Introduction to Control Valve & its

main components

©2023 Course Title Haward Technology Middle East 1

 What is a Valve
A valve is a mechanical device used to
control conditions such as flow,
pressure, temperature, and liquid level
by fully or partially opening or closing in
response to signals received from
controllers that compare a “setpoint” to
a “process variable” whose value is
provided by sensors that monitor
changes in such conditions. Valves used
also to prevent accidents in an industrial
process by relieving the overpressure in
a container or in a pipeline (using safety
relief valve)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu
WYoA20JYo control valve

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 What is a Valve
Control Valve is also termed as
the final control element.
The opening or closing of control
valves is usually done automatically
by electrical, hydraulic or
pneumatic actuators. Positioners
are used to control the opening or
closing of the actuator based on
electric, or pneumatic signals.
These control signals, traditionally
based on 3-15psi (0.2 to 1.0 bar),
more common now are 4-20mA
signals for industry.

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 Control Valve, The Final Control Element
C Block Diagram
Control Loop

Fuel
DCS Furnace
gas

Control
Valve

Temperature
Transmitter

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 Control Valves as a final control element
• The final control element is the part in the process system which operates to carry out the
correction.

• An example of a final control element is a flow control valve

• The final control element continues to correct the error until the signal from the error detector is
reduced to zero. A zero signal means that the measured variable is the same as the set point value.

• When there is no error the control element keeps the final control element at a fixed position

• Several types of final control elements are used in process control, for example:

 Valves: which regulate the flow of fluids in pipelines

 Guide vans: which regulate the flow of gases and vapors in turbines and compressors

 Louvers: which regulate the flow of air through furnaces and air coolers

 Mechanical or Electrical governors: control the speed of rotating equipment.

 Switches: which control process variables within minimum and maximum limits or positions

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 Control Valves as a final control element
• Fig (a) shows a pressure
comparator/controller (working in
conjunction with a pressure sensor) sending
a correcting signal to a pressure control valve
positioned in the upstream air supply side of
the vessel.

• If the pressure inside the vessel falls below

the desired value then the controller will
send a correcting signal to the valve which
will then open. This will allow the pressure to
build up to the desired value.

• ▪ If, on the other hand, the pressure goes

above the desired value then the controller
will send a signal to close the valve until the Controlling Pressure
pressure has fallen back to the desired value.

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 Control Valves as a final control element
• Fig (b) illustrates an alternative way of
controlling the pressure inside the vessel. In
this case the control valve is on the demand
or downstream side of the vessel.

• In consequence, it will need to close if the

pressure in the vessel falls below the

• desired value and open if it goes above.

• This process of comparing and correcting

goes on continuously, thus the desired
pressure can be maintained at all times.

Controlling Pressure

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 Control Valves as a final control element
Figure (a) shows a liquid level comparator / controller
(working in conjunction with a level measuring sensor)
sending correcting signals to a level control valve fitted to
the liquid supply line.

▪ If the liquid level rises above the desired value then the
controller will close the valve until the level is back to
normal.

▪ If, however, the level falls below the desired value then
the controller will open the valve to allow the tank to fill. In
this way the liquid level in the tank can be maintained at
the desired value.
Controlling Level
Figure (b), the liquid level in the tank is controlled in the
opposite way. When the liquid level rises above the desired
valve then the valve is instructed to open and vice versa.

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 Control Valves as a final control element
If the flow of fluid in the pipeline goes
above the desired value then the
controller will send a signal to the flow
control valve to close. This would bring
the flowrate down to the desired
value.

▪ However, if the flowrate falls below

the desired value then the controller
opens the valve to allow the flowrate
to rise to the desired value. In this way
Controlling Flow
the desired flowrate could be
maintained.

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 Control Valves as a final control element

In this case, if the process fluid

outlet temperature goes above the
desired value then the
comparator/controller will send a
signal to the control valve on the
steam line to close. This would
reduce the steam flow to the
heating coil and allow the
temperature of the process fluid to
Controlling Temperature
fall back down to the desired value
as indicated on the set point.

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 Control Valves as a final control element
Conversely, if the temperature of the process
fluid falls below the desired value then the
comparator/controller will send a signal to the
control valve to open. This would allow the
temperature of the process fluid to rise back
up to the desired value.

▪ In this way the desired temperature of the

process fluid can be maintained at all times.

