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Control Valve Sizing

General Guidelines
Most control valves used for HVAC control fall into one of four categories:
1. Two position valves (water or steam)
2. Proportional control of water varying the amount of flow (chilled and hot water coils,
differential pressure control)
3. Proportional control of water varying the temperature of the flow (boiler hot water bypass
and condenser water bypass)
4. Proportional control of steam
Usually, the pipe size will be smaller than the valve size. In this case, the pipe must be fitted down to the
valve. This reduction affects the flow characteristics of the valve and reduces the effective Cv of the
valve. This effect is known as the PIPING GEOMETRY FACTOR (symbol = Fp). Use the charts on the
reverse side of this page to determine the actual Cv of a valve when it is installed in a larger pipe.

STEP 1 Determining The Correct Pressure Drop (P)


1.

TWO POSITION VALVES: WATER OR STEAM


A low-pressure drop across the valve is desirable.

2.

3.

If pressure is not known, it is best to go with a


line size valve.

In this system, 20 PSI is the available


pressure. Valve should be sized to have
a 2 PSI drop.

PROPORTIONAL CONTROL OF WATER:


VARYING THE AMOUNT OF FLOW
A high-pressure drop across the valve is desirable.

Use a P = 4.3 for control valves for chilled


and hot water coils.

A P = 4.3 may also be used for differential


pressure control applications.

PROPORTIONAL CONTROL OF WATER:


VARYING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE FLOW
A low-pressure drop across the valve is desirable.

4.

P = 10% of the available pressure

P = 10% of the available pressure


P = 25% of the P thru load @ full flow

PROPORTIONAL CONTROL OF STEAM


A very high-pressure drop across the valve is
desirable.

For 15 PSI steam or less:


- P = 80% of inlet gauge pressure
- Choose valve which is at least 1 size smaller than
line size

For greater than 15 PSI steam:


- P = 42% of absolute pressure
(Gauge pressure + 14.7 then multiply by 0.42)
Do not be alarmed by the seemingly high Ps that
are recommended for steam. Due to the nature of
steam and its heating abilities, it requires a highpressure drop for proper control.

In this system, 4.3 PSI should be used as


the pressure drop.

In this system, the amount of water to


the coil doesnt change. The valve
controls the percentage of the flow
coming from the boiler. By modulating
the valve, the supply temperature is
varied.

Under 15 PSI
Inlet pressure:
X (80%):

10 PSI
.8
8 PSI
8 PSI is the desired pressure drop

Over 15 PSI
Inlet pressure:
35 PSI
Adjust to PSIA (Absolute): +14.7
49.7 PSI
X 0.42
20.87 PSI
20.87 PSI is the desired pressure drop

STEP 2 Calculating Cv
1.

WATER SYSTEMS:
Cv =
GPM
P

2.

STEAM SYSTEMS:
Cv =
LBS per HOUR
3 X (P X PO) Where PO = Inlet pressure (PI) - P

STEP 3 Valve Selection


Select the type of valve needed, i.e. ball, globe, or butterfly which most closely matches the required Cv
calculated in Step 2. Choose a valve that has a slightly larger Cv than the calculated Cv.

STEP 4 Correct For Piping Geometry Factor (Fp)


On the reverse side of this page, find the corrected Cv by referencing the pipe size and the valve size on
the PIPING GEOMETRY CORRECTION FACTOR CHART. Verify that the corrected Cv is not less
than the calculated Cv. If the corrected Cv is less than the calculated Cv, choose the next larger size
valve. The selected valve should never be smaller than the pipe size.

Adjusted CV Ratings For Piping Geometry Factor (Fp)

2-Way Ball Valves


Valve

Valve

Size

Model #

Pipe Size
1/2"

3/4"

1"

1-1/4"

1-1/2"

2"

2-1/2"

3"

4"

5"

6"

0.50

05-2-004

0.4

.39

.39

.39

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.50

05-2-01

1.00

.99

.99

.99

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.50

05-2-02

2.00

1.96

1.94

1.92

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.50

05-2-04

4.00

3.75

3.58

3.50

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.50

05-2-10

9.80

7.38

6.30

5.86

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.75

75-2-25

---

25.00

19.53

16.26

14.75

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.00

1-2-35

---

---

35.00

31.08

27.35

23.80

---

---

---

---

---

1.25

125-2-47

---

---

---

47.00

43.97

37.55

34.48

---

---

---

---

1.50

150-2-81

---

---

---

---

81.00

68.01

58.84

54.25

---

---

---

2.00

2-2-105

---

---

---

---

---

105.00

97.89

90.30

81.66

---

---

3.00

3-2-390

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

390.00

307.76

257.40

233.89

0.75

75-2-33

---

33.00

22.71

17.96

15.98

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.00

1-2-47

---

---

47.00

38.60

32.06

26.71

---

---

---

---

---

1.25

125-2-81

---

---

---

81.00

67.90

49.46

43.00

---

---

---

---

1.50

150-2-105

---

---

---

---

105.00

80.47

66.15

59.97

---

---

---

2.00

2-2-210

---

---

---

---

---

210.00

165.90

134.61

110.48

---

---

2.50

250-2-440

---

---

---

---

---

---

440.00

329.00

217.00

184.31

---

Example: What is the correct Cv rating of a 75-2-25 valve when placed in a 1" pipe?
Look at 1" column and cross over to the valve model #. As one can see, the correct Cv rating is 19.53.
These values also apply to stainless steel ball and stem (SSBS) and stainless steel bodied valves (SS) where applicable.

