Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Components
i.
Valve body
ii.
Actuator
The device that provides the force to adjust the valve condition, which in
turn adjusts the process flow.
Typically a pneumatically operated spring-balanced device.
Also available as hydraulic operated or electrically operated
devices.
Typical designs are diaphragm and cylinder types.
Mounted directly on the valve body by a yoke or bracket.
iii.
Stem/shaft
The physical link that transfers force between the actuator and the valve
body internal components.
Positioner
Accessories
a. Current-to-Pneumatic (I/P) converters
- Converts current signals to pneumatic signals.
- Used to support older pneumatic-to-pneumatic (P/P)
positioners with electronic or microprocessor based
controllers
b. Solenoid valves
- Routes supply pressure to actuators or drains pressure
from actuators depending on energizing position.
- Used in-lieu of positioners for valves in on-off services.
- Used to trip regulating valves into its fail-safe position
when required by safety systems.
- Used to route supply pressures and lock pressures for
hydraulic piston actuators.
c. Limit switches
- Switches installed at valve travel limits and sometimes
intermediate travel positions.
- Used to feedback valve travel positions to controllers for
further action.
- Typically applied to on-off service valves and sequencing
valves.
d. Regulators
- Regulates instrument air pressure from supply header
(typical 7.6 barg) to control valve supply pressure
(typical < 4.0 barg).
- Used to protect positioners and actuators due to overpressure damage.
- Proper sizing is required to ensure valve stroking time
meets design requirements
e. Boosters
- Takes the output of positioners as its Controller Output
(CO) and multiplies the volume, and sometimes
pressure, applied to the actuator.
- Typically used for large volume actuators to ensure valve
stroking time meets design requirements.
- Also used to multiply positioner output pressure to meet
actuator spring force
f. Lock-up valves
- Locks pressure inside actuator chamber when
instrument air header pressure drops below a prescribed
setpoint.
- Used to maintain a valve at its last travel position in the
event of instrument air failure.
- Typically specified to protect process equipment from
damage caused by a sudden change in process flows.
g. Pneumatic speed controllers
- Regulates the rate of supply to actuators or exhaust
from actuators thus the valve stroking speed.
- Used to protect the valve or its associated process
equipment from harmful sudden changes in process
flows.
- Used exclusively on valves without positioners.
Flow Characteristic
Defines the flow variation through the valve with respect to percentage of
valve opening with a constant pressure drop.
Three common characteristic types.
Linear
-
Equal Percentage
-
Quick Opening
-
Cavitation
Cavitation is a two stage liquid flow phenomena. The first stage is the
formation of vapor bubbles in the liquid as the fluid passes through the trim
and the pressure is reduced below the fluid's vapor pressure. The second stage
is the collapse of the vapor bubbles back to a liquid as the fluid passes the vena
contracta and the pressure recovers and increases above the vapor pressure.
The collapsing bubbles are very destructive when they contact metal parts
and the bubble collapse may produce high noise levels.
Pressure drop below process fluid vapor pressure causing bubbles to form
in the fluid. The bubbles collapse as pressure recovers above process fluid
vapor pressure downstream.
Recognizable by whistling or gravel-like noises at the valve and
downstream piping.
Collapsing of the bubbles causes the mechanical damage.
Most damage occurs in downstream half of valve body and
downstream piping.
Flashing
Flashing is similar to cavitation except the vapor bubbles do not collapse,
as the downstream pressure remains less than the vapor pressure.
The
flow will remain a mixture of vapor and liquid.
Pressure drop below process fluid vapor pressure and does not recover,
causing the fluid to completely flash to vapor downstream of the valve.
The high velocity of the flow causes the mechanical damage.
Most damage occurs at the point of highest velocity, typically at the
valve plug, seat, and cage.