The next generation of process control valves

Dave Busse, President, Zwick Valves North America

2552 Battleground, Deer Park, Texas, 281.478.4701, www.zwickvalves.com

After many years of performing successfully in a wide range of isolation services, Triple
Eccentric Butterfly Valves are now universally recognized and accepted by industry for their
compactness, low weight, zero friction seating, low emissions and excellent shut-off abilities.
However, when used to modulate flow, the triple-offset valve (TOV) suffers from the same
inadequacies as those found in all butterfly valves when they are called upon to throttle flow, i.e.
instability at disc angles below approximately 25, or greater than approximately 65.

When butterfly valves are required to throttle at lower angles, just a small amount of disc
movement causes a large increase in flow; and at the higher angles of opening, a large amount of
disc movement is needed to cause a small change in flow. Another shortcoming of butterfly valves in
throttling services is that a rapid torque reversal can occur due to the sudden pressure change that
occurs on the downstream surface of the disc at about 60 to 75 of disc angle. To address these
issues, Zwick Valve, with the help of Yeary Controls, has taken their Triple Eccentric Butterfly Valves
TOV to the next level in control by adding Yearys proprietary Sharktooth Control Cartridges to
their Tripe Eccentric Butterfly Valves.

In 2005, Yeary Controls initiated a research and development (R&D) program to develop and
test a device, they now call a Butterfly Valve Control Cartridge, that could be simply added-on to the
downstream side of triple eccentric butterfly valves to turn them into true control valves with flow
characteristics that would be equal to the best general purpose industrial control valves on the
market. The results created a device that has no moving parts and does not affect any of the built-in
features of the valve. The initial R&D for the technology was sponsored by Yeary, and successfully
completed by students at the University of Illinois, Department of General Engineering, using a triple
eccentric butterfly valve as the platform for the device.

After obtaining the consulting services of control valve expert Dr. Hans D. Baumann, the
design was further refined by adding flow slots, or teeth, in the cartridge. The device was then
subjected to a series of flow tests at the Utah State University Water Research Laboratory on 6 and
12 valves. The tests verified the devices ability to produce an equal percentage flow characteristic
using an off-the-shelf TOV, as well as reduce noise up to 15 dBA (FIG. 1), decrease the effects of
cavitation by up to 20% (FIG. 2), and reduce the valves running torques (FIG. 3).
 FIG. 1. Reduces aerodynamic noise up to 15 dBA. As the vane turns with the
Sharktooth Throttling Trim Cartridge, multiple, optimized, throttling slots are gradually
exposed to flow. Then, at higher flows, when the vane has cleared the contoured
slotted portion of the control cartridge, the resultant lower pressure drop will alleviate
any further noise problems.

FIG. 2. Anti-cavitation properties. Tri-Sharks 25% higher incipient cavitation index

allows for higher pressure drops than ordinary butterfly valves, while exhibiting much
less noise, cavitation, and damage. Even if cavitation does occur in higher pressure
drop situations, the shorter vapor jets produced by the slots will avoid the damaging
effects caused by large vapor jets, referred to as super cavitation.
 FIG. 3. More control with less torque. Tri-Sharks dynamic torque requirements are
60% less than ordinary butterfly valves, even at high-end flow capacity, thereby
providing exceptional stability throughout its control range. Tri-Sharks Triple Eccentric
Metal-to-Metal Seating requires lower breakaway torques than either butterfly or rotary
plug control valves, and its extended torque reversal point allows for an expanded
range of control.

Yeary Controls has summed it up by highlighting that the control valves design:
Has shown a predictable design for extrapolating to larger sizes;
A great flow curve;
Predictable noise and cavitation levels and reductions;
A smoother operating valve that would put less wear and tear on its actuator.

