In this post I want to share with you the applications of butterfly valves and their examples. A butterfly valve can stop, regulate, and start the fluid flow. Due to its ninety-degree rotation of the handle and the disk, the valve is quickly and easily operated.
Butterfly valves offer many advantages over ball, gate, globe, and plug valves, such as lower cost, less weight, less space requirements, and lower maintenance cost. The maintenance cost is relatively low because of few moving parts.
Butterfly valves are usually selected for utility services and low pressure gas services, with pressure class 300 and lower.
Application of Butterfly Valves for Utility Services
Butterfly valves are suitable for utility services, such as air, water, and seawater services. Selecting ball valves for utility services is unnecessary and expensive choice. And, butterfly valves need less torque for opening and closing than ball valves.
Application of Butterfly Valves for Control Valve Isolation
Butterfly valves can also be used as isolation valves at upstream and downstream of control valve and bypass of the control valve when fluid service is utility. Changing isolation valves from gate valves to wafer-type butterfly valves can save weight and space. And also, changing bypass valve from globe valve to butterfly valve is practical for sizes of 4” and above. A wafer-type eccentric butterfly valve is lighter and cheaper than a globe valve.
Don’t Use Butterfly Valves for Upstream and Downstream PSV
Butterfly valves should not be used for upstream and downstream PSV. It is because butterfly valves cannot release enough flow capacity value (Cv) to the flare due to its reduced bore. In addition, butterfly valves are not robust enough to withstand the loads from PSV. It is better to select full bore ball valves in upstream and downstream PSV.
That’s all about application of butterfly valves and their examples. I hope you find this short post useful.
Reference:
Sotoodeh, Karan. 2021. A Practical Guide to Piping and Valves for the Oil and Gas Industry. Elsevier