Valve Sizing

What is Valve Sizing?

• It is a procedure by which the dynamics of a process system are
matched to the performance characteristics of a valve.
This is to provide a control valve that will best meet the needs of
managing flow within that process system.

Flow Coefficient (CV)

• The valve flow coefficient, CV is the number of U.S. gallons per minute
of water at 60 degrees F which will pass through a given flow
restriction with a pressure drop of 1 psi.
• For example, a control valve which has a flow coefficient, or CV, of 12
has an effective port area that it passes 12 gallons per minute of
water with 1 psi pressure drop.
 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing
Basic information requirements for effective valve sizing

For the system:

Pressure before and after the control valve, ΔP
Flow rate, quantity and units, Q
Process temperature with units, T
Properties of the media, (viscous, fiber suspension, gaseous
its vapor pressure, sometimes molecular weight)

For the control valve:

Flow capacity (Cv), inherent throttling curve,
Kc (Cavitation Index), FL² (Critical Flow factor)
 Valve Sizing

Delta P (DP)

— DP Sizing is the pressure drop across the valve used for control valve
sizing at a specific flow rate.

— Most applications have multiple flows for sizing with different ΔP for
each.

— In a given system, higher flow rates generally result in lower pressure

drop across the valve.
 Valve Sizing

Flow Characteristics:
— Control valve flow characteristics are determined
principally by the design of the valve trim.

— The three basic flow characteristics available are:

— Quick Opening
— Linear
— Equal Percentage (=%)

— A modified characteristic (sometimes called modified

percentage) generally falling between the linear and equal
percentage characteristics may also be available.
 Valve Sizing

Flow Characteristics:

1- Quick-Opening :
This is the characteristic of the level seated disc or plain flat disc
type of valve plug. With this type of valve, near maximum flow rate
occurs at relatively small stem travel, approximately 35%, after this
value there is little change in flow rate.

2- Linear :
The linear characteristic shows that the relationship between valve
opening and flow at constant pressure drop is a straight line, i.e.
equal increments of lift should cause equal increments of flow (30%
flow at 30% open, 70% flow at 70% open).
 Valve Sizing

Flow Characteristics:

3- Equal Percentage:
As the name implies, an equal percentage valve is one in which
equal increments of lift cause equal percentage increments in flow.
In practical terms this means that the valve will give accurate
throttling control over its lower range and rapidly increasing
capacity as it approaches the wide open limit. This implies that the
sensitivity of the valve increases with valve opening. These valves
are used when major changes in pressure occur across the valve
and where there is limited data regarding flow conditions in the
system.
 Valve Sizing

Why Use Equal Percentage

• Provides equal percentage

increases in rate of flow
for equal increments of
plug movement.

• Provides the best choice of

flow characteristic for
most systems.
 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing - Cavitation

• What is cavitation and what does it do to valves?

• Cavitation is a 2-stage activity where a portion of the liquid media

drops below vapor pressure. This part will boil (vaporize).

• In stage two, slightly downstream, pressure recovery takes place and

the vapor bubbles collapse.

• The condition known as “critical flow” is an extension of cavitation

in that it simply gets worse as the pressure drop increases. This is to
the point that changes (reductions) in downstream pressure no
longer influence flow rate.
 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing - Cavitation

• Collapse of the bubbles created by cavitation produce noise,
like gravel in the line.

• Bubbles that collapse in contact with the valve or pipe

create damage.

• Cavitation can be controlled with special valve trims in

some types of valves.

• Cavitation should be avoided in all circumstances.

 Valve Sizing

Fluid Recovery Factor (FL)

When a fluid passes through the valve orifice, the velocity
increases. This velocity increase is accompanied by a
proportional decrease in pressure. Velocity reaches a
maximum and pressure a minimum at the smallest cross
sectional flow area downstream of the orifice (the vena
contracta).

Downstream of the vena contracta the fluid decelerates and consequently

the pressure increases or recovers (giving us the term pressure recovery).
Different valve types exhibit different recovery factors which becomes an
important consideration in valve selection.
 Valve Sizing

Fluid Recovery Factor (FL)

• The fluid recovery factor (FL) is

effectively an index of pressure
recovery in a control valve.
• High FL values indicate low
pressure recovery where a low FL
value is an indication of high
pressure recovery.
• Higher FL values result in better
resistance to cavitation.
 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing – Flashing

• What is “Flashing”?