▪ As an alternative to supplying steam we

could have a cold water supply system to
Controlling Temperature
remove heat. The process fluid temperature
control loop and its components would be
similar to the same figure.

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 Valve’s main components
A control valve consists of three main Positioner

parts in which each part exist in several

types and designs:
Valve’s actuator
Valve’s positioner
Valve’s body
Control valve actuator
A control valve can be operated
electrically, pneumatically, or
hydraulically.
A control valve receives a signal
from a controller such as a PLC
in order for it to move resulting
in a change in flow.

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 Valve’s main components

Positioner
Control valve body
Valve bodies are of different
types or styles depending on
service conditions, piping layout,
and desired application.
The two classes of control valves
are Linear Motion and Rotary
Motion.

Butterfly Valve

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 Parts of Control Valve
Components of Control Valves
Control valve components are mainly classified into
two for easy understanding.. They are
 Actuator Part
 Body Part

Actuator Part
The actuator part is classified as Pneumatic,
Motorized, and Hydraulics. But usually in the
industry for controlling valve actuator, pneumatic
actuator is widely used. The actuator is easy to
maintain due to its simple structure.
Various components of the actuator are:

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 Parts of Control Valve, Actuator
Various components of the actuator are:

Rain cap
Eye Bolt
Diaphragm
Spring
Actuator Stem
Diaphragm Case
Scale Plate
Stem Connector
Yoke

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 Parts of Control Valve, Actuator
 Rain Cap: A rain cap is used to prevent
the flow of water into the control valve
 Eye Bolt: It is a kind of a hook to move
the valve. It is placed on both sides of
the valve (left& right).
 Diaphragm: It is a flexible part of the
control valve. It is intended to modify
the incoming air power as well as the
power passed to the diaphragm plate
in order to make actuator stem
movement.
 Spring: It is usually in the actuator
case’s yoke however depending on the
manufacturer it may change.

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 Parts of Control Valve, Actuator
 Actuator Stem: It is linked with
Actuator Valve Stem.
 Diaphragm Case: It is the part that is
designed for diaphragm plate packing.
It has two parts: the lower and upper
sections
 Scale: The scale is based on the valve
position in the 0 to 100% range.
 Stem connector: Itis the link between
the actuator stem and the plug stem.
 Yoke: It is a component used to
connect the actuator section to the
valve body.

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 Parts of Control Valve
 Packing Flange: It is used for stud bolt compression
to tighten all the gland packing and prevent
leakage of fluid through the bonnet’s neck.
 Packing Follower: It is the Packing flange Gland’s
strength. Tightly compacted packing that will
tighten with time.
 Yoke Clamp Nut: Yoke-style clamps are useful in
situations when the bottom of the pipe is close to
structural steel or other pipe components.
 Gland Packing: The major purpose of this part is to
prevent leakage between the bonnet and the
stem. This would act as a protection between the
internal part of the valve and the outside. The
majority of the materials used are PTFE or
graphite, and they require regular maintenance.
There is a requirement to change the gland
packing on a regular basis.

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 Parts of Control Valve
 Valve Stem: It connects to Plug and
works as the actuator’s strength.
 Bonnet: It is a removable cover
that is attached to the body, it
would act as a valve body cover, it
is bolted into the valve body, and
would hold everything together
inside the body
 Stud Bolt and Nut: It is one
threaded steel road and has two
hexagonal shape steel nuts. It is
considered an essential
component. to joints flanged joints
properly.

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 Parts of Control Valve
 Gasket: A device used to prevent water
leakage between the body and the cover
during the assembly process of cast iron and
steel.
 Guide Ring: It is used to align the plug
straight up. It is placed in bonnet order. It
also helps to diminish the cost of
maintenance.
 Guide Bushing: It is designed for a guide ring
support
 Valve Plug: It is a type of valve that has either
cylindrical or conically tapered plugs. Plug
valves can control the fluid flow through the
valves by rotating inside the valve body. The
fluid can flow through the plug when the
valve is open due to the plugs in plug valves
having a couple of hollow passageways. It is
very economical and simple in structure.

