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ControlValveSizing

INTRODUCTION
Valtekusesasystematicmethodforselectingbodytypes,sizes,materials,pressureratingsandtrimsizesbasedonflowcharacteristics.Valtekcontrolvalveflowcapacity(Cv )isbased
upontheindustrystandard,ANSI/ISAS75.01.ThisstandardandthecorrespondingmeasuringstandardscontainEquationsusedtopredicttheflowofcompressibleandincompressiblefluids
in control valves. Slightly different forms of the basic Equation are used for liquids and gases. Basic steps for sizing and selecting the correct valve include calculating the required Cv .
EquationsforcalculatingCv forbothgasesandliquidsarefoundinthissection.

ValtekhasprogrammedtheANSI/ISAsizingEquationsandprocedures,makingcomputeraidedsizingavailableonIBMPCorcompatiblecomputers.Theseprogramspermitrapidcontrol
valveflowcapacitycalculationsandvalveselectionwithminimaleffort.Theprogramsalsoincludeexitvelocity,noisepredictionandactuatorsizingcalculations. See Section 22 for more
detailsoncomputeraidedvalveselection.Theseinstructionsaredesignedtoexposetheusertothedifferentaspectsofvalvesizing.Thestepbystepmethodoutlinedinthissectionisthe
mostcommonmethodofsizing.

NOMENCLATURE

FlowCapacity
ThevalvesizingcoefficientmostcommonlyusedasameasureofthecapacityofthebodyandtrimofacontrolvalveisCv .OneCv isdefinedasoneU.S.gallonperminuteof60degree
Fahrenheitwaterthatflowsthroughavalvewithaonepsipressuredrop.ThegeneralEquationforCv isasfollows:

figure31PressureProfileofFluidPassingThroughaValve

Whenselectingacontrolvalveforanapplication,thecalculatedCv isusedtodeterminethevalvesizeandthetrimsizethatwillallowthevalvetopassthedesiredflowrateandprovidestable
controloftheprocessfluid.

PressureProfile
Fluidflowingthroughacontrolvalveobeysthebasiclawsofconservationofmassandenergy,andthecontinuityEquation.Thecontrolvalveactsasarestrictionintheflowstream.Asthe
fluid stream approaches this restriction, its velocity increases in order for the full flow to pass through the restriction. Energy for this increase in velocity comes from a corresponding
decreaseinpressure.Maximumvelocityandminimumpressureoccurimmediatelydownstreamfromthethrottlingpointatthenarrowestconstrictionofthefluidstream,knownasthevena
contracta.Downstreamfromthevenacontracta,thefluidslowsandpartoftheenergy(intheformofvelocity)isconvertedbacktopressure.Asimplifiedprofileofthefluidpressureisshown
inFigure31.Theslightpressurelossesintheinletandoutletpassagesareduetofrictionaleffects.Themajorexcursionsofpressureareduetothevelocitychangesintheregionofthe
venacontracta.

Figure32:ChokedPressureDrop
AllowablePressureDrop
ThecapacitycurveshowninFigure32showsthat,withconstantupstreampressure,flowrate,q,isrelatedtothesquarerootofpressuredropthroughtheproportionalityconstantCv .The
curve departs from a linear relationship at the onset of choking described using the Fi,factor. The flow rate reaches a maximum, qmax ,at the fully choked condition due to effects of
cavitation for liquids or sonic velocity for compressible fluids. The transition to choked flow may be gradual or abrupt, depending on valve design. ANSI/ISA liquid sizing Equations use a
pressurerecoveryfactor,FL,tocalculatethe<m>Delta</m>Pch,atwhichchokedflowisassumedforsizingpurposes.Forcompressiblefluids,aterminalpressuredropratio,XT ,similarly
describesthechokedpressuredropforaspecificvalve.Whensizingacontrolvalve,thesmalleroftheactualpressuredroporthechokedpressuredropisalwaysusedtodeterminethe
correctCv .Thispressuredropisknownastheallowablepressuredrop,<m>Delta</m>Pa,

Cavitation
Inliquids,whenthepressureanywhereintheliquiddropsbelowthevaporpressureofthefluid,vaporbubblesbegintoforminthefluidstream.Asthefluiddeceleratesthereisaresultant
increase in pressure. If this pressure is higher than the vapor pressure, the bubbles collapse (or implode) as the vapor returns to the liquid phase. This twostep mechanism called
cavitationproducesnoise,vibration,andcauseserosiondamagetothevalveanddownstreampiping.Theonsetofcavitationknownasincipientcavitationisthepointwhenthebubbles
firstbegintoformandcollapse.Advancedcavitationcanaffectcapacityandvalveperformance,whichbeginsata<m>Delta</m>Pdeterminedfromthefactor,Fi).Thepointatwhichfullor
chokedcavitationoccurs(severedamage,vibration,andnoise)canbedeterminedfromEquation3.3.Underchokedconditions,allowablepressuredrop,isthechokedpressuredrop.

