CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction to Gate valve

Gate valves are devices that are used to regulate liquids, gases, and slurries.
The flow of liquids or gases can be controlled using these valves. This can be
done through pipes and other passageways by opening, closing, and partially
obstructing the passageway or pipe.

The Gate valve is the most common type used in the Industrial sector. This is
used to start or stop the fluid flow. While closing a positive shut-off is given. In
isolating systems it is used as a “Block Valve”. The gate valve should be either
fully open or fully closed, never used to control the flow as the velocity of the
fluid has the tendency to corrode the valve internal components such as body,
gate, seats etc.,

When a straight line fluid flow and minimum flow restrictions are required,
the Gate valve is utilized to stop or start the flow. In such a way, the Gate Valve
is designed. In service, the valve is either fully closed or opened.

While opening, the disc of the gate valve is completed removed and allowing
the contents to pass. Though it gives the good shut-off properties to the valve, it
cannot be quickly closed or opened; when open it is more sensitive to the
vibration.

Steel is the prime choice of material for an industrial valve. A broad range of
steels is used for the valve construction. Most of the steels and low alloys are
easy to weld, that makes the modifications easily, makes the repairing process
simple.

a. The two types of Gate Valves are: The Rising Stem Gate Valve and
the Non- rising Stem Gate Valve
 b. The two body types of Gate Valves are: Casted body and forged body
c. The two types of disc are: Parallel gate and Wedge Gate

1.2 Working of Gate Valves

Gate Valves are designed to serve as isolation valves. These valves help
to control the flow of liquid through the pipes. To start or stop the water flow or
any other kind of liquid, these valves are affixed to the pipelines. Gate valves
are used for various purposes and they can be seen commonly in homes and
commercial centers. Different materials such as stainless steel, cast iron, alloy
steel, forged steel etc., are used to manufacture these valves.

Figure 1.1 Gate valve

Gate valves are used to either halt or start the flow of water. Functioning
of gate valves includes the lifting of a circular of the rectangular gate out of the
fluid path. When gate valves are open, there will be nothing to obstruct the flow
as the pipeline diameter and gate have the same opening. The valve size can be
determined with this bore diameter.

1.3 Types of gate valves

1.3.1 Gate valves with rising vs non-rising stem design

Rising stems are fixed to the gate and they rise and lower together as the
valve is operated, providing a visual indication of the valve position and making
it possible to grease the stem. A nut rotates around the threaded stem and moves
it. This type is only suitable for above-ground installation.

Figure 1.2 Raising and Non-raising gate valve

Non-rising stems are threaded into the gate, and rotate with the wedge
rising and lowering inside the valve. They take up less vertical space since the
stem is kept within the valve body. AVK offers gate valves with a factory-
mounted indicator on the upper end of the stem to indicate the valve position.
Gate valves with non-rising stems are suitable for both above-ground and
underground installations.

The majority of AVK’s range are designed with non-rising stem, but we
also offer gate valves with rising stem for water, wastewater and fire protection
applications.

1.3.2 Metal seated vs resilient seated gate valves

Before the resilient seated gate valve was introduced to the market, gate
valves with a metal seated wedge were widely used. The conical wedge design
and angular sealing devices of a metal seated wedge require a depression in the
valve bottom to ensure a tight closure. Herewith, sand and pebbles are
embedded in the bore. The pipe system will never be completely free from
impurities regardless of how thoroughly the pipe is flushed upon installation or
repair. Thus any metal wedge will eventually lose its ability to be drop-tight.

Figure 1.3 Metal and Resilient seated gate valves

A resilient seated gate valve has a plain valve bottom allowing free
passage for sand and pebbles in the valve. If impurities pass as the valve closes,
the rubber surface will close around the impurities while the valve is closed. A
high-quality rubber compound absorbs the impurities as the valve closes, and
the impurities will be flushed away when the valve is opened again. The rubber
surface will regain its original shape securing a drop-tight sealing.

1.3.3 Parallel vs wedge-shaped gate valves

Gate valves can be divided into two main types: Parallel and wedge-shaped.
The parallel gate valves use a flat gate between two parallel seats, and a popular
type is the knife gate valve designed with a sharp edge on the bottom of the
gate. The wedge-shaped gate valves use two inclined seats and a slightly
mismatched inclined gate.

