PT.

Antogus Bona Sere (ABS)

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 The flow control element of a diaphragm valve is a flexible membrane, called a diaphragm, that is deformed to close the fluid path.
The diaphragm lines the side of the fluid path and is pushed across it until the diaphragm seats against the other side of the fluid path,
stopping flow. Because the diaphragm valve is symmetrical, either end can be the inlet, and thus flow can be from either direction
through the valve. The form of control for which diaphragm valves are suited is as a stop valve, that is, for starting or stopping flow, or
regulating flow volume (called throttling).
DIAPHRAGM VALVE DESIGN
 Almost all diaphragm valves are one of two very similar designs, the straight-through and the weir design. The weir design is also
known as a Saunders valve, named after the original patent holder. An example of a straight-through diaphragm valve is shown in
Figure 8-1. The design is called straight-through because when the valve is open the fluid path through it has the same size and
shape as the connecting pipe. It consists of just three major components: the body, the diaphragm, and the bonnet.
 Diaphragm valves are available with all the common valve ends: threaded, socket-weld, flanged, and butt-weld. The body does not
have a separate seat but is appropriately contoured to provide a compatible seating surface for the diaphragm.
 Diaphragms are made of flexible non-metallic materials. During manufacture they are formed to the shape they will have when the
valve is closed. They are not stretched into shape when the valve is in the closed position. When the valve is opened, the diaphragm
flexes as it is pulled back into the bonnet. Fastened to the diaphragm by a molded-in diaphragm stud is an intermediate member
called a compressor, which is shaped to back up the di­aphragm when the valve is in the closed position and pre­vent its distortion
from the fluid force. In addition to being the flow control element, the diaphragm contains the fluid pressure and seals the bonnet and
all its contents from the fluid passing through the body.
 It also acts as a gasket between the body and the bonnet, preventing external leakage. The diaphragm may be fabric-reinforced or
laminated of different non-metallic materials to give it the desired overall properties of flexibility, strength, and corrosion resistance.

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 Also, because the bonnet is not exposed to the fluid, it need not be made of the same material as the valve body. It is not uncommon for
valves with expensive corrosion-resistant-alloy bodies to have bonnets made of inexpensive cast iron.
 The bonnet is protected from the fluid and its pressure; therefore, its primary function is to house the mechanism that moves the
diaphragm. The diaphragm is moved by a non-rotating stem, which is pinned to the compressor. The threaded stem mates with a stem
nut at the top of the bonnet. The stem nut is free to turn but is held in place by a flange at its bottom and the valve handwheel at the top.
Turning the handwheel turns the stem nut and causes the stem to move into or out of the valve. The thread on the stem is left-handed,
so that turning the handwheel clock­wise moves the stem downward, closing the valve. Because the diaphragm seals the entire bonnet,
a stem seal is not required. However, for valves in systems that handle toxic and dangerous fluids in which diaphragm failure would be
disastrous a stem design with packing, as shown in Figure 2-7, can be provided.
 A drawback of the straight-through valve design is the limited number of materials that are able to tolerate the amount of flexing required
of the diaphragm. Only natural rubber and some of the elastomers (synthetic rubbers) such as Hypalon® and Neoprene are suitable. As
a general rule, the more chemically inert a non-metallic material is, the less flexible it is; and the more flexible it is, the less chemically
resistant it is. Consequently, the straight-through design has limitations as to the fluids it can handle and their temperatures.
 The design of the weir valve shown in Figure 8-2 over­comes this limitation. The transverse weir (or dam) formed into the valve body or
body lining reduces the required di­aphragm travel from the closed valve position to the open valve position so that diaphragm flexing is
greatly reduced.
 As a result, a larger selection of materials can be used. All of the common elastomers and even some plastics, such as highly
chemically resistant TFE, can be used for diaphragms. In all other respects the weir design is essentially identical to the straight-through
design. One design weakness is that the body at the top of the weir, where the diaphragm seats, is subject to erosion from the fluid and
possible eventual leakage.
DIAPHRAGM VALVE APPLICATIONS
 Diaphragm valves can be used both as stop valves and for throttling. The straight-through design is more appropriate as a stop valve.
When the valve is open, only negligible resistance to flow exists. The weir design is more suitable for throttling. The changes in fluid
direction through the valve cause greater resistance to flow and make it less suitable as a stop valve, while at the same time contributing
to its ability to regulate flow.
 Whether used as a stop valve or a throttling valve, the following points can be made in favor of the diaphragm valve:
1. It is available in all types of valve materials: bronze, cast iron, carbon, stainless steel, and other corrosion resistant alloys. Their
design makes diaphragm valves easy to line with abrasion-resistant and chemically resistant non-metallic materials, such as
rubber, plastic, and glass.
2. It is a simple design with few parts. Most parts are pro­tected from the corrosive and erosive effect of the fluid. The one part most
subject to wear and deterioration, the diaphragm, can be replaced without removing the valve from the pipeline.

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 It is particularly suitable for use with gases and vapors. This is because at least one of the seating parts, the diaphragm, is "soft,"
making tight shut-off readily attainable.
 Its smooth, uninterrupted fluid path, with the absence of any pockets that can trap solid material, makes it suitable for use with slurries
and viscous fluids. With properly selected diaphragms and body linings, abrasive slurries can be handled.
It can be used with highly corrosive fluids such as acids and strong bases. A wide selection of diaphragm, body, and body liner
materials resistant to most industrial fluids is available.
 It is particularly useful in services in which the fluid itself cannot be contaminated. The same materials that are resistant to chemical
attack generally do not affect the fluid. This makes the diaphragm valve popular in the food, brewing, pharmaceutical, and other industries
in which sanitary conditions must be maintained.
 The major weakness of the diaphragm valve, whether the straight-through or weir design, is the diaphragm itself. The materials used for
diaphragms have relatively low temperature limits, and they do not possess high tensile strength, even at ambient temperatures. Increasing
temperature further reduces the strength of the diaphragm. Because the diaphragm must contain the fluid pressure, diaphragm valves are
suitable only for low-pressure, low-temperature applications. Diaphragm valves are capable of handling fluid pressures only up to 200 psi.
 With elastomer diaphragms, fluid temperatures are limited to about 300°F; with plastic diaphragms, fluid temperatures are lim­ited to about
400°F. Diaphragm weakness also limits the range of sizes of diaphragm valves. They generally are available in sizes from 1/2 inch up to only
12 inches.
 When the weir design diaphragm valve is used for throttling, it exhibits a flow characteristic that falls between the linear and the quick-
opening characteristics. Its characteristic is linear (the change in flow is directly proportional to the change in diaphragm travel) up to about
50% valve opening. At this point, the volume of fluid flow through the valve is about 70% of the fully open valve. Beyond this point further
opening of the valve produces progressively less change in flow. As a result of this characteristic, if a weir diaphragm valve is to be used for
throttling, it should be sized so that the range of flow rate control falls within 70% of the maximum flow that would pass through the valve.