LiquidPressureRecoveryFactor,Fl
The liquid pressure recovery factor, FL, predicts the amount of pressure recovery that will occur between the vena contracta and the valve outlet. FL is an experimentally determined
coefficientthataccountsfortheinfluenceofthevalvesinternalgeometryonthemaximumcapacityofthevalve.ItisdeterminedfromcapacitytestdatalikethatshowninFigure32.

FLalsovariesaccordingtothevalvetype.Highrecoveryvalvessuchasbutterflyandballvalveshavesignificantlylowerpressuresatthevenacontractaandhencerecovermuch
fartherforthesamepressuredropthanaglobevalve.Thustheytendtochoke(orcavitate)atsmallerpressuredropsthanglobevalves.

LiquidCriticalPressureRatioFactor,Ff
Theliquidcriticalpressureratiofactor,FF ,multipliedbythevaporpressure,predictsthetheoreticalvenacontractapressureatthemaximumeffective(choked)pressuredropacrossthe
valve.

Flashing
Ifthedownstreampressureisequaltoorlessthanthevaporpressure,thevaporbubblescreatedatthevenacontractadonotcollapse,resultinginaliquidgasmixturedownstreamofthe
valve.Thisiscommonlycalledflashing.Whenflashingofaliquidoccurs,theinletfluidis100percentliquidwhichexperiencespressuresinanddownstreamofthecontrolvalvewhichareat
orbelowvaporpressure.Theresultisatwophasemixture(vaporandliquid)atthevalveoutletandinthedownstreampiping.Velocityofthistwophaseflowisusuallyveryhighandresultsin
thepossibilityforerosionofthevalveandpipingcomponents.

ChokedFlow
Chokedflowoccursingasesandvaporswhenthefluidvelocityreachessonicvaluesatanypointinthevalvebody,trim,orpipe.Asthepressureinthevalveorpipeislowered,thespecific
volumeincreasestothepointwheresonicvelocityisreached.Inliquids,vaporformedastheresultofcavitationorflashingincreasesthespecificvolumeofthefluidatafasterratethanthe
increaseinflowduetopressuredifferential.Loweringthedownstreampressurebeyondthispointineithercasewillnotincreasetheflowrateforaconstantupstreampressure.Thevelocity
atanypointinthevalveordownstreampipingislimitedtosonic(Mach=1).Asaresult,theflowratewillbelimitedtoanamountwhichyieldsasonicvelocityinthevalvetrimorthepipeunder
thespecifiedpressureconditions.

ReynoldsNumberFactor,FR
TheReynoldsNumberFactor,FR ,isusedtocorrectthecalculatedCv fornonturbulentflowconditionsduetohighviscosityfluids,verylowvelocities,orverysmallvalveCv .

PipingGeometryFactor,FP
Valvesizingcoefficientsaredeterminedfromtestsrunwiththevalvemountedinastraightrunofpipewhichisthesamediameterasthevalvebody.Iftheprocesspipingconfigurationsare
differentfromthestandardtestmanifold,theapparentvalvecapacityischanged.Theeffectofreducersandincreaserscanbeapproximatedbytheuseofthepipinggeometryfactor,FP.

Velocity
Asageneralrule,valveoutletvelocitiesshouldbelimitedtothefollowingmaximumvalues:

Liquids 50feetpersecond
Gases ApproachingMach1.0
MixedGases 500feetpersecondandLiquids

Theabovefiguresareguidelinesfortypicalapplications.Ingeneral,smallersizedvalveshandleslightlyhighervelocitiesandlargevalveshandlelowervelocities.Specialapplicationshave
particularvelocityrequirementsafewofwhichareprovidedbelow.

Liquidapplicationswherethefluidtemperatureisclosetothesaturationpointshouldbelimitedto30feetpersecondtoavoidreducingthefluidpressurebelowthevaporpressure.Thisis
alsoanappropriatelimitforapplicationsdesignedtopassthefullflowratewithaminimumpressuredropacrossthevalve.
Valvesincavitatingserviceshouldalsobelimitedto30feetpersecondtominimizedamagetothedownstreampiping.Thiswillalsolocalizethepressurerecoverywhichcausescavitation
immediatelydownstreamfromthevenacontracta.

Inflashingservices,velocitiesbecomemuchhigherduetotheincreaseinvolumeresultingfromvaporformation.Formostapplications,itisimportanttokeepvelocitiesbelow500feetper
second.ExpandedoutletstylevalvessuchastheMarkOneXhelptocontroloutletvelocitiesonsuchapplications.Erosiondamagecanbelimitedbyusingchromemolybodymaterial
andhardenedtrim.Onsmallervalveapplicationswhichremainclosedformostofthetimesuchasheaterdrainvalveshighervelocitiesof800to1500feetpersecondmaybeacceptable
withappropriatematerials.

