Control Valve Selection

• Correct Size
• Correct Characteristic
 Control Valve Sizing
• Formula

P
Q  Av

• Q = Flow units m3/s
• Av = Valve co-efficient no units
• ∆P = Pressure drop across the VALVE N/m2
• ρ = Specific Gravity kg/m3
 Control Valve Sizing
• Pressure drop MUST be across the valve

Supply System
Pressure
 Control Valve Sizing
• Av is British Standard Valve co-efficient
• Easily converted to American Flow co-
efficient
– Cv = 4.167 x 104 x Av
• Use ‘Lookup Table’ to determine valve
size
• Always use larger valve
• Sea Water is supplied to a cooler at 5 bar.
The maximum flow through the cooler is
80 tonnes per hour, which produces a 4
bar pressure drop across the cooler. If the
sea water is discharged above the
waterline via a control valve, what would
be the Cv of the required control valve.
• Density of Sea water is 1025 kg/m3.
• Lub oil is supplied at a pressure of 10 bar to a heat
exchanger through a control valve. The maximum flow of
oil through the heat exchanger is 3000 kg/hour. The
pressure drop across the heat exchanger for this flow is 6
bar. The oil passes from the heat exchanger to a system
with a pressure of 2 bar.
• Density of the oil is 850 kg/m3.
• Calculate the Cv and select the required control valve
from the table below.

Valve Size mm 35 50 60 75 90 105 122 150 200

Cv 2 4 8 12 16 24 32 64 128
 Control Valve Characteristic
• Change in flow through the valve as the
valve opens

• Ideally a straight line

 Linear Valve Trim

In System
Inherent

Lift

Flow
 Equal Percentage Valve Trim

In System
Inherent

Lift

Flow