General criteria for finding the most suitable control valve

In this post, we will try to provide the basic points for correctly choosing and selecting a control valve for your system or installation. 

What parameters would an applications engineer follow? The answer to this question has several variables but, in general, the  control valves of today, regardless of the brand and the differentiating features in commercial terms, offer a wide range of possibilities.

Function of the control valve

One of the factors that you should be clear about when it comes to choosing your valve is its function; currently and in general, control valves can fulfil four different functions: isolation, retention, regulation or safety. 

In the first case, we are seeking to interrupt and isolate the flow completely; in the second, the function consists of preventing the flow from going backwards towards the pressurised area; in the other two cases, the functions consist of regulating and modifying the flow, or ensuring the equipment is protected in the event of excess pressure. 

selection of control valves

The nominal pressure in the selection of control valves

A vitally important factor to identify is the nominal pressure of the valve, also known as the “Rating”. This information is extracted from cross-referencing different data, such as the effective working pressure and effective working temperature. In this table, you will find the values of the most common nominal pressures of modern control valves:

selection of control valves Catalonia
selection of control valves Valfonta
DIN ANSI
PN 10 Clase 125
PN 16 Clase 150
PN 25 Clase 300
PN 40 Clase 600
PN 64 Clase 900
PN 100 Clase 1500
PN 250 Clase 2500

Materials of the control valve: What should you bear in mind?

Once the nominal pressure of your valve has been identified, it is important to look at the materials so mistakes are not made; there is a long list of factors: resistance to erosion, resistance to fluid corrosion, the temperature the valve has to withstand, the chemical compatibility of the materials with the fluid; in essence, you should be clear about the pressure-retaining body, the soft parts and seals, as well as all of the screws and exterior coatings. 

Each of the parts must be manufactured with the appropriate materials.

The activation of the control valve

To choose your control valve correctly, you should also look at the activation system given that current models can be powered by different methods or systems.   

The first is manual; they can also be powered by the same fluid or by external components.  Everything depends on the needs of your installation: frequency of operations, auxiliary energy available…

selection of control valves Barcelona

We finish with the size of the control valve

The size of the control valve should be chosen according to different parameters such as the circulation rate of the line, cavitation and differential pressure…

At Valfonta we know that all of these concepts can sound unfamiliar if you don’t fully understand the technical characteristics of your system.

If you would like us to help you to choose a control valve, you just need to contact our customer services department by completing  this form.

We would like to end by reminding you that we are not just specialists in control valves, we also have a high degree of specialisation in pressure-reducing valves,  pressure relief valves and other products such as steam or liquid injectors and ejectors for all types of industrial systems.

We are a family company with many years of experience behind us, which is the best guarantee for each of our customers. 

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