CONTROL VALVES SIZING

TRAINING SESSION
Liquid flow
Liquid flow through a control valve (orifice)

P1 Pvc P2

Pressure

P1
P2

Pressure
Velocity recovery, FL

Vapor pressure
2
Liquid flow
Flow vs. pressure differential
Flow rate, Q

q  Cv p

P
Non-Choked Flow Choked Flow
PT
3
Liquid flow
Sizing equation for liquid flow through valve
Liquid flow through control valve depends
 pressure drop (P1-P2)
 Flow capacity, Cv
 Liquid specific gravity, Gf
 Valve reynold’s number factor, FR
 Piping geometry factor, FP

IEC/ISA flow equation for non-cavitating, non-flashing

conditions
4
Liquid flow
Non-turbulent flow – reynolds’ number correction factor FR
FR = required Cv for turbulent flow / required Cv for non-turbulent flow

5 NPL/JKi 2008
Liquid flow
Piping geometry factor FP

d/D
1

0.9
0.9

0.8
Piping geometry factor, Fp

0.8

0.7

0.6
0.7
0.5

0.4
0.6
0.3
0.5
0.2
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
Cv / d^2
6
 Cavitation

7
Cavitation
Cavitation phenomenon

P1 Pvc P2

Pressure

P1

P2
Velocity

Vapor pressure

8
Cavitation
Factors affecting cavitation damage
Fluid type, “damage potential”
 thermodynamic properties
 mixed or single-phase fluid
 corrosion
 impurities, particles
 etc.

Inlet pressure & outlet pressure

Fluid vapor pressure

 multiple vapor pressure
 single vapor pressure

Fluid temperature

Geometry
ACCURATE CAVITATION DAMAGE PREDICTION
Materials IS DIFFICULT

9 Others
Cavitation
Anti-cavitation design rotary valves

Q-trim
valve
Q-ball

P1

One-plate
Q-Trim
P2
No Q-Trim
Pv

10
Cavitation
Anti-cavitation design linear valves
Stepped plug Multistage cage

11
Cavitation
Cavitation damage
Damaged surface is spongy and rough

Damage can be inflicted in fairly short time

in heavy cavitation (high dp)

12
 Flashing

13
Flashing
Flashing phenomenon

P1 Pvc P2

Pressure

P1
Vapor pressure
Velocity P2

14
Flashing
Flashing damages

• Typically, damage potential of flashing is

smaller than in cavitation.
• Damages are erosion type wear, smooth
grooves and cavities.

15
Flashing
Recommendations
Rotary valves FTC direction

Hardened trim, SST body

Discharging into vessel if possible FTC direction

Wide valve openings

Limit flow velocities

Enlarger downstream pipe

No Q-trim in clear flashing service (P2 << Pv)

If risk of cavitation, consider Q-trim (P2 ~ Pv)

Valve Discharging Directly into Vessel

16
 Recommended velocities

17
Recommended velocities
Limits for relatively pure liquid service
To avoid
 erosion / corrosion
 instability (butterfly)

Ball / Segment / Eccentric plug &

Globe
 10 m/s (32 ft/s) continuous duty
 12 m/s (39 ft/s) infrequent duty

Butterfly
 7 m/s (23 ft/s) continuous duty
 8.5 m/s (27 ft/s) infrequent duty

18
 Valve sizing parameters

19
 Control valve sizing coefficients
Measured numbers and factors
Measured in manufacturer laboratory
• Flow coefficient Cv - inherent characteristic curve, Cv vs travel
• Valve specific noise correction values for gas & liquid
• Pressure recovery factor (FL),
• Incipient cavitation pressure drop ratio (XFz)
• Choked flow pressure drop ratio (xT).

Cv definition :
“Number of US gallons of 60°F water
flowing through a valve in one
minute, at one psi constant
differential pressure”.