Gasapplicationswherespecialnoiseattenuationtrimareusedshouldbelimitedtoapproximately0.33Mach.Inaddition,pipevelocitiesdownstreamfromthevalvearecriticaltotheoverall
noise level. Experimentation has shown that velocities around 0.5 Mach can create substantial noise even in a straight pipe. The addition of a control valve to the line will increase the
turbulencedownstream,resultinginevenhighernoiselevels.

ExpansionFactor,Y
Theexpansionfactor,Y,accountsforthevariationofspecificweightasthegaspassesfromthevalveinlettothevenacontracta.Italsoaccountsforthechangeincrosssectionalareaof
thevenacontractaasthepressuredropisvaried.

RatioofSpecificHeatsFactor,Fk
Theratioofspecificheatsfactor,FK,adjuststheEquationtoaccountfordifferentbehaviorofgasesotherthanair.

TerminalPressureDropRatio,xT
Theterminalpressuredropratioforgases,x T ,isusedtopredictthechokingpointwhereadditionalpressuredrop(byloweringthedownstreampressure)willnotproduceadditionalflowdue
tothesonicvelocitylimitationacrossthevenacontracta.ThisfactorisafunctionofthevalvegeometryandvariessimilarlytoFL,dependingonthevalvetype.

CompressibilityFactor,Z
Thecompressibilityfactor,Z,isafunctionofthetemperatureandthepressureofagas.Itisusedtodeterminethedensityofagasinrelationshiptoitsactualtemperatureandpressure
conditions.

CALCULATINGCVFORLIQUIDS

Introduction
TheEquationfortheflowcoefficient(Cv )innonlaminarliquidflowis:

IMAGE3.1

Where:
Cv =Valvingsizingcoefficient
Fp=Pipinggeometryfactor
q=Flowrate,gpm
<m>Delta</m>Pa=Allowablepressuredropacrossthevalveforsizing,psi
G f =Specificgravityatflowingtemperature

ThefollowingstepsshouldbeusedtocomputethecorrectCv bodysizeandtrimnumber:

Step1:CalculateActualPressureDrop
Theallowablepressuredrop,<m>Delta</m>Pa,acrossthevalveforcalculatingCv ,isthesmalleroftheactual<m>Delta</m>PfromEquation3.2andchoked<m>Delta</m>PchfromEquation
3.3.

3.2

DP=P1P2(3.2)

Step2:CheckforChokedFlow,CavitationandFlashing
UseEquation3.3tocheckforchokedflow:DPch=FL2(P1FFPV)(3.3)

Where:
FL=Liquidpressurerecoveryfactor
FF =Liquidcriticalpressureratiofactor
PV=Vaporpressureoftheliquidatinlettemperature,psia
P1=Upstreampressure,psia

SeeTable3IforFLfactorsforbothfullopenandpartstrokevalues.

FF canbeestimatedbythefollowingrelationship:

PVFF=0.960.28(3.4)PC

FF =Liquidcriticalpressureratio
PV=Vaporpressureoftheliquid,psia
PC =Criticalpressureoftheliquid,psia
(seeTable3II)

If<m>Delta</m>Pch(Equation3.3)islessthantheactual<m>Delta</m>P(Equation3.2),use<m>Delta</m>Pchfor<m>Delta</m>PainEquation3.1.

PV=Vaporpressure
Pc =Criticalpressure

Figure33:LiquidCriticalPressureRatioFactorCurve

Table3II:CriticalPressures

Liquid CriticalPress(psia) Liquid CriticalPress(psia)

Ammonia 1636.1 HydrogenChloride 1205.4

Argon 707.0 Isobutane 529.2
Benzene 710.0 Isobutylene 529.2
Butane 551.2 Kerosene 350.0
CarbonDioxide 1070.2 Methane 667.3
CarbonMonoxide 507.1 NitrousOxide 1051.1
Chlorine 1117.2 Oxygen 732.0
DowthermA 547.0 Phosgene 823.2
Ethane 708.5 Propane 615.9
Ethylene 730.5 Propylene 670.3
FuelOil 330.0 Refrigerant 11639.4
Fluorine 757.0 Refrigerant 12598.2
Gasoline 410.0 Refrigerant 22749.7
Helium 32.9 SeaWater 3200.0
Hydrogen 188.1 Water 3208.2
Nitrogen 492.4

Itmayalsobeusefultodeterminethepointatwhichsubstantialcavitationbegins.ThefollowingEquationdefinesthepressuredropatwhichsubstantialcavitationbegins:

DP(cavitation)=Fi2(P1PV)(3.5)

In high pressure applications, alternate analysis may be required verify analysis with factory if <m>Delta</m>P > <m>Delta</m>P (cavitation) > 300 psi (globe valves) or 100 psi (rotary
valves).