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 Parts of Control Valve
 Seat Ring: The seat ring acts as an
air intake and air exhaust valve. It
has direct contact with the valve
and controls the airtightness of the
combustion chamber.
 Valve body: This can be considered
as the outer casing of the valve and
the valve body consists of internal
trim. This is the part of the valve
where the fluid passes and it
should be able to handle the flow
pressure.
 Valve trim: Trim is the name given
for the replaceable parts of the
valve-like disk, stem, Seat, and also
the sleeves which are used to
guide the stem

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 Basic Terminology of Control Valves and Explanations, Flow Coefficient
Flow Coefficient Cv
• The control valve flow coefficient Cv is the flow rate in Gallons Per
Minute of 60°F pure water when there is a pressure differential of 1
PSI through the valve at specified travel.

where:
• Q is the rate of flow (expressed in US gallons per minute)
• SG is the specific gravity of the fluid (for water = 1)
• ΔP is the pressure drop across the valve (expressed in psi).
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzyHqYCN-fE
Control valve Cv

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 Basic Terminology of Control Valves, Flow Coefficient
• Here are some numbers that show you relatively how much flow
capacity will go flowing through the control valve. For example, a
control valve with a Cv rate of 100 will go flowing through 250GPM.
Under the same process conditions, a Cv of 200 will go flowing through
500GPM, and a Cv of 300 will go flowing through 750GPM.

• Cv 100 = 250GPM
• Cv 200 = 500GPM
• Cv 300 = 750GPM

• So we know the bigger of Cv rate, we got the larger the flow capacity.
Typically, doubling the size of the valve will increase the Cv about three
to four times.

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 Basic Terminology of Control, Seat leakage classification
Seat leakage classification
The ANSI/FCI 70-2 standard was developed to measure levels (classes) of plug-to-
seat leakage, in control valves only.
There are six leak classes (Class I, II, III, IV, V, VI) for control valves, each leakage
class uses a different acceptance procedure and criteria as shown in below table

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 Basic Terminology of Control, Seat leakage classification
Class Vl - Valve Leakage Classifications
Class Vl is known as a soft seat classification. Soft Seat Valves are those where the seat or shut-off disc or both
are made from some kind of resilient material such as Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Intended for resilient
seating valves.
The test fluid is air or nitrogen
Pressure is the lesser of 50 psig or operating pressure
The leakage limit depends on valve size and ranges from 0.15 to 6.75 ml per minute for valve sizes 1 through 8
inches Port Diameter
Bubbles per ml per minute
inches mm minute
1 25 1 0.15
1 1/2 38 2 0.30
2 51 3 0.45
2 1/2 64 4 0.60
3 76 6 0.90
4 102 11 1.70
6 152 27 4.00
8 203 45 6.75
10 254 63 9
12 305 81 11.5

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 Basic Terminology of Control valve, Flow Characteristics
Flow Characteristics
flow characteristic of the control valve is
the relationship between the flow and
travel of the valve to a constant pressure
drop across the valve.
The inherent flow characteristics of the
valve are determined by the valve orifice
and plug geometry. There are three types
of inherent flow characteristics, namely
linear and an equal percentage.

Linear flow Characteristics:

The linear flow characteristics show that
the flow rate is directly proportional to the
path of the valve. Control valves with linear
flow characteristics are commonly specified
for liquid level control. The sensitivity of a
control valve with a linear flow
characteristic is always constant.

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 Basic Terminology of Control valve, Flow Characteristics

• Equal percentage characteristic:

These valves have a valve plug shaped
so that each increase in valve lift
increases the flow rate in a certain
percentage of the previous flow. The
relationship between the elevation of
the valve and the size of the hole
(and, therefore, the flow) is not linear
but logarithmic.

• In Quick Open Flow Characteristic,

maximum flow is produced
immediately as the valve begins to
open. Quick open characteristic
provides large changes in flow for
very small changes in lift. It usually
has too high a valve gain for use in
modulating or throttling control.

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 Choosing the Correct Flow Characteristic

During selection of throttling valve, a choice must be made between linear and
equal percentage characteristic. Two general rules foe choosing the valve:

• If most of the pressure drop is taken through the valve and the upstream
pressure is constant, a linear characteristic will provide the best control.
However such systems are rare. A linear characteristic is also recommended
when a variable head flowmeter is installed in the system.
• If the piping and downstream equipment provide significant resistance to the
system, the equal percentage characteristic should be chosen. This is usually
the case with most process systems today. The equal percentage
characteristic is also used for applications of high pressure drops with low
flows and low pressure drops with high flows.

Tables in next slides provide more specific recommendations depending on

whether the system is for liquid level, pressure control, flow control or any other
type of system.

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 Choosing the Correct Flow Characteristic

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 Choosing the Correct Flow Characteristic

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