20
Summary
Liquid flow through control valve by IEC/ISA incompressible fluid flow equations

Non-turbulent flow , FR q  C
v
p
 viscosity > 1000 x water
 micro Cv valves

Q
Flow rate,
Choked flow
 cavitation damage prediction by noise
 anti-cavitation trims (Q-trim)
 flashing damage
 material, flow direction

Erosion / corrosion damage Non-Choked Choked

 material selection Flow PT Flow P

 velocity limitation

Noise prediction by VDMA/IEC

 hydrodynamic noise is mainly caused by cavitation

Velocity recommendations
21
 Gas & steam flow through
control valve
Compressible flow

Aerodynamic noise / noise reduction

Noise prediction

Recommended flow velocities

Summary

22
Compressible flow
Gas or steam flow through a control valve

P1 Pvc P2

Vena contracta
Pressure
Gas expansion
P1

P2
Velocity

23
Compressible flow
Compressible fluid
Gas/steam flow is compressible
 gas expands in the outlet of a control valve

Expansion factor, Y
 corrects the effect of gas expansion (i.e. the acceleration of gas
molecules)

Compressibility factor, Z
 Z = “ How much real gas deviates from ideal gas”

Flow rate
 Normalized (standard) volume rate Qn (Nm3/h); 60 degF, 14.73 psiA
 volume rate at operating conditions (m3/h)
 mass flow rate pM

Density, ρ, is given by ideal gas law RT z
24
Compressible flow
Compressible fluid
Mach number , Ma
 gives velocity relative to sonic speed
 Ma > 1 velocity above sonic speed (supersonic)
 Ma < 1 velocity below sonic speed (subsonic)

Sonic speed, vs
 depends on gas properties and temperature

Ma  v k T
vs C
vs M

25
Compressible flow
Gas flow through a control valve

w  CvY xp1 
Flow rate
Density change
Vena contracta
enlargement

Sonic velocity

Non-choked flow Choked flow

p
26 p1
Compressible flow
Gas flow equations

Equation applies in non-critical flow

conditions

27
 Aerodynamic Noise
Noise reduction

28
Aerodynamic noise
Why pay attention to aerodynamic noise ?
Excessive noise is a health issue

Noise regulations / recommendations

High noise means high energy

Control valve may dissipate high amount of energy in short distance

Risk of damage or poor performance of equipments and instruments in

the pipe

29
Aerodynamic noise
Noise behavior

Less dangerous than liquid noise

 no cavitation

Noise is generated by
 turbulence
 pressure fluctuation
 High dp/p1 shock waves
generate noise (choked flow)

30
Aerodynamic noise
Recommended noise levels in gas flow
Noise is energy !
 downstream noise is what
counts
 gas noise reduce slowly
downstream in straight pipeline
 110 dBA may cause vibration
 at high noise levels the
instrument may not perfom
optimally
 85 dBA is common limit to
avoid hearing defect

 Noise level of above 120dBA

should be avoided !

31
Aerodynamic noise reduction
Fighting against critical gas flow noise

PREVENT NOISE GENERATION

SOURCE TREATMENT PATH TREATMENT

NOISE REDUCTION TRIMS SILENCERS

A-PLATES, DIFFUSERS INSULATION

HEAVY PIPE SCHEDULE

32
Aerodynamic noise reduction
Source treatment – control valve trim

Velocity control

Pressure staging

Flow division

Frequency shifting

Location control

33
 Source treatment - control valve trim

• Velocity control
• Pressure staging
• Flow division
• Frequency shifting
• Location control

34
 Source treatment - control valve trim
Velocity control

Controlling trim velocity

Effective to control noise

caused by subsonic velocities
in the trim

Trim velocity control is most

effectively done by multistage
pressure drop

35
Source treatment - control valve trim
Acoustic control
Flow division into multiple streams

Frequency shifting
 higher valve ‘peak’ frequency
 improved noise reduction in pipe (transmission loss)
 A-weighted sound pressure level attenuation

Transmission loss, TL

fo fr fp frequency

36
 Source treatment - control valve trim
Location control

Location and shape of the

jet streams leaving the the
trim are used to minimize
noise

37
Aerodynamic noise reduction
Fixed resistors to reduce gas noise
• Pressure drop is divided between control valve and resistor
i.e.increasing pressure drop staging

• Resistor capacity is always calculated based on max. flow rate case

• The two basic types are a diffuser and an attenuator plate

• Together with Q-trim up to 25 dBA attenuation can be achieved

38
 Fixed resistors - Attenuator plates

• Attenuator plate (A-plate)

- Easy to mount, Cost-
effective
- Capacity is limited, since
max. hole area is about 40%
of total area
- When more capacity is
needed, larger plate must be
selected
- Plate sizes and Cv-values
are standardized

39
 Fixed resistors - Diffusers
• Diffuser Single-stage
- Single- or Double-stage
- Capacity not limited
- Custom made for each case
- Sized based on max flow
conditions
- DP/P1 > 0.65 => Single stage
- DP/P1 > 0.75 => Double stage
Double-stage