Presently, Sharktooth control valves are providing satisfactory performance in sizes 3 thru
36, on liquids, gases, and steam by converting 150, 300, 600, and 900 ASME TOVs into excellent
control valves. In 2011, Zwick Valves, USA, began offering an extensive line of control valves called
TriShark that incorporates the Yeary Controls Sharktooth technology. A detailed look at the TriShark
throttling trim cartridge and operational positions are shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. These valves have
an equal percentage flow characteristic, and an excellent range. They are available in sizes from 3
up to 72 in 150 lbs. through 900 lbs. ANSI Pressure Classes, with API 609 Lug, ISO 5752 Flanged,
and ANSI B16.10 Gate Valve Face-to-Face body configurations, and have even been built with Butt-
Weld-Ends. Their superior Metal-to-Metal/Graphite Seating gives these valves an operating
temperature range from cryogenic through 1,400F, while providing zero leakage per API 598
Resilient Seat test. Zwick is also fire safe per ISO 10497 and API 607 5th Edition.
 FIG. 4. TriShark throttling trim cartridge. The Sharktooth throttling trim cartridge is used
to turn the Triple-Off-Set-Butterfly Valves into excellent throttling control valves. One style
of valve can be used for both on-off, and control applications.

FIG. 5. TriShark, controlling at every angle.

Since Zwicks triple offset valves are seated via their stem torque, they do not have the
interface type seating, typical of most rotary style control valves. Such valves that utilize a segmented
ball require a higher seating force than the force needed to turn them once they are more than
roughly 5 to 7 open. As a consequence, when pneumatically actuated, the actuator must build-up
the force needed to open the valve, but once the ball segment has disengaged its seat, the actuator
will have built-up more force than is needed to throttle the now open valve. The sudden reduction in
the required torque will cause a rapid over-travel that must be dealt with by the control system and
actuator positioner. These high seating and breakaway torque issues are mitigated by the TriSharks
triple eccentric seating. Unlike friction seated valves, the torque seating of a TriShark allows for the
disc to freely move from the seat immediately as the stem torque force that is seating the valve is
reduced. This allows for stable control down to approximately 3 of the opening angle. This zero
friction feature also offers longer seal ring and seat life, thus reducing the need for regular
maintenance required by other rotary style control valves.

TriShark control valves have an effective control range that extends from 1% at 5 of travel to
100% at 90 of travel (FIG. 6):

FIG. 6. TriShark control valves demonstrate excellent control range.

The Sharktooth throttling trim cartridge eliminates the low angle instability inherent in most
quarter-turn control valves. For example, ordinary butterfly valves exhibit poor control at angles of
opening that are less than 30 (TABLE 1). Sharktooth technology greatly extends the control range of
quarter-turn valves to as low as 3 of valve opening while also providing noise attenuation and anti-
cavitation benefits.
 TABLE 1. Zwick flow capacity (Cv) comparison with & without Sharktooth

Standard product range is denoted below:

Resistance plates. When the control valve exit velocity (UV) for gases exceeds 250 ft/sec, the
installation of a resistance plate to reduce the aerodynamic noise is recommended. Similar use of
such plates is advised for high pressure liquids to reduce excessive hydrodynamic noise, or
cavitation. The inclusion of a resistance plate is shown below:
Applications. By combining the Sharktooth throttling control cartridge with Zwicks triple eccentric
butterfly valves, just one style of valve can be used for both on-off and control applications. These
control valves are ideal for most applications. This includes:

Oil/gas production
Refining storage/transmission
Electric power generation
Chemicals & petrochemicals
Textiles
Pulp & paper
Mining & metals
Micro-electronics
Pharmaceutical & biotech
Water pumping & transport
Office buildings & hotels
Water treatment
Aircraft, aerospace, military
Ship building & marine

Performance benefits.
DN 80 DN 900, 3 36*
Class: 150 thru 900
Carbon steel, stainless steel and exotic alloys
Metal-to-metal seating
Cryogenic to 815*C
 Firesafe to API 607
Low running torques
Stable control
Light weight
Compactness
Low cost of ownership
Field replaceable trim cartridges
Zero leakage
Sever service capability

Typical standard services include:

Pump by-pass control
Pressure reducing
Back pressure control
Compressor surge control
Flow control & balancing
Ballast water flow control
Cooling tower bypass
Steam condenser inlet
Brine well interjection
Overboard discharge
Fire water ring control
Steam
Brine blowdown
Jetty loading control
Natural gas pressure control
Sea-water re-circulation & drain

Typical severe and special services include:

Cavitating liquids
Noise reduction in gas, steam, and vapor
Two phase fluids
Cryogenic liquids & gases
Fire safe shut-off plus control
Metal-to-metal tight shut-off plus control
Some typical installations:

2552 S. Battleground
La Porte, Texas 77571
Phone: +1.281.478.4701
Fax: +1.281.478.4728
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.zwick-valves.com