2-Way Flanged Ball Valve


Valve

Valve

Size

Model #

Pipe Size
3"

3.00

3-2-600

600.00

4.00

4-2-1200

---

6.00

6-2-3300

---

---

4"

5"

6"

8"

10"

12"

384.6

297.47

1200.00

803.00

262.77

---

---

---

605.63

476.85

---

---

---

3300.00

1713.11

1265.42

1102.07

3-Way Ball Valves


Valve

Valve

Pipe Size

Size

Model #

1/2"

3/4"

1"

1-1/4"

1-1/2"

2"

2-1/2"

3"

4"

5"

6"

0.50

05-3-02

2.00

1.96

1.94

1.92

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.50

05-3-06

6.00

5.25

4.82

4.62

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.75

75-3-12

---

12.00

11.20

10.46

10.02

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.00

1-3-14

---

---

14.00

13.70

13.33

12.85

---

---

---

---

---

1.25

125-3-21

---

---

---

21.00

20.70

19.90

19.40

---

---

---

---

1.50

150-3-30

---

---

---

---

30.00

29.17

28.31

27.75

---

---

---

2.00

2-3-50

---

---

---

---

---

50.00

49.16

48.08

46.66

---

---

2.00

2-3-91

---

---

---

---

---

91.00

86.25

80.77

74.53

---

---

3-Way Flanged Ball Valve


Valve

Valve

Pipe Size

Size

Model #

3"

4"

5"

6"

8"

10"

12"

3.00

3-3-135

135.00

130.00

125.59

122.56

---

---

---

4.00

4-3-230

---

230.00

224.97

218.55

210.31

---

---

6.00

6-3-330

---

---

---

330.00

325.61

320.82

317.59

Adjusted CV Ratings For Piping Geometry Factor (Fp)

2-Way Globe Valves


Valve

Valve

Size

Pipe Size

Model #

1/2"

3/4"

1"

1-1/4"

1-1/2"

2"

2-1/2"

3"

4"

5"

6"

0.50

DG05-2-03

2.5

2.43

2.38

2.36

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.75

DG75-2-07

---

6.3

6.17

6.04

5.95

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.00

DG1-2-10

---

---

10

9.89

9.74

9.55

---

---

---

---

---

1.25

DG125-2-16

---

---

---

16

15.86

15.49

15.25

---

---

---

---

1.50

DG150-2-25

---

---

---

---

25

24.51

23.99

23.65

---

---

---

2.00

DG2-2-40

---

---

---

---

---

40

39.57

38.99

38.22

---

---

2.50

DG250-2-63

---

---

---

---

---

---

63

62.50

61.08

59.6

---

3.00

DG3-2-100

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

100

98.06

94.62

---

4.00

DG4-2-160

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

160

155.99

---

5.00

DG5-2-250

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

248.06

242.52

6.00

DG6-2-400

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

400

371.35

3-Way Mixing Valves


Valve
Size

Valve

Pipe Size

Model #

1/2"

3/4"

1"

1-1/4"

1-1/2"

2"

2-1/2"

3"

4"

5"

6"

8"

0.50

DG05-3-03

2.5

2.43

2.38

2.36

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

10"
---

0.75

DG75-3-07

---

6.3

6.17

6.04

5.95

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.00

DG1-3-10

---

---

10

9.89

9.74

9.55

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.25

DG125-3-16

---

---

---

16

15.86

15.49

15.25

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.50

DG150-3-25

---

---

---

---

25

24.51

23.99

23.65

---

---

---

---

---

2.00

DG2-3-40

---

---

---

---

---

40

39.57

38.99

38.22

---

---

---

---

2.50

DG250-3-63

---

---

---

---

---

---

63

62.50

61.08

60.16

59.6

---

---

3.00

DG3-3-100

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

100

98.06

95.99

94.62

---

---

4.00

DG4-3-160

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

160

158.28

155.99

154.21

---

5.00

DG5-3-250

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

250

248.06

245.09

242.54

6.00

DG6-3-400

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

400

380.77

371.37

3-Way Mixing Valves


Valve

Valve

Pipe Size

Size

Model #

1/2"

3/4"

1"

1-1/4"

1-1/2"

2"

2-1/2"

3"

4"

5"

6"

8"
---

0.50

DDG05-3-04

3.75

3.58

3.5

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

0.75

DDG75-3-08

---

7.75

7.49

7.32

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.00

DDG1-3-15

---

---

15

14.6

14.19

13.6

---

---

---

---

---

---

1.25

DDG125-3-20

---

---

---

20

19.74

19.04

18.06

---

---

---

---

---

1.50

DDG150-3-28

---

---

---

---

28

27.32

26.61

26.15

---

---

---

---

2.00

DDG2-3-40

---

---

---

---

---

40

39.57

38.99

32.22

---

---

---

2.50

DDG250-3-68

---

---

---

---

---

---

68

67.37

65.61

64.47

---

---

3.00

DDG3-3-85

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

85

83.80

82.49

81.62

---

4.00

DDG4-3-160

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

160

158.28

155.99

152.91

5.00

DDG5-3-195

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

195

194

191.4

6.00

DDG6-3-250

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

250

248.07

Example: What is the correct Cv rating of a 75-3-07 valve when placed in a 1" pipe?
Look at 1" column and cross over to the valve model #. As one can see, the correct Cv rating is 6.17.
These values also apply to stainless steel trim valves (SS).

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