Sample valves are critical components for many industrial processes involving liquids, gases, and slurries. They ensure industries continue to run smoothly and efficiently while providing an outlet for both manual and automated material testing.
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Of course, every industrial process has its own specific specific requirements when it comes to sampling valve selection. Each tank or channel is maintained at a particular temperature and pressure level. Materials may be expansive, corrosive, flow at a certain viscosity, or contain particulates that must be filtered or tested selectively. Sample valves contribute to quality control and process efficiency by quickly extracting fluids or gasses for identification and testing.
This means the selection of the right sample valve can have a profound impact on your system performance. We can help you choose the ideal sample valve for each stage of your production by understanding the 5 key features for sample valve selection.
Sample valves are a particular type of valve used to take samples from gas, liquids, slurries, powders, and viscous materials. This allows for testing for identification, quality control, and regulation compliance without interrupting the active manufacturing or industrial process.
Sample valves keep processes running efficiently while also providing real-time testing results. This ensures the ability to make real-time corrections if a variance is detected or confirm that everything is running smoothly at all times.
Sampling valves are able to maintain process integrity with precise and sterile sample extraction, operated either manually or automated for routine sampling at key points in the process without interrupting operations.
Choosing the right sample valve determines the precision, longevity, and performance of your sampling capabilities. It is vital to choose or customize your sampling valve to meet the specific needs of each material and the processing equipment where the sampling valve will be installed. These key features will ensure you choose the right valve for your industrial needs.
Start by assessing the valve materials that are compatible with your material and sampling environment. Key factors include chemical resistance, temperature, and pressure tolerance. If your materials are corrosive or have other chemical properties, select materials that can handle the chemical composition of your materials.
If you are sampling materials at a specific temperature or pressure, ensure your valve material is suitable to the environment to prevent damage, injury, or disruption of the industrial process.
Certain materials offer the greatest durability and longevity for specific conditions.
These materials can help to ensure durability, longevity, and efficiency in your sampling procedures.
The design of your valve will determine how it operates, sample size and precision, and maintenance requirements. You can also customize the design features of your valve to meet very specific industrial needs.
The most common types of valve designs are ball valves and needle valves.
Customization also makes it possible to tailor valves to meet the specifications of each industrial process. Customizations include size, materials, measured dispensing, and automation features. This will help you achieve the vital task of choosing a design that integrates seamlessly into your existing industrial systems.
Safety is an essential element of sample valve design. Sample valves are intended to provide measured and safe extraction of materials for two important reasons. First, to protect the industrial process from disruption or contamination. Second, to ensure the safety of human operators and nearby machinery from potential damage caused by explosive release or leaks.
Evaluate each potential sampling valve for safety and leak prevention features.
Enact best practices to keep your valves in optimal condition to maintain that safety.
The durability and integrity of your sample valve are critical - but so too is the role it plays in your operations. A well-designed sample valve should be easy to operate, inspect, and maintain. This ensures ongoing efficiency in both your daily operations and routine maintenance cycles.
A sample valve should feature a user-friendly design, such as simple valve operation, easy automation, and accessible maintenance. For manually operated valves, ergonomic handles are a must, ensuring your team can easily grip and operate the valve. Quick-disconnect ports enable safety and easy maintenance procedures.
Maintenance also plays a role in ease of operation. Valves should have easily accessible components and cleaning features. This will help reduce downtime and enhance productivity, as your team will be able to inspect, clean, and replace valve parts with ease.
When valves are easy to operate, you can also more efficiently test, inspect, and repair each sample valve as needed.
When investing in new industrial equipment, it's important to consider the balance of cost and longevity. This defines the investment value not just up-front, but over the years of performance you will get from the part. A sampling valve made from high-grade materials and a tailored design to suit your industrial needs can last for many years with standard maintenance procedures. This provides a valuable investment in terms of long-term durability and performance.
Choosing high-quality valves can lead to cost savings through reduced maintenance and longer cycles before replacement is necessary. By evaluating the total cost of ownership during your valve selection process, you can ensure excellent long-term performance and cost efficiency for your industrial facilities.
Selecting the ideal sample valve for your industrial process relies on understanding your needs, and then seeking out a design that both meets those requirements and offers greater value through excellent design and superior quality. You can find the best valve when you evaluate, prioritize, explore, and customize.
