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6 Types of Flow Control Valves & What You Need to Know About Them

6 Types of Flow Control Valves & What You Need to Know About Them

Regardless of the industry you&#;re in, choosing the right type of valves for your application is essential for safety and customer satisfaction.

Installing and maintaining the proper valves may even be legally required.

Valves are an integral part of any pipeline system and a significant investment for businesses. It&#;s important that your engineers understand how all types of valves work.

How do you know which type of valve is best for your system? Keep reading to learn more about the most common types of flow control valves to help you make an informed decision. 

1. Ball Valves

Ball valves use a spherical plug design that contains a bored-in passage. You can operate these types of valves manually by using a lever, which also indicates whether the valve is open or shut, or automatically, by using an actuator.

This type of valve gives you excellent control of liquid flow through the valve and a secure shutoff when closed. They are often used in sewage treatment, chemical, and paper plants.

2. Check Valves

These types of valves prevent the reversal of fluid flow in piping.

Check valves remain open by the flowing fluid. If the fluid reversed, the valve will close. This type of valve includes lift checks and swing checks. 

3. Butterfly Valves

This type of valve is usually used in the oil and gas processing industries, for oil and gas transmission, in water and sewage plants, and in thermal and hydroelectric power stations.

They are commonly used because they are lightweight, easy to operate, they clean themselves, and there isn&#;t much pressure drop across the valve when it&#;s open. 

4. Gate Valves

Gate valves are best used as isolating or stop valves, where you want full flow or no flow.

When they&#;re fully opened, the fluid will flow in a straight line and there isn&#;t a significant drop in pressure because of a low resistance to flow. 

5. Globe Valves

Globe valves feature a unique construction designed to make the fluid passing through change direction twice.

They are ideal for throttling and regulating flow with wire drawing and seat erosion. They are cheaper than gate valves but have greater resistance to flow. 

6. Needle Valves

These types of valves offer precise control of flow. They feature a sharp pointed disc and a matching seat.

They are often used for chemical feed control services or continuous blowoff.

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It&#;s worth noting that although needle valves can control flow with precision, they are usually capable of handling only relatively low flow rates. 

Purchasing These Types of Flow Control Valves

As you can see, the best types of flow control valves for your operation depend on your application.

Having a basic understanding of your options will ensure you make the right choice. Being informed will help you make the best decision.

If you are looking to purchase one or more of these types of flow control valves, check out our products here. 

In simple terms, flow control is the term used to describe the regulation of the flow or pressure of liquid. Within fluid dynamics, flow control is a fundamental concept that involves regulating the rate of flow of fluids, most commonly liquids or gases, through a specific system. 

In this article, the expert team here at Fluid Controls has put together this helpful guide on what a flow control system does and how it functions within industrial fluid control systems. Keep reading to find out more!

What does flow control do?

As mentioned above, flow control involves regulating the rate of flow of fluids, such as liquids or gases. It is an extremely important concept that is applicable to a wide range of industries and applications, including manufacturing, chemical processing, energy production, and transportation.

What is the purpose of flow control?

The chief purpose of flow control is to ensure that fluids move through a system at the desired or intended rate in order to achieve optimal performance and efficiency. As with most applications, efficiency is key and flow control is vital to ensuring this efficiency. 

In many cases, the flow of fluids needs to be accurately controlled to maintain safety, product quality, and environmental or industrial standards. Not only this, but in order for various applications to maintain specific standards around consumption and efficiency, flow control can help to reduce energy consumption, increase the life of a system, and help to improve the overall productivity of a system.

What does a flow control valve do?

Now, this is where specific components come into play. One common method of controlling flow is using flow control valves. Valves are mechanical devices that are used to regulate liquids and gases. This is done through the opening or closing of a passage.
There are various different types of valves, including ball valves, globe valves, and flow control valves. Each type of valve has its own advantages and disadvantages, and these must be taken into consideration for the specific requirements of the application at hand.

Flow control valves & how they work

When looking in more detail at flow control valves, we have to consider what they are and how they work. A flow control valve works by controlling and adjusting the volume flow of air within a pneumatic system. Commonly referred to as mass flow controllers, there are a range of functions of a flow control valve.

Prevention of clogging

One great function of flow control valves is that they don&#;t obstruct the flow of fluid. As these valves are specifically designed in such a way, small particles do not clog the flow of the fluid, limiting the chances of clogging and disruption to the application or process.

They save water

With environmentalism at the forefront of many industries and applications, flow control valves are essential to saving water. With some of these valves being able to conserve up to 85% of the water they use, they don&#;t put unnecessary pressure on the water supply.

Cost efficient

When flow control valves are used within certain applications, they can help in water conservation. This, in turn, means that costs can be cut and money can be saved on a wider scale.

Why is flow control so important?

The importance of flow control within a range of industries cannot be overstated or simplified.

Take the chemical processing industry, for example. Precise flow control is crucial to ensure the correct measurement of chemicals is added to a process in order to achieve the desired reaction. 

Another real-life example is within the oil and gas industry. Here, flow control is crucial for preventing spillages and maintaining strict environmental standards. In the food and beverage industry, flow control is essential to ensuring that products and processes meet quality standards.

Flow control at Fluid Controls Ltd

As we&#;ve discussed, flow control is a crucial concept in fluid dynamics that involves the regulation of fluid flow through a system. Fluid Controls has been supplying high-quality flow control valves since . 

We are committed to delivering the very best quality valves as we understand the importance of flow control within applications. Our vast range of valves comes from global leaders like Parker, Bürkert and Thompson Valves. 

As a fully accredited ISO : company, we provide installation options and service facility for certain products we supply. We also offer full pressure testing and repairs and in-house or on-site training to maximise your experience.For more information about any of our different types of flow control valves or to discuss your application requirements in more detail, please contact Fluid Controls today on +44 (0)118 970 or . Our engineers will be only too happy to provide expert support and advice.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of hydraulic gate. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.