• It is a condition where the downstream pressure is below

the vapor pressure of the incoming fluid and allows some
of the liquid to become vapor.

• Flashing does not create noise or damage in the valve as

with cavitation. It can, however, create damage to the
downstream piping due to high velocity.

• A control valve will function quit well under these

circumstances. Yes!
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Inherent vs. Installed Characteristics

— Inherent flow characteristic is defined as the relationship between
flow and valve stroke at constant pressure drop. It is unique to
valve construction and depends primarily on geometry of the
throttling trim and body flow passages and is determined by flow
testing.

— The inherent flow characteristic changes when installed in a piping

system. The result is the installed flow characteristic. As system
pressure drop absorbed by the control valve is reduced, the greater
the deviation from the inherent state.

— Ideally a control valve should be sized to absorb 15%-25% of system

pressure.
 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing
What is desired ?
• After installation, generally it
should
be near linear.

Why?
• To provide a more predictable flow
change in response to eac
incremental valve position change
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Control Valve Seat Leakage

— It is becoming more common to expect a control valve to provide
isolation duty, thus allowable leakage becomes more important.
— Control valve seat leakage is designated by the classification of
ISA/ANSI-70-2
— Leakage classes are class I-VI.
— Classes I-V are measured using water, class VI is measured using air.
— The most common class for metal seated control valves is class IV.
(0.01% of rated Cv)
— Class VI generally applies to resilient seated valves only.
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Fluid Velocity
— Excessive fluid velocity can create erosion, and accelerate
corrosion damage. It also contributes to noise level and
vibration.

— Valve users will generally define acceptable velocity in valves

and pipes for the above reasons. Liquid velocity of up to 15
ft/sec. is common; for gas or steam 400 ft/sec. or higher,
depending upon size, is perfectly acceptable.
 Valve Sizing

Noise and Vibration

— Noise results from the conversion of the mechanical energy of the
flow into acoustic energy as the fluid passes through the valve
restriction.
— Vibration is a direct result of noise and can create issues with valve
life.
— OSHA has designated 85-90 Dba as the generally acceptable limit
for valves installed in most areas.
— Noise can be reduced through two means, internal at the valve trim,
and external such as pipe insulation or downstream silencers.
— Cage guided globe valves offer the widest range of noise and
vibration attenuation solutions.
 Valve Sizing

Rangeability
— Rangability is defined as the ratio of minimum to maximum
controllable flow rates.
— Equal percent characteristic offers the best rangability of common
types.
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Flow Direction
— Many valve types have a preferred flow direction to
minimize the effects of velocity, to create the tightest
shut-off, and to optimize the response to input signal.
 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing Calculation

The principles of flow calculations are illustrated by the common orifice
flow meter (Fig. 1). We need to know only the size and shape of the
orifice, the diameter of the pipe, and the fluid density. With that
information, we can calculate the flow rate for any value of pressure drop
across the orifice (the difference between inlet and outlet pressures).
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Valve Sizing Calculation

For a valve, we also need to know the pressure drop and the fluid
density. But in addition to the dimensions of pipe diameter and
orifice size, we need to know all the valve passage dimensions and
all the changes in size and direction of flow through the valve.
However, rather than doing complex calculations, we use the valve
flow coefficient, which combines the effects of all the flow
restrictions in the valve into a single number (Fig. 2).
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Valve Sizing Calculation

 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing Calculation

 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing Calculation

Valve manufacturers determine the valve flow coefficient by testing

the valve with water at several flow rates, using a standard test
method2 developed by the Instrument Society of America for control
valves and now used widely for all valves. Flow tests are done in a
straight piping system of the same size as the valve, so that the effects
of fittings and piping size changes are not included (Fig. 3).
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Valve Sizing Calculation

 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing Calculation

Liquid Flow:

Because liquids are incompressible fluids, their flow rate depends

only on the difference between the inlet and outlet pressures (Dp,
pressure drop). The flow is the same whether the system pressure
is low or high, so long as the difference between the inlet and
outlet pressures is the same. This equation shows the
relationship:
 Valve Sizing

Valve Sizing Calculation