First, assess the needs of your industrial process. Consider the material you are working with, the conditions of the test environment, your sampling requirements, and any relevant regulations for compliance. The valve should allow you to take exactly the right sample size, manually or through automation, providing sterile samples and preventing contamination or disruption of the industrial process.
Once you have cataloged your needs, explore valve materials and design features that meet your requirements. Consult with a valve expert to help you identify the baseline design for a valve that can fulfill your performance needs. Make sure materials are made to withstand the work they are used for.
With your baseline defined, you can explore additional features that may improve your sample valve operations. Self-cleaning features, ergonomic design, or advanced valve actuation features are all potential ways to enhance or streamline your sampling procedures.
Lastly, explore your options for customization. Tailor the valve materials, size, or design features to both perfectly meet your needs and provide exactly the enhancements that will provide the greatest benefits to your operations. McKenzie Valve experts can help you with both the selection and customization process.
Choosing the best sample valve for your operations is an involved process of assessment, planning, and customization. The key features to consider include material, design, safety, ease of use, and long-term durability. You can find everything you need, from high-quality standardized sample valves to precise customization options with McKenzie Valve. Contact us for outstanding support and custom-tailored products designed to meet your industrial needs.
Reach out to McKenzie Valve now to learn why a sample valve is right for you and get the product you're looking for.
Examples of these and their inherent characteristics are shown in Figures 6.5.1 and 6.5.2.
Fast opening characteristic
The fast opening characteristic valve plug will give a large change in flowrate for a small valve lift from the closed position. For example, a valve lift of 50% may result in an orifice pass area and flowrate up to 90% of its maximum potential.
A valve using this type of plug is sometimes referred to as having an ‘on/off’ characteristic.
Unlike linear and equal percentage characteristics, the exact shape of the fast opening curve is not defined in standards. Therefore, two valves, one giving a 80% flow for 50% lift, the other 90% flow for 60% lift, may both be regarded as having a fast opening characteristic.
Fast opening valves tend to be electrically or pneumatically actuated and used for ‘on/off’ control.
The self-acting type of control valve tends to have a plug shape similar to the fast opening plug in Figure 6.5.1. The plug position responds to changes in liquid or vapour pressure in the control system. The movement of this type of valve plug can be extremely small relative to small changes in the controlled condition, and consequently the valve has an inherently high rangeability. The valve plug is therefore able to reproduce small changes in flowrate, and should not be regarded as a fast opening control valve.
Linear characteristic
The linear characteristic valve plug is shaped so that the flowrate is directly proportional to the valve lift (H), at a constant differential pressure. A linear valve achieves this by having a linear relationship between the valve lift and the orifice pass area (see Figure 6.5.3).
For example, at 40% valve lift, a 40% orifice size allows 40% of the full flow to pass.
Equal percentage characteristic (or logarithmic characteristic)
These valves have a valve plug shaped so that each increment in valve lift increases the flowrate by a certain percentage of the previous flow. The relationship between valve lift and orifice size (and therefore flowrate) is not linear but logarithmic, and is expressed mathematically in Equation 6.5.1:
Example 6.5.1
The maximum flowrate through a control valve with an equal percentage characteristic is 10 m³/h. If the valve has a turndown of 50:1, and is subjected to a constant differential pressure, by using Equation 6.5.1 what quantity will pass through the valve with lifts of 40%, 50%, and 60% respectively?
The increase in volumetric flowrate through this type of control valve increases by an equal percentage per equal increment of valve movement:
It can be seen that (with a constant differential pressure) for any 10% increase in valve lift, there is a 48% increase in flowrate through the control valve. This will always be the case for an equal percentage valve with rangeability of 50. For interest, if a valve has a rangeability of 100, the incremental increase in flowrate for a 10% change in valve lift is 58%.
Table 6.5.1 shows how the change in flowrate alters across the range of valve lift for the equal percentage valve in Example 6.5.1 with a rangeability of 50 and with a constant differential pressure.
A few other inherent valve characteristics are sometimes used, such as parabolic, modified linear or hyperbolic, but the most common types in manufacture are fast opening, linear, and equal percentage.
Matching the valve characteristic to the installation characteristic
Each application will have a unique installation characteristic that relates fluid flow to heat demand. The pressure differential across the valve controlling the flow of the heating fluid may also vary:
The characteristic of the control valve chosen for an application should result in a direct relationship between valve opening and flow, over as much of the travel of the valve as possible.
