Butterfly valve selection is an essential aspect of the industry. Ensuring that your activities run without problems while at the same time taking care of safety norms is an integral component. However, the problem stems from the many options available for our disposal. The following is a simple guide to help you settle on the most suitable butterfly valve for your industries.
Understanding Butterfly Valves
Butterfly valves are widely used in industries to regulate flow. They are also known for their simplicity, reliability, and ease of use. These valves have a disc mounted on a spindle that rotates it. In the opened position, liquid flows through by rotating the disc, while in the closed position, it obstructs the stream.
Varieties exist that enable them to achieve desired results in various working environments. There are two main categories: rubber-lined and metal seated butterfly valves. Depending on what you like or where they will be utilized, determine how these two models differ from one another, leading to an informed choice.
Metal Seated Butterfly Valves
These are known for being strong. They can withstand extreme pressure changes over time because they were meant for those working in an environment with high temperatures, such as power plants and chemical processing.
One of the most significant benefits of metal-seated butterfly valves is their ability to handle abrasive fluids. Because their construction includes fragile materials, these valves are suitable for handling abrasive slurries and other materials that tend to cause wear. Besides, they are designed to work with high temperatures at which rubber lined butterfly valves would fail.
It should also be realized that handling torque in metal-seated butterfly valves needs to be higher than in those with rubber lining. This means actuators controlling them must have more power, thus escalating their total cost.
Rubber Lined Butterfly Valves
They are common due to their flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Rubbers like EPDM or NBR are used as lining materials. Their application areas include water treatments and food processing, among which abrasive and corrosive media are not encountered.
Another significant advantage of rubber-lined butterfly valves is their ability to ensure tight sealing. Because of this, they have gained popularity in applications meant to prevent leakage.
Additionally, rubber-lined butterfly valves are more accessible to open than those made from metal seats, so actuator costs can be restricted when using these types of valves. This can also reduce manual operating difficulties.
However, these require relatively low temperatures when in use; hence, they are less likely to be suitable for high temperatures. Butyl rubber has one of the best temperature ranges.
Choosing the Right Valve
You should examine metallic-seated butterfly valves compared with rubber-lined butterfly valves to ascertain which best suits your industrial needs.
Temperature and Pressure: Metal seated butterfly valves are ideal for high-temperature and high-pressure, whereas rubber-lined butterfly valves can be used in less aggressive conditions
Fluid Type: Metal seated butterfly valves could be helpful in applications involving abrasive fluids or slurries, while less demanding valves, like water-handling rubber-lined butterfly valves, may serve best.
Sealing Requirements: Rubber-lined butterfly valves are perfect when a tight seal is needed, especially at low pressures; hence, they are applicable in low-cost leakage avoidance situations.
Operational Costs: Operational expenses include the torque required for valve operation. The higher the torque that needs to be applied constantly, the higher the actuator costs on research papers and discounting mattresses.
Conclusion
When it comes to operation and long-term reliability, selecting the appropriate butterfly valve manufacturer like Advance Valves is very important to the smooth running of your business. A metal seated butterfly valve works in conditions with high temperatures, high pressures, and abrasive fluids. Conversely, rubber lined butterfly valves are best applied in low to moderate-temperature applications where tight sealing is essential.