40
 Venting noise reduction

Venting silencer
 venting noise abatement
 w/o silencer noise can be as
high as 150 dBA
 horizontal/vertical silencer
models
 designed case by case

41
 In-line silencer

In-line silencer
 acoustical noise reduction
(reactive)
 absorbs noise
 may or may not reduce pressure
 noise reduction max about 25 dBA
 can be designed case by case
 tuning to recuce discrete tune or
frequency range

42
 Noise prediction

43
Noise prediction
Valve noise prediction standards
Few standards available for aerodynamic noise prediction

Some vendors might still use their own methods

Comparison of different standards are not so straigh forward

Calculation covers only the noise generated by the dynamics of flow

through valve within closed pipeline. Mechanical rattling, noise
amplification by reflections and/or resonance (pipes, T or Y- branch etc)
are excluded.

Common calculation standards :

 VDMA 24422 version 1979 (gas&liquid)
 VDMA 24422 version 1989 (gas&liquid)
 IEC 60534-8-3 version 2000 (gas)

44
Noise propagation / attenuation

Point source
 6 dBA decrease / doubled distance
 blowdown to atmosphere

Line source
 3 dBA decrease / doubled distance
 long gas pipeline

Venting noise
- outlet velocity control
-vent & exhaust silencers

45
 Recommended valve
outlet velocities

46
Recommended valve outlet velocities
Maximum recommended valve outlet velocities for relatively clean gas

V max < 0.5 Mach (continuous duty)

V max < 0.7 Mach (infrequent duty)

47
Summary

Gas (steam) flow through control valve by IEC/ISA compressible fluid flow
equations

Expansion factor Y take into account the effect of compressibility

Gas density is given by ideal gas law

 Compressibility factor, Z, compensate the deviation from ideal gas

Choked flow
 noise increase but damage potential is much lower compared to liquid (no
cavitation)
 noise reduction trims (Q-trims)

Noise prediction by VDMA / IEC

 aerodynamic noise is mainly caused by turbulence and shocks
 noise attenuate slowly in straight pipe after valve

Velocity recommendation
48
 outlet velocity, Mach units
Control valve theory - sizing
Liquid flow
Liquid flow through a control valve (orifice)

P1 Pvc P2

Pressure

P1
P2

Pressure
Velocity recovery, FL

Vapor pressure
50
Liquid flow INTERNAL

Flow vs. pressure differential

Flow rate, Q

q  Cv p

P
Non-Choked Flow Choked Flow
PT
51
Liquid flow
Sizing equation for liquid flow through valve
Liquid flow through control valve depends
 pressure drop (P1-P2)
 Flow capacity, Cv
 Liquid specific gravity, Gf
 Valve reynold’s number factor, FR
 Piping geometry factor, FP

IEC/ISA flow equation for non-cavitating, non-flashing

conditions
52
Liquid flow
Non-turbulent flow – reynolds’ number correction factor FR
FR = required Cv for turbulent flow / required Cv for non-turbulent flow

53 NPL/JKi 2008
Liquid flow
Piping geometry factor FP

d/D
1

0.9
0.9

0.8
Piping geometry factor, Fp

0.8

0.7

0.6
0.7
0.5

0.4
0.6
0.3
0.5
0.2
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
Cv / d^2
54
 Cavitation

55
Cavitation
Cavitation phenomenon

P1 Pvc P2

Pressure

P1

P2
Velocity

Vapor pressure

56
Cavitation
Factors affecting cavitation damage
Fluid type, “damage potential”
 thermodynamic properties
 mixed or single-phase fluid
 corrosion
 impurities, particles
 etc.

Inlet pressure & outlet pressure

Fluid vapor pressure

 multiple vapor pressure
 single vapor pressure

Fluid temperature

Geometry
ACCURATE CAVITATION DAMAGE PREDICTION
Materials IS DIFFICULT

57 Others
Cavitation
Anti-cavitation design rotary valves

Q-trim
valve
Q-ball

P1

One-plate
Q-Trim
P2
No Q-Trim
Pv

58
Cavitation
Anti-cavitation design linear valves
Stepped plug Multistage cage

59
Cavitation
Visual laboratory experiment

Take note of p1 and p2 readings.