Where:
Fi=Liquidcavitionfactor
(TypicalvaluesforFi</subaregiveninTable3I)
P<sub>1=Upstreampressure,psia
PV=Vaporpressureoftheliquid,psia

TherequiredCVforflashingapplicationsisdeterminedbyusingtheappropriate<m>Delta</m>Pallowable[<m>Delta</m>PchcalculatedfromEquation3.3].

Step3:DetermineSpecificGravity
Specificgravityisgenerallyavailablefortheflowingfluidattheoperatingtemperature.Theappendixprovidesfluidpropertydatafor268chemicalcompounds,fromwhichthespecificgravity,
G f canbecalculated.

Step4:CalculateApproximateCv
Generallytheeffectsofnonturbulentflowcanbeignored,providedthevalveisnotoperatinginalaminarortransitionalflowregionduetohighviscosity,verylowvelocity,orsmallCV.Inthe
eventthereissomequestion,calculatetheCV,fromEquation3.1,assumingFP=1,andthenproceedtosteps57.IftheReynoldsnumbercalculatedinEquation3.6aisgreaterthan40,000,
FR canbeignored(proceedtostep8afterstep5.)

Step5:SelectApproximateBodySize
BasedonCVFromtheCvtablesinsection4,selectthesmallestbodysizethatwillhandlethecalculatedCV.

Step6:CalculateValveReynoldsNumberRevandReynoldsNumberFactorFR
UseEquation3.6atocalculatevalveReynoldsNumberFactor:

(3.6a)

UseEquation3.6btocalculatevalveReynoldsNumberFactorFR ifRev <40,000,otherwiseFR =1.0:

(3.6b)Where:CVS=LaminarflowCv

(3.6c)CVT =TurbulentflowCv (Equation3.1)Fs =streamlineflowfactor

Step7:RecalculateCvUsingReynoldsNumberFactor
If the calculated value of FR islessthan0.48,theflowisconsideredlaminarandtheCV is equal to Cvs calculated from Equation 3.6c. If FR is greater than 0.98, turbulent flow can be
assumed(FR =1.0)andCViscalculatedfromEquation3.1.DonotusethepipinggeometryfactorFPifFR islessthan0.98.ForvaluesofFR between0.48and0.98,theflowisconsidered
transitionalandtheCViscalculatedfromEquation3.6e:

Forlaminarandtransitionalflow,notethe<m>Delta</m>PisalwaystakenasP1P2.

Step8:CalculatePipingGeometryfactor
Ifthepipesizeisnotgiven,usetheapproximatebodysize(fromstep5)tochoosethecorrespondingpipesize.Thepipediameterisusedtocalculatethepipinggeometryfactor,FP3,which
canbedeterminedbyTables3IIIand3IV.Ifthepipediameteristhesameasthevalvesize,F1is1anddoesnotaffectCV.

Step9:CalculatethefinalCv
UsingthevalueofFp,calculatetherequiredCv fromEquation3.1.

Step10:CalculateValveExitVelocity
ThefollowingEquationisusedtocalculatentranceorexitvelocitiesforliquids:

Where:
V=Velocity,ft/sec
Q=Liquidflowrate,gpm
AV=Applicationflowarea,in2ofbodyport(Table3VIII)

Aftercalculatingtheexitvelocity,comparethatnumbertotheacceptablevelocityforthatapplication.Itmaybenecessarytogotoalargevalvesize.

Step11:RecalculateC_VifBodySizeChanged
RecalculateCViftheFPhasbeenchangedduetoselectionofalargebodysize.

Step12:SelectTrimNumber
Firstidentityifthevalvewillbeusedforon/offorthrottlingservice.UsingtheCVtablesinSection4selecttheappropriatetrimnumberforthecalculatedCVandthebodysizeselected.When
cavitationisindicated,refertoSection14toevaluatespecialtrimsforcavitationprotection.
LIQUIDSIZINGEXAMPLES
ExampleOne
Given:Liquid.Water
CriticalPressure(PC ).3206.2psia
Temperature250F
UpstreamPressure(P1)..314.7psia
DownstreamPressure(P2P)104.7psia
SpecificGravity..0.94
ValveActionFlowtoopen
LineSize..4inch(Class600)
FlowRate..500gpm
VaporPressure(PV)30psia
KinematicViscosity(V)0.014centistokes
FlowCharacteristicEqualPercentage

Aftercalculatingtheexitvelocity,comparethatnumbertotheacceptablevelocityforthatapplication.Itmaybenecessarytogotoalargervalvesize.

sizing_selection/valtek/control_valve_sizing.txtLastmodified:2013/04/1607:00(externaledit)