Flow Control Valves Explained in Details

Flow Control Valves Explained in Details

The flow control valve is a device that controls the flow of fluid. It regulates the rate at which water flows from one place to another. The flow control valves are used in various industries like chemical, power generation, food processing, and many more. 

They can be classified into two types:

  1. Hydraulic flow control valves
  2. Pneumatic flow control valves

The hydraulic flow control valve regulates the flow by opening or closing the passage through which the fluid passes. On the other hand, the pneumatic flow control valves are used to regulate the flow of air, in the same way. 

a flow control valve

The pneumatic flow control valve is mainly used for controlling the flow of gases such as natural gas, propane, oxygen, nitrogen, etc.

How does the flow control valve work?

The flow control valve is a simple device that allows you to adjust the amount of water flowing through the pipe. It’s easy to use, but it can be tricky to understand how it works.

A flow control valve limits the fluid in only one direction while permitting free flow in the opposing direction. And we can adjust the rate of flow toward the limiting direction. 

In some cases, the flow may not be constant due to variations in demand, supply, or other reasons. For example, if you have a system where the demand is higher than the supply, then the flow will increase. If there is a sudden drop in demand, then the flow will decrease. This condition is called “overflow” and “underflow” respectively. To avoid these situations, the flow control valves are installed on the pipes.

Automatic vs manual flow control valves 

Manual flow control valves allow you to adjust the fluid flow anytime you want. On the other hand, automatic flow control valves are used when you need to adjust the flow automatically. And the automatic valves are a popular choice for many industries due to their ability to maintain a constant flow. Unlike manual valves, automatic valves do not lose balance control with any change in system pressure and ensure that their flow rate remains constant.

Specially made flow control valves for different applications 

Boiler flows control valve.

A boiler flow control valve is a kind of pneumatic flow control valve. It’s used to regulate the temperature of steam boilers.

Water flow control valve

Water flow control valves are used to regulate the water supply to buildings. These valves are usually installed in the mainline of a water system. Water flow control valves are typically used in all kinds of buildings such as schools, hospitals, hotels, and apartment complexes.

Irrigation flow control valve

Irrigation flow control valves are used for irrigation purposes. They regulate the amount of water going into your sprinkler heads.

Propane flow control valves

Propane flow control valves are a type of pneumatic valve used on propane tanks. Propane flow control valves regulate the amount of propane that goes into the tank.

Coolant flow control valve

Coolant flow control valves are used in industrial machineries. Coolant flow control valves regulate the flow of coolants like water or oil.

PVC flow control valve

PVC flow control valves are used by plumbers. PVC flow control valves regulate the pressure of fluids flowing through pipes.

Oil flow control valve

Oil flow control valves are used along with oil pipelines. Oil flow control valves regulate the oil pressure in the pipeline. Oil flow control valves can also regulate the flow of other liquids. 

Advantages of flow control valves

  1. Flow control valves are available in different sizes, shapes, and designs. 
  2. They are easy to install.
  3. They are able to be customized for specific applications.
  4. They avoid any damage when having an uncontrolled flow. 

Disadvantages of flow control valves

  1. Slower the speed of the fluid in some cases.
  2. The cost is higher when using automatic and advanced valves. 
  3. The valve may not be able to handle high pressure, so it may fail. Because when there is excess pressure on the valve, it will start leaking and cause damage to other parts of the system.
  4. It’s difficult to repair modern complex control valves even if they’re expensive. 

AUTHOR

James Bennett

As I'm a mechanical engineer, I've used hundreds of machines and tools during my profession. Here, I'm sharing my experiences with you.

Leave a Comment