VALVE SELECTION PROCEDURE

BASICS FOR VALVE SIZING FOR WATER (2 WAY OR 3 WAY MODULATING):

a) Available pressure drop = Pressure at the circuit supply point – Pressure at the
circuit return point.

= Pressure drop in the variable section

b) To enable proper control

Ideal valve pressure drop = Half of Available pressure drop

c) Kv = Flow in m3/hr .

√ Pressure drop in bar

Ideal Kv = Flow in m3/hr .

√Ideal valve Pressure drop in bar

d) Valve Authority VA = Pressure drop across the valve

Available pressure drop

Ideal VA = 0.5

Acceptable VA range = 0.4 to 0.65 (or as per specs)

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 2 WAY MODULATNG VALVE SIZING FOR WATER

Available pressure drop = Pressure at the circuit supply point – Pressure at

the circuit return point.

Hence to determine the available pressure drop in case of 2 way valves, it is required to
calculate the Pressure at the circuit supply point and return point for each AHU/FCU.
But therefore this is simplified to:
Simplified available pressure drop = PD in valve + PD in Coil + PD in circuit pipe &fittings

Ideal valve pressure drop = Half of simplified available pressure drop

= Half of (PD in valve + PD in Coil + PD in pipe & fittings)
= PD in coil + PD in pipe & fittings

Hence Kv = Flow .
√Ideal valve Pressure drop in bar
= Flow .
√(PD in coil + PD in pipe & fittings)

Valve Authority VA = PD in valve .

PD in valve + PD in Coil + PD in circuit pipe/fittings

Example 1 of valve selection

Flow rate = 6 gpm = 1.37 m3/hr (data from the AHU/FCU selection sheet)

Coil pressure drop = 5.7 ft = 0.17 bar (data from the AHU/FCU selection sheet)

The actual value of pressure drop in the circuit pipe and its fittings is to be calculated or

When the same is not available it is assumed as 15 % of coil pressure drop and therefore

= 0.15 * 5.7 = 0.85 ft = 0.025 bar

Therefore Ideal Kv = 1.37 . = 3.1

√(0.17 + 0.025)

Now from the valve literature we try to find the valve model which has a Kv less than 3.1.

It is observed that a valve with 2.5 Kv is available and hence the valve model selected is

VVP459.15-2.5 which has Kv = 2.5,

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For the selected valve model, the actual pressure drop across the valve is calculated as

under

2.5 = 1.37 ‘
√Pressure drop in valve in bar

Therefore Pressure drop across the valve = 0.3 bar = 10 ft (against the actual coil

pressure drop of 5.7 ft.)

Valve authority = 10 /(10 + 5.7 + 0.85 ) = 0.60

For the same ideal Kv of 3.1 if we select the valve of one size higher with Kv = 4

the actual pressure drop across the valve works out to be 4 ft and valve authority to be

0.38.

From the above selection it can be conferred that the valve with Kv = 4 will give the

best results.

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 3 WAY MODULATNG VALVE SIZING FOR WATER

In case of a 3 way valve circuit

Available pressure drop = Pressure at the circuit supply point – Pressure at the
circuit return point.
= Pressure drop in the variable section
= Pressure drop in valve + Pressure drop in Coil

Ideal valve pressure drop = Half of Available pressure drop

= Half of (Pressure drop in valve + Pressure drop in Coil)
= Pressure drop across coil

Hence Kv = Flow .
√Ideal valve Pressure drop
= Flow .
√Pressure drop in coil

Valve Authority VA = Pressure drop across the valve .

Pressure drop in valve + Pressure drop in Coil

Example of a 3 way valve selection

Flow rate = 36 gpm = 8.18 m3/hr (data from the AHU/FCU selection sheet)

Coil pressure drop = 4.3 ft = 0.13 bar (data from the AHU/FCU selection sheet)

Therefore Ideal Kv = 8.18 = 22.68

√0.13

Now from the valve literature we try to find the valve model which has a Kv less than

22.68.

It is observed that a valve with 16 Kv is available and hence the valve model selected is

VVP459.32-16 which has Kv = 16,

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For the selected valve model the actual pressure drop across the valve is calculated as

under

16 = 8.18 ‘

√Pressure drop in valve in bar

Therefore Pressure drop across the valve = 0.26 bar = 8.67 ft (against the actual coil

pressure drop of 4.3 ft)

Valve authority = 8.67 / (8.67 + 4.3) = 0.67

Since the VA is more than 0.65 which is the permissible range we have to select the

valve one size higher i.e. Valve with Kv = 25

25 = 8.18 ‘

√Pressure drop in valve in bar

Therefore Pressure drop across the valve = 0.11 bar = 3.67 ft (against the actual coil

pressure drop of 4.3 ft)

Valve authority = 3.67 / (3.67 + 4.3) = 0.46

For the same ideal Kv of 22.68 if we select the valve of one size still higher with Kv 31

the actual pressure drop across the valve works out to be 2 ft (against the actual coil

pressure drop of 4.3 ft) and valve authority to be 0.32.

From the above selection it can be conferred that the valve with Kv = 25 will give the

best results.

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