60
Cavitation
Cavitation damage
Damaged surface is spongy and rough

Damage can be inflicted in fairly short time

in heavy cavitation (high dp)

61
 Flashing

62 NPL/JKi 2008
Flashing
Flashing phenomenon

P1 Pvc P2

Pressure

P1
Vapor pressure
Velocity P2

63
Flashing
Flashing damages

• Typically, damage potential of flashing is

smaller than in cavitation.
• Damages are erosion type wear, smooth
grooves and cavities.

64
Flashing
Recommendations
Rotary valves FTC direction

Hardened trim, SST body

Discharging into vessel if possible FTC direction

Wide valve openings

Limit flow velocities

Enlarger downstream pipe

No Q-trim in clear flashing service (P2 << Pv)

If risk of cavitation, consider Q-trim (P2 ~ Pv)

Valve Discharging Directly into Vessel

65
 Recommended velocities

66
Recommended velocities
Limits for relatively pure liquid service
To avoid
 erosion / corrosion
 instability (butterfly)

Ball / Segment / Eccentric plug &

Globe
 10 m/s (32 ft/s) continuous duty
 12 m/s (39 ft/s) infrequent duty

Butterfly
 7 m/s (23 ft/s) continuous duty
 8.5 m/s (27 ft/s) infrequent duty

67
 Valve sizing parameters

68
 Control valve sizing coefficients
Measured numbers and factors
Measured in manufacturer laboratory
• Flow coefficient Cv - inherent characteristic curve, Cv vs travel
• Valve specific noise correction values for gas & liquid
• Pressure recovery factor (FL),
• Incipient cavitation pressure drop ratio (XFz)
• Choked flow pressure drop ratio (xT).

Cv definition :
“Number of US gallons of 60°F water
flowing through a valve in one
minute, at one psi constant
differential pressure”.

69
Summary
Liquid flow through control valve by IEC/ISA incompressible fluid flow equations

Non-turbulent flow , FR q  C
v
p
 viscosity > 1000 x water
 micro Cv valves

Q
Flow rate,
Choked flow
 cavitation damage prediction by noise
 anti-cavitation trims (Q-trim)
 flashing damage
 material, flow direction

Erosion / corrosion damage Non-Choked Choked

 material selection Flow PT Flow P

 velocity limitation

Noise prediction by VDMA/IEC

 hydrodynamic noise is mainly caused by cavitation

Velocity recommendations
70
 Gas & steam flow through
control valve
Compressible flow

Aerodynamic noise / noise reduction

Noise prediction

Recommended flow velocities

Summary

71
Compressible flow
Gas or steam flow through a control valve

P1 Pvc P2

Vena contracta
Pressure
Gas expansion
P1

P2
Velocity

72
Compressible flow
Compressible fluid
Gas/steam flow is compressible
 gas expands in the outlet of a control valve

Expansion factor, Y
 corrects the effect of gas expansion (i.e. the acceleration of gas
molecules)

Compressibility factor, Z
 Z = “ How much real gas deviates from ideal gas”

Flow rate
 Normalized (standard) volume rate Qn (Nm3/h); 60 degF, 14.73 psiA
 volume rate at operating conditions (m3/h)
 mass flow rate pM

Density, ρ, is given by ideal gas law RT z
73
Compressible flow
Compressible fluid
Mach number , Ma
 gives velocity relative to sonic speed
 Ma > 1 velocity above sonic speed (supersonic)
 Ma < 1 velocity below sonic speed (subsonic)

Sonic speed, vs
 depends on gas properties and temperature

Ma  v k T
vs C
vs M

74
Compressible flow
Gas flow through a control valve

w  CvY xp1 
Flow rate
Density change
Vena contracta
enlargement

Sonic velocity

Non-choked flow Choked flow

p
75 p1
Compressible flow
Gas flow equations

Equation applies in non-critical flow

conditions

76
 Aerodynamic Noise
Noise reduction

77
Aerodynamic noise
Why pay attention to aerodynamic noise ?
Excessive noise is a health issue

Noise regulations / recommendations

High noise means high energy

Control valve may dissipate high amount of energy in short distance

Risk of damage or poor performance of equipments and instruments in

the pipe

78
Aerodynamic noise
Noise behavior

Less dangerous than liquid noise

 no cavitation

Noise is generated by
 turbulence
 pressure fluctuation
 High dp/p1 shock waves
generate noise (choked flow)

79
Aerodynamic noise
Recommended noise levels in gas flow
Noise is energy !
 downstream noise is what
counts
 gas noise reduce slowly
downstream in straight pipeline
 110 dBA may cause vibration
 at high noise levels the
instrument may not perfom
optimally
 85 dBA is common limit to
avoid hearing defect

 Noise level of above 120dBA

should be avoided !