This section will consider the various options of valve characteristics for controlling water and steam systems. In general, linear valves are used for water systems whilst steam systems tend to operate better with equal percentage valves.
1. A water circulating heating system with three-port valve
In water systems where a constant flowrate of water is mixed or diverted by a three-port valve into a balanced circuit, the pressure loss over the valve is kept as stable as possible to maintain balance in the system.
Conclusion
- The best choice in these applications is usually a valve with a linear characteristic. Because of this, the installed and inherent characteristics are always similar and linear, and there will be limited gain in the control loop.
2. A boiler water level control system – a water system with a two-port valve
In systems of this type (an example is shown in Figure 6.5.6), where a two-port feedwater control valve varies the flowrate of water, the pressure drop across the control valve will vary with flow. This variation is caused by:
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Example 6.5.2 Select and size the feedwater valve in Figure 6.5.6
In a simplified example (which assumes a constant boiler pressure and constant friction loss in the pipework), a boiler is rated to produce 10 tonnes of steam per hour. The boiler feedpump performance characteristic is tabulated in Table 6.5.2, along with the resulting differential pressure (ΔP) across the feedwater valve at various flowrates at, and below, the maximum flow requirement of 10 m³/h of feedwater.
Note: The valve ΔP is the difference between the pump discharge pressure and a constant boiler pressure of 10 bar g. Note that the pump discharge pressure will fall as the feedwater flow increases. This means that the water pressure before the feedwater valve also falls with increased flowrate, which will affect the relationship between the pressure drop and the flowrate through the valve.
It can be determined from Table 6.5.2 that the fall in the pump discharge pressure is about 26% from no-load to full-load, but the fall in differential pressure across the feedwater valve is a lot greater at 72%. If the falling differential pressure across the valve is not taken into consideration when sizing the valve, the valve could be undersized.
As discussed in Modules 6.2 and 6.3, valve capacities are generally measured in terms of Kv. More specifically, Kvs relates to the pass area of the valve when fully open, whilst Kvr relates to the pass area of the valve as required by the application.
Consider if the pass area of a fully open valve with a Kvs of 10 is 100%. If the valve closes so the pass area is 60% of the full-open pass area, the Kvr is also 60% of 10 = 6. This applies regardless of the inherent valve characteristic. The flowrate through the valve at each opening will depend upon the differential pressure at the time.
Using the data in Table 6.5.2, the required valve capacity, Kvr, can be calculated for each incremental flowrate and valve differential pressure, by using Equation 6.5.2, which is derived from Equation 6.3.2.The Kvr can be thought of as being the actual valve capacity required by the installation and, if plotted against the required flowrate, the resulting graph can be referred to as the ‘installation curve’.
At the full-load condition, from Table 6.5.2:
Required flow through the valve = 10 m³/ h
ΔP across the valve = 1.54 bar
From Equation 6.5.2:
Taking the valve flowrate and valve ΔP from Table 6.5.2, a Kvr for each increment can be determined from Equation 6.5.2; and these are tabulated in Table 6.5.3.
Constructing the installation curve
The Kvr of 8.06 satisfies the maximum flow condition of 10 m3/h for this example.
The installation curve could be constructed by comparing flowrate to Kvr, but it is usually more convenient to view the installation curve in percentage terms. This simply means the percentage of Kvr to Kvs, or in other words, the percentage of actual pass area relative to the full open pass area.
For this example: The installation curve is constructed, by taking the ratio of Kvr at any load relative to the Kvs of 8.06. A valve with a Kvs of 8.06 would be ‘perfectly sized’, and would describe the installation curve, as tabulated in Table 6.5.4, and drawn in Figure 6.5.7. This installation curve can be thought of as the valve capacity of a perfectly sized valve for this example.
It can be seen that, as the valve is ‘perfectly sized’ for this installation, the maximum flowrate is satisfied when the valve is fully open.
However, it is unlikely and undesirable to select a perfectly sized valve. In practice, the selected valve would usually be at least one size larger, and therefore have a Kvs larger than the installation Kvr.
As a valve with a Kvs of 8.06 is not commercially available, the next larger standard valve would have a Kvs of 10 with nominal DN25 connections.
