐾2 + 𝐾𝐾𝐵𝐵𝐵 − 𝐾𝐾𝐵𝐵𝐵

𝑑𝑑 4
𝐾𝐾𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 𝐾𝐾𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 1 − 4
𝐷𝐷
2
𝑑𝑑 2
𝐾𝐾1 = 0.5 1 − 2
𝐷𝐷
2
𝑑𝑑 2
𝐾𝐾2 = 1 1 − 2
𝐷𝐷
Calculation Procedure for Incompressible Fluids

1
𝐹𝐹𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 =
2
𝐾𝐾1 + 𝐾𝐾𝐵𝐵𝐵 𝐶𝐶𝑉𝑉 1
+
𝑁𝑁2 𝑑𝑑2 𝐹𝐹𝐿𝐿2

𝑃𝑃𝑣𝑣
𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 = 0.96 − 0.28
𝑃𝑃𝑐𝑐

𝑁𝑁4 𝐹𝐹𝑑𝑑 𝑄𝑄 4 𝐹𝐹𝐿𝐿2 𝐶𝐶𝑉𝑉2

𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 = +1
𝑣𝑣 𝐶𝐶𝑉𝑉 𝐹𝐹𝐿𝐿 𝑁𝑁2 𝑑𝑑4
𝐶𝐶𝑉𝑉
𝐶𝐶𝑑𝑑 =
𝑑𝑑 2
1
𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 − 𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻 𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 𝐹𝐹𝑑𝑑 =
𝑁𝑁
𝑁𝑁 = 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
Calculation Procedure for Incompressible Fluids

Flow is considered fully turbulent when Re ≥ 10,000. When Re < 10,000, use below figure (For a
valve installed without attached fittings, FP = 1, and for turbulent flow conditions, FR = 1):

Curve No. 1 applicable for globe style valves Cd ≤ 10.

Curve No. 2 applicable for globe valves and eccentric rotary plug valves, Cd = 10 - 15.
Curve No. 3 applicable for butterfly valves, Cd = 15 - 25.
Curve No. 4, applicable for ball valves Cd ≥ 25.
Calculation Procedure for Incompressible Fluids

Typical values of valve style modifier Fd, liquid pressure recovery factor FL and pressure
differential ratio factor xT at full rated travel:
Calculation Procedure for Incompressible Fluids

Numerical constants N (All pressures are absolute):

Test Condition

Common configurations of control valve with by-pass and the associated pressure tap locations:

Flow tests shall be performed to determine:

a) The rated flow coefficient using 100% of rated travel;
b) Inherent flow characteristics (optional), using 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%,
90% and 100% of rated travel.
Properties of Fresh Water
 Practical Case

Calculate Waste Water Drain Flow Rate Through

LCV-0605 Related to Storage Tank E

Multi Hole Cage Guide Pressure Balance

LINEAR Flow Characteristic
LCV-0605 Name Plate
LCV-0605 Inherent Flow Characteristics Figure
LCV-0605 Inherent Flow Characteristics Table

LCV-0605 Inherent Flow Characteristic (LINEAR)

Valve Opening (%) CV (US GPM)
0 0
5 4.5
10 9
20 18
30 27
40 36
50 45
60 54
70 63
80 72
90 81
100 90
Upstream Pressure Tap Location

BEFORE AFTER
Downstream Pressure Tap Location

BEFORE AFTER
Pressure Gauge Range

Existing pressure gauges range (30 psi) isn’t suitable and accurate to get better results especially for
downstream:
 For upstream PG need positive PG 0–15 psi range
 For downstream PG need compound PG with negative range

NOTE: During test, assumed that downstream pressure was zero.

 Test Results

d D Pv Pc ΣK N1 N2 N4 ρ1 ρ0 T1 µ ʋ FL Fd K1 KB1
dimensio dimensio dimensio dimensio dimensio dimensio dimensi dimensi
inch inch bara bara kg/m3 kg/m 3
C Pa.s m /s 2
nless nless nless nless nless nless onless onless

4 6.065 0.1 220 0.479 0.865 890 0.076 1160 999 38 0.001 8.6E-07 0.9 0.13 0.160 0.811

Tank E Tank E LCV-0605

CV P1 P2 P1-P2 ΔPchoked ΔPSELECTED FP FLP FF Re FR Q Q
Pressure Overall Level Opening
dimensio dimensio dimensio dimensio dimensio
mbarg m % US GPM bara bara bar bar bar m3/hr bbl/day
nless nless nless nless nless
45 6 0 0 1.571 1.013 0.558 1.195 0.558 1.000 0.900 0.954 - 1.000 0 0
45 6 5 4.5 1.564 1.013 0.551 1.190 0.551 1.000 0.900 0.954 15275 1.000 3 405
45 6 10 9 1.564 1.013 0.551 1.190 0.551 1.000 0.900 0.954 21602 1.000 5 810
45 6 20 18 1.564 1.013 0.551 1.189 0.551 1.000 0.899 0.954 30548 1.000 11 1619
45 6 30 27 1.557 1.013 0.544 1.183 0.544 0.999 0.899 0.954 37177 1.000 16 2412
45 6 40 36 1.537 1.013 0.524 1.165 0.524 0.999 0.898 0.954 42101 1.000 21 3153
45 6 50 45 1.523 1.013 0.510 1.153 0.510 0.998 0.897 0.954 46442 1.000 26 3886
45 6 60 54 1.502 1.013 0.489 1.135 0.489 0.997 0.896 0.954 49825 1.000 30 4563
45 6 70 63 1.475 1.013 0.462 1.111 0.462 0.996 0.894 0.954 52270 1.000 34 5166
45 6 80 72 1.461 1.013 0.448 1.098 0.448 0.995 0.892 0.954 55028 1.000 38 5808
45 6 90 81 1.440 1.013 0.427 1.080 0.427 0.993 0.890 0.954 56990 1.000 42 6372
45 6 100 90 1.426 1.013 0.413 1.067 0.413 0.992 0.888 0.954 59080 1.000 46 6954
References

 ANSI/ISA-75.01.01 (IEC 60534-2-1)

 ANSI/ISA-75.02.01 (IEC 60534-2-3)
 VALTEK Control Valve Selection and Sizing Handbook
 Fisher Control Valve Handbook
 INSTRUMENT ENGINEERS’ HANDBOOK VOLUME II
 www.aft.com
 www.pipe-flo.com
 www.wrtraining.org
 www.conval.de
Thanks for your attention