Control Valve Pressure Drops

1. Set CV at max flow = a few psi (5-10) + 5% of P1 if no simulator is availale

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#. $f maximum flow is %nown& simulate pressure 'rop to inlet of valve& t(e arrival
pressure is P1. $f t(e final 'estination pressure is %nown& a)% )al)ulate t(e pressure
to valve outlet to enale )al)ulation of P#.
*. P1-P# e)omes t(e pressure 'rop a)ross t(e valve.
#010 +u,ust *0
Centrifu,al pump& )ontrol valve& fri)tional losses& (-'rauli) )ir)uit& (-'rauli) 'esi,n& pump
)urve& valve pressure
.ver (a' to 'etermine t(e pressure 'rops to assi,n to t(e )ontrol valve w(ile 'oin,
(-'rauli)s/ 0(is post will (elp -ou spe)if- t(e )ontrol valve pressure 'rop on a ri,orous an'
soun' asis.
1or t(is post& $2m ,oin, to assume -ou )an wor% out t(e various flowrates an' pressure
'rops t(e s-stem will e su3e)te' to. 4ou %now (ow to rea' t(e 5pump )urve6 or
5)ompressor )urve6 if sai' e7uipment is involve'. (8oo' arti)les9 Part 1& Part #) !n)e -ou
%now t(e ran,e of flowrates an' pressure 'rops re7uire' of t(e valve& -ou )an sele)t t(e
)orre)t Cv an' )orre)t valve or ,et t(e (elp of an instrumentation en,ineer to 'o t(is.
0(is post will e fo)use' on t(e initial (-'rauli) 'esi,n of a s-stem& w(en -ou first nee' to
sele)t a pump an' also fi,ure out t(e pressure 'rop -ou will allo)ate to t(e )ontrol valve.
:et2s examine a simple (-'rauli) )ir)uit prolem.
Sample Problem
:i7ui' flow s-stem9 ;rum 1<-Centrifu,al Pump<-Control Valve<-;rum #.
;rum 1 an' ;rum # are flas( 'rums wit( t(eir own in'epen'ent pressure )ontrols& an' t(e
)ontrol valve is installe' to var- t(e flowrate.
Your overall hydraulic equation is9 at t(e normal flowrate9 Pressure at ;rum 1 + Pump2s
Pressure +''ition = Pipe>Valve>.7uipment 1ri)tional :osses at sele)te' pipe si?e an' route
+ Stati) @ea' Pressure .ffe)ts = Control Valve Pressure ;rop = Pressure at ;rum #
Written in variables: +t Anorm9 P1 + P + S@ = f = CV = P#
Known: P1& P#& Anorm (0(ese are usuall- %nown - t(e (eat an' material alan)e)
Calculated for a given pipe size equipment configuration: S@& f
Bote t(at S@ ma- e positive or ne,ative. Ce 'is)usse' t(e )al)ulation of 5f6 in ;etermine
Pressure ;rops in Strai,(t Pipe. $f -ou (ave e7uipment t(at )an )ause fri)tion losses li%e
,ate valves& (eat ex)(an,ers& orifi)es& et). t(eir losses are in)lu'e' in t(e 5f6 term.
!o be determined: P& CV
"ow to proceed after calculating S" and f
0(e next step is to assi,n a value to CV. !n)e CV is spe)ifie'& we will %now t(e P value we
nee'& allowin, us to sele)t a pump.
Dut first& let2s ta%e a step a)% an' rememer w(- we (ave a )ontrol valve in t(e first pla)e.
$f t(e pump is a )entrifu,al pump& t(en for an- ,iven mo'el of pump& t(e flowrate t(rou,( t(e
pump 'epen's on pressure provi'e' - t(e pump ('epen's on t(e value of P). Ce %now
t(is from t(e pump )urve. !n)e we install a )ontrol valve& t(e )ontrol s-stem will a)t to var-
pressure 'rop CV. $n operation& w(en CV )(an,es 'ue to )ontrol a)tion& P will )(an,e to
alan)e t(e overall pressure e7uation& t(ere- var-in, t(e flow.
For example, CV increases from 15 psi to 20 psi while P1 and P2 are kept constant.
Therefore P will increase to overcome the extra pressre drop while still forcin! the li"id
into #rm 2. This hi!her vale of P will redce flowrate $. %lternativel&, if CV decreased
from 15 to 10 psi, P wold 'e a'le to decrease and $ wold increase.
0(erefore we )on)lu'e t(at t(e pressure 'rop -ou assi,n to CV is t(e value t(at -our
)ontroller will var- to )(an,e t(e flowrate. 0(e (i,(er t(e CV value -ou 'esi,n for& t(e
,reater -our ailit- to var- CV an' t(erefore )ontrol t(e flow. Dut (i,( CV values also waste
pumpin, ener,- a)ross t(e valve. + tin- CV value means little ener,- is waste'& ut t(ere is
little s)ope to )(an,e t(e pump2s flowrate.
0(e si?e of t(e term CV is t(e mar,in of )ontrol allowe' to t(e )ontrol valve.
+ t-pi)al 5rule of t(um6 w(en 'esi,nin, )ontrol valves is t(e 5one third rule.6 0(e rule sa-s9
CV = 1>*Ef. 0(en )al)ulate P. 1>*
r'
was foun' to often e a ,oo' )ompromise etween
(avin, a ,oo' )ontrol mar,in w(ile not nee'lessl- wastin, ener,-. +''itionall-& if CV F 5-15
psi,& -ou mi,(t )onsi'er in)reasin, CV to at least 5-15 psi, e)ause pra)ti)all- spea%in,& it
is (ar' to ,et a )ontrol valve wit( less pressure 'rop t(an t(at.