It is interesting to compare linear and equal percentage valves having a Kvs of 10 against the installation curve for this example.
Consider a valve with a linear inherent characteristic
A valve with a linear characteristic means that the relationship between valve lift and orifice pass area is linear. Therefore, both the pass area and valve lift at any flow condition is simply the Kvr expressed as a proportion of the valve Kvs. For example:
It can be seen from Table 6.5.4, that at the maximum flowrate of 10 m³/h, the Kvr is 8.06. If the linear valve has a Kvs of 10, for the valve to satisfy the required maximum flowrate, the valve will lift:
Using the same routine, the orifice size and valve lift required at various flowrates may be determined for the linear valve, as shown in Table 6.5.5.
An equal percentage valve will require exactly the same pass area to satisfy the same maximum flowrate, but its lift will be different to that of the linear valve.
Consider a valve with an equal percentage inherent characteristic
Given a valve rangeability of 50:1, τ = 50, the lift (H) may be determined using Equation 6.5.1:
Percentage valve lift is denoted by Equation 6.5.3.
As the volumetric flowrate through any valve is proportional to the orifice pass area, Equation 6.5.3 can be modified to give the equal percentage valve lift in terms of pass area and therefore Kv.
This is shown by Equation 6.5.4.
As already calculated, the Kvr at the maximum flowrate of 10 m³/h is 8.06, and the Kvs of the DN25 valve is 10. By using Equation 6.5.4 the required valve lift at full-load is therefore: therefore:
Using the same routine, the valve lift required at various flowrates can be determined from Equation 6.5.4 and is shown in Table 6.5.6.
Comparing the linear and equal percentage valves for this application
The resulting application curve and valve curves for the application in Example 6.5.2 for both the linear and equal percentage inherent valve characteristics are shown in Figure 6.5.8.
Note that the equal percentage valve has a significantly higher lift than the linear valve to achieve the same flowrate. It is also interesting to see that, although each of these valves has a Kvs larger than a ‘perfectly sized valve’ (which would produce the installation curve), the equal percentage valve gives a significantly higher lift than the installation curve. In comparison, the linear valve always has a lower lift than the installation curve.
The rounded nature of the curve for the linear valve is due to the differential pressure falling across the valve as the flow increases. If the pump pressure had remained constant across the whole range of flowrates, the installation curve and the curve for the linear valve would both have been straight lines.
By observing the curve for the equal percentage valve, it can be seen that, although a linear relationship is not achieved throughout its whole travel, it is above 50% of the flowrate.
The equal percentage valve offers an advantage over the linear valve at low flowrates. Consider, at a 10% flowrate of 1 m³/h, the linear valve only lifts roughly 4%, whereas the equal percentage valve lifts roughly 20%. Although the orifice pass area of both valves will be exactly the same, the shape of the equal percentage valve plug means that it operates further away from its seat, reducing the risk of impact damage between the valve plug and seat due to quick reductions in load at low flowrates.
An oversized equal percentage valve will still give good control over its full range, whereas an oversized linear valve might perform less effectively by causing fast changes in flowrate for small changes in lift.
Conclusion - In most applications, an equal percentage valve will provide good results, and is very tolerant of over-sizing. It will offer a more constant gain as the load changes, helping to provide a more stable control loop at all times. However, it can be observed from Figure 6.5.8, that if the linear valve is properly sized, it will perform perfectly well in this type of water application.
3. Temperature control of a steam application with a two-port valve
In heat exchangers, which use steam as the primary heating agent, temperature control is achieved by varying the flow of steam through a two-port control valve to match the rate at which steam condenses on the heating surfaces. This varying steam flow varies the pressure (and hence temperature) of the steam in the heat exchanger and thus the rate of heat transfer.
Example 6.5.3
In a particular steam-to-water heat exchange process, it is proposed that:
Using this data, and by applying the correct equations, the following properties can be determined:
At maximum load:
Heat load is determined from Equation 2.6.5:
The heat transfer area (A) can be determined from Equation 2.5.3:
At this stage, ΔTLM is unknown, but can be calculated from the primary steam and secondary water temperatures, using Equation 2.5.5.