80
Aerodynamic noise reduction
Fighting against critical gas flow noise

PREVENT NOISE GENERATION

SOURCE TREATMENT PATH TREATMENT

NOISE REDUCTION TRIMS SILENCERS

A-PLATES, DIFFUSERS INSULATION

HEAVY PIPE SCHEDULE

81
Aerodynamic noise reduction
Source treatment – control valve trim

Velocity control

Pressure staging

Flow division

Frequency shifting

Location control

82
 Source treatment - control valve trim

• Velocity control
• Pressure staging
• Flow division
• Frequency shifting
• Location control

83 NPL/JKi 2008
 Source treatment - control valve trim
Velocity control

Controlling trim velocity

Effective to control noise

caused by subsonic velocities
in the trim

Trim velocity control is most

effectively done by multistage
pressure drop

84
Source treatment - control valve trim
Acoustic control
Flow division into multiple streams

Frequency shifting
 higher valve ‘peak’ frequency
 improved noise reduction in pipe (transmission loss)
 A-weighted sound pressure level attenuation

Transmission loss, TL

fo fr fp frequency

85
 Source treatment - control valve trim
Location control

Location and shape of the

jet streams leaving the the
trim are used to minimize
noise

8
6
Aerodynamic noise reduction
Fixed resistors to reduce gas noise
• Pressure drop is divided between control valve and resistor
i.e.increasing pressure drop staging

• Resistor capacity is always calculated based on max. flow rate case

• The two basic types are a diffuser and an attenuator plate

• Together with Q-trim up to 25 dBA attenuation can be achieved

87
 Fixed resistors - Attenuator plates

• Attenuator plate (A-plate)

- Easy to mount, Cost-
effective
- Capacity is limited, since
max. hole area is about 40%
of total area
- When more capacity is
needed, larger plate must be
selected
- Plate sizes and Cv-values
are standardized

88
 Fixed resistors - Diffusers
• Diffuser Single-stage
- Single- or Double-stage
- Capacity not limited
- Custom made for each case
- Sized based on max flow
conditions
- DP/P1 > 0.65 => Single stage
- DP/P1 > 0.75 => Double stage
Double-stage

89 NPL/JKi 2008
 Venting noise reduction

Venting silencer
 venting noise abatement
 w/o silencer noise can be as
high as 150 dBA
 horizontal/vertical silencer
models
 designed case by case

90
 In-line silencer

In-line silencer
 acoustical noise reduction
(reactive)
 absorbs noise
 may or may not reduce pressure
 noise reduction max about 25 dBA
 can be designed case by case
 tuning to reduce discrete tune or
frequency range

91
 Noise prediction

92
Noise prediction
Valve noise prediction standards
Few standards available for aerodynamic noise prediction

Some vendors might still use their own methods

Comparison of different standards are not so straigh forward

Calculation covers only the noise generated by the dynamics of flow

through valve within closed pipeline. Mechanical rattling, noise
amplification by reflections and/or resonance (pipes, T or Y- branch etc)
are excluded.

Common calculation standards :

 VDMA 24422 version 1979 (gas&liquid)
 VDMA 24422 version 1989 (gas&liquid)
 IEC 60534-8-3 version 2000 (gas)

93
Noise propagation / attenuation

Point source
 6 dBA decrease / doubled distance
 blowdown to atmosphere

Line source
 3 dBA decrease / doubled distance
 long gas pipeline

Venting noise
- outlet velocity control
-vent & exhaust silencers

94
 Recommended valve
outlet velocities

95
Recommended valve outlet velocities
Maximum recommended valve outlet velocities for relatively clean gas
V max < 0.5 Mach (continuous duty)

V max < 0.7 Mach (infrequent duty)

96
Summary

Gas (steam) flow through control valve by IEC/ISA compressible fluid flow
equations

Expansion factor Y take into account the effect of compressibility

Gas density is given by ideal gas law

 Compressibility factor, Z, compensate the deviation from ideal gas

Choked flow
 noise increase but damage potential is much lower compared to liquid (no
cavitation)
 noise reduction trims (Q-trims)

Noise prediction by VDMA / IEC

 aerodynamic noise is mainly caused by turbulence and shocks
 noise attenuate slowly in straight pipe after valve

Velocity recommendation
97
 outlet velocity, Mach units