Problems with the one third rule
Gnfortunatel-& t(e one t(ir' rule is not alwa-s reliale e)ause9
1. 4ou ma- (ave a s-stem wit( almost no flowrate an' pressure flu)tuations& or ver-
(i,( flu)tuations& in w(i)( )ase t(e 1>*
r'
rule ma- leave -ou too mu)( or too little
leewa- in t(e )ontrol valve
#. $f P1 or P# are HH f& small flu)tuations in 'rum pressure )oul' eat up t(e mar,in of
)ontrol -ou (ave left in CV
*. + va,ue rule of t(um is (ar' to 'efen'. $f -ou are pus(e' to re'u)e t(e )ontrol
valve pressure 'rop allowan)e to save mone-& -ou mi,(t )ut so 'eep t(at -our
s-stem )annot )ontrol itself
Suggested Practice
+ etter pro)e'ure to follow is9
1. Cor% out t(e 'ifferent flow s)enarios -ou ma- e su3e)te' to& in)lu'in, t(e
maximum 'esi,n flowrate an' t(e minimum turn'own. (f &o have no other 'asis, a
t&pical refinin! rle of thm' is $max ) $norm * 1.1. (f &o expect lar!e flctations
+like in tower pmp,aronds, or when controllin! level on small drms- then $max )
$norm *1.2. For trndowns, rle of thm' is $trn ) $norn * 0... /tilit& s&stems ma&
well have a lar!er ran!e of flowrates and need mch lar!er desi!n mar!ins.
#. Presumal- P1& P#& an' S@ are t(e same at all flowrates. f& t(e pipin, fri)tional
losses& )an e re)al)ulate' at t(e new flowrates. $f in 'out& use t(e )al)ulation fma#
$ fnorm % &'ma#('norm)*+. 0(is will rou,(l- let -ou s)ale fri)tional pressure losses
to new flowrates. (0(ere are tales out t(ere t(at will su,,est exponents sli,(tl-
'ifferent t(an # for 'ifferent %in's of e7uipment. 1or example& a )ertain (eat
ex)(an,er t-pe mi,(t use (Amax>Anorm)I1.J. Dut usin, I# is a 'e)ent ,eneral
approximation).
*. +t t(e maximum flowrate& a'' a small pressure allowan)e for t(e pressure 'rop
in(erent in t(e )ontrol valve itself& li%e KL psi, for a t-pi)al ,loe valve. 0(en a'' a
few psi extra so t(at t(e )ontrol valve (as some small measure of )ontrol even at t(e
maximum flow. So& 'epen'in, on t(e valve t-pe& -ou ma- want CV = 5-10 psi at
maximum flowrate.
L. .nsure t(at CV )(osen at step M* is H 5% of P1 an' P#. $f not& )onsi'er in)reasin,
CV to 5% of P1 so t(at it )an )ope wit( flu)tuations of P1 an' P#. Some woul' prefer
to a'' t(e 5% re,ar'less& 3ust to ensure t(at t(e )ontrol valve )an (an'le flu)tuations
in upstream pressure. (So -ou )oul' set CV at max flow = a few psi + 5% of P1).
5. @avin, assi,ne' a CV pressure loss at rate' flow& -ou )an 'etermine t(e P -ou
re7uire at rate' flow. 0(en fin' a pump ale to provi'e t(is
N. 0ime to )onsi'er normal flow an' turn'own flow. P will var- ase' on t(e pump
)urve. $f -ou (ave no pump )urve -et& -ou mi,(t assume P is )onstant at all flowrates
as a first approximation
O. Cal)ulate t(e new value of CV value at -our normal an' min flowrates& now t(at -ou
%now P at t(ese flowrates
So now -ou s(oul' (ave normal& max& an' min flowrates as well as normal& max& an' min
)ontrol valve pressure 'rops. 0(is ,ives -ou a etter pi)ture of t(e ran,e of )ontrol -ou nee'
an' lets -ou spe)if- t(e valve properl-. .nsure t(at t(e )ontrol valve is not at extreme
stro%e& li%e F10% or HJ0% open& so t(at it is still )ontrollale even at t(e extreme )ases.
,lternative Problems
4ou )an exten' t(e asi) prin)iples of t(is example into man- ot(er t-pes of (-'rauli)
)ir)uits. @ere are t(ree spe)ial )ases to wat)( out for9
1. $f P is not a )entrifu,al 'evi)e& t(e w(ole )ontrol strate,- )(an,es. 1or positive
'ispla)ement 'evi)es -ou )annot use su)tion or 'is)(ar,e t(rottlin, effe)tivel-& so
instea' -ou will )ontrol flui' re)-)le or or )ontrol t(e spee' of t(e positive
'ispla)ement 'evi)e itself
#. $f t(ere is no pump or )ompressor& P ma- e 0 in all )ases. (0(e s-stem ma- still
)(an,e& li%e t(e )ontrol valve ma- nee' to (an'le flu)tuations in pressure or li7ui'
levels(stati) (ea'))
*. $f t(e flui' is vapor or #-p(ase& -ou ma- (ave to 'o iterative )al)ulations e)ause so
man- properties 'epen' on pressure. (1lui' properties var- - pressure& meanin, f
varies - pressure. So -ou must first ,uess at an overall pressure profile to wor% out
f& an' t(en refine -our estimates of P an' CV)