ΔTLM may be determined from Equation 2.5.5:
Find the conditions at other heat loads at a 10% reduced water flowrate:
If the water flowrate falls by 10% to 9 kg/s, the heat load reduces to:
Q̇ = 9 kg/s x (60 – 10°C) x 4.19 kJ / kg °C = 1 885.5 kW
The initial ‘U’ value of 1 500 W/m2 °C is reduced by 4%, so the temperature required in the steam space may be calculated from Equation 2.5.3:
If ΔTLM = 100°C, and T1, T2 are already known, then Ts may be determined from Equation 2.5.5:
The saturated steam pressure for 137°C is 3.32 bar a (from the Spirax Sarco steam tables).
At 3.32 bar a, hfg = 2 153.5 kJ/kg, consequently from Equation 2.8.1:
Using this routine, a set of values may be determined over the operating range of the heat exchanger, as shown in Table 6.5.7.
If the steam pressure supplying the control valve is given as 5.0 bar a, and using the steam pressure and steam flowrate information from Table 6.5.7; the Kvr can be calculated from Equation 6.5.6, which is derived from the steam flow formula, Equation 3.21.2.
Using this routine, the Kvr for each increment of flow can be determined, as shown in Table 6.5.8.
The installation curve can also be defined by considering the Kvr at all loads against the ‘perfectly sized’ Kvs of 69.2.
The Kvr of 69.2 satisfies the maximum secondary flow of 10 kg / s.
In the same way as in Example 6.5.2, the installation curve is described by taking the ratio of Kvr at any load relative to a Kvs of 69.2.
Such a valve would be ‘perfectly sized’ for the example, and would describe the installation curve, as tabulated in Table 6.5.8, and drawn in Figure 6.5.9.
The installation curve can be thought of as the valve capacity of a valve perfectly sized to match the application requirement.
It can be seen that, as the valve with a Kvs of 69.2 is ‘perfectly sized’ for this application, the maximum flowrate is satisfied when the valve is fully open.
However, as in the water valve sizing Example 6.5.2, it is undesirable to select a perfectly sized valve. In practice, it would always be the case that the selected valve would be at least one size larger than that required, and therefore have a Kvs larger than the application Kvr.
A valve with a Kvs of 69.2 is not commercially available, and the next larger standard valve has a Kvs of 100 with nominal DN80 connections.
It is interesting to compare linear and equal percentage valves having a Kvs of 100 against the installation curve for this example.
Consider a valve with a linear inherent characteristic
A valve with a linear characteristic means that the relationship between valve lift and orifice pass area is linear. Therefore, both the pass area and valve lift at any flow condition is simply the Kvr expressed as a proportion of the valve Kvs. For example.
At the maximum water flowrate of 10 kg/s, the steam valve Kvr is 69.2. The Kvs of the selected valve is 100, consequently the lift is:
Using the same procedure, the linear valve lifts can be determined for a range of flows, and are tabulated in Table 6.5.9.
* The installation curve is the percentage of Kvr at any load to the Kvr at maximum load
Consider a valve with an equal percentage inherent characteristic
An equal percentage valve will require exactly the same pass area to satisfy the same maximum flowrate, but its lift will be different to that of the linear valve.
Given that the valve turndown ratio, τ = 50, the lift (H) may be determined using Equation 6.5.4.
Using the same procedure, the percentage valve lift can be determined from Equation 6.5.4 for a range of flows for this installation.
The corresponding lifts for linear and equal percentage valves are shown in Table 6.5.9 along with the installation curve.
As in Example 6.5.2, the equal percentage valve requires a much higher lift than the linear valve to achieve the same flowrate. The results are graphed in Figure 6.5.10.
There is a sudden change in the shape of the graphs at roughly 90% of the load; this is due to the effect of critical pressure drop across the control valve which occurs at this point.
Above 86% load in this example, it can be shown that the steam pressure in the heat exchanger is above 2.9 bar a which, with 5 bar a feeding the control valve, is the critical pressure value. (For more information on critical pressure, refer to Module 6.4, Control valve sizing for steam).
It is generally agreed that control valves find it difficult to control below 10% of their range, and in practice, it is usual for them to operate between 20% and 80% of their range.
The graphs in Figure 6.5.10 refer to linear and equal percentage valves having a Kvs of 100, which are the next larger standard valves with suitable capacity above the application curve (the required Kvr of 69.2), and would normally be chosen for this particular example.
The effect of a control valve which is larger than necessary
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