Figure 1.4 Parallel and wedge gate valves

Most of AVK's gate valves are of the solid wedge-shaped design, but we
also offer knife gate valves for wastewater treatment and parallel slide valves
for gas supply.

1.3.4 Other types of gates used in industries

In industries gate valves are of various types such as Gate Valves, Globe
Valves, Ball Valves, Butterfly Valves, Check Valves, Pressure Valves, and
Diaphragm Valves etc. These valves perform various functions working on a
different working principle.

a. Ball Valves, used for flow control and whenever tight shut-off is
required, have accounted for over 19% of the revenue share in 2014.
 b. In the recent years, there is a huge demand for butterfly valves as they are
used extensively in the automation, oil & gas industries.
c. Check valves’ are going to witness a sturdy growth, with a CAGR of over
7% in the next coming years. These unidirectional valves are used to
evade the process flow from returning to the system, thereby preventing it
from damaging the equipment and disrupting the process.

Figure 1.5 Sales performance of gate valves per year

1.4 Uses of Valves and Their Applications and Industries

With some exceptions (for instance, aircraft fuel valves or refrigeration

valves) valves are not industry specific; they can be used across a wide range of
industries, including chemical processing, food and beverage, gas transmission,
mining, oil and gas, and power generation.

Some are dedicated to fluid power applications, including solenoid,

poppet, hydraulic, cartridge, and air logic valves. Others are for general pipeline
applications or smaller-scale fluid systems and include plug, piston, pinch,
globe, gate, disc, diaphragm, butterfly, and ball valves. Then there are valves
designed to activate automatically in certain events including relief valves and
check valves.

Some valves are so common that they are grouped by function, for
example, boiler feed water and blowdown control valves, faucet valves, float
valves, double block and bleed valves, HVAC zone valves, or floor drain check
valves. Some valves are so specialized that they may have only one or two
applications, such as rotary solenoid valves used in excavators, or inverted vent
check valves used in sewage systems and on ships.

As for pipeline valves, many can be thought of as suited either to

blocking or throttling. A ball valve is better suited for on-off applications than it
is for regulating flow. The same goes for gate and piston valves. For flow
regulating, globe and butterfly valves are preferred choices, with globe valves
being especially common. Ball valves can be designed so that friction loss
through an open valve is no greater than what would be encountered in a like
diameter pipe (also making them piggable in some cases). Other valve types
usually introduce some loss in the valve owing to the need to place the
components of the valve, actuating shafts, etc. directly in the stream and/or the
need to redirect the direction of fluid flow.
Figure 1.6 A pneumatic actuator atop a globe valve is sandwiched between
two manual globe valves

Pipeline valve sizes usually correspond to flange dimension for various

standard pipe sizes and pressures, i.e., 150 psi, 300 psi, etc. ANSI B16.10 lists
face-to-face dimensions for ferrous flanged and welded end valves in steam,
hydraulic, and high-temperature service.

1.5 Important attributes of valves fitting in industries

a. Flow Coefficient (Cv)

Cv relates to flow through the valve body and represents the number of
gallons of water per minute at 60oF that can pass through the valve with a 1 psi
pressure drop across the valve. It is a common method of comparing valve
performance.

b. Valve Size

Valve sizes in both inches and millimeters generally correspond to the

size of the pipes they work with. Flanges, etc. are usually sized based on the
valve size.

c. Pressure Rating

Valves are often rated according to ANSI classes of 150 psi, 300 psi, etc.,
corresponding to standard pipeline ratings. Domestic ball valves can be rated as
high as 600 psi.

d. Port Connections

True union refers to the connections on a valve body which allows it to be

inserted in a pipeline without moving the pipes apart. This is common for small
ball valves where the pipe connections are often threaded. Single union valves
have this connection on only one side. Compression fittings also apply mainly
to small valves used with tubing of copper, plastic, etc. Flanges are common
port connections in larger valves. Connections can be brazed in many smaller
valves used for water service. Plastic valves can have socket connections for
solvent welding.

e. Other Valve Features

Valves are often deemed as being bubble-tight, a description for valves

which will not allow any liquid passage upon closure. Certain designs are more
apt to be bubble tight than others, particularly those valves that are intended for
on-off service versus those that are used mainly for regulating flow.

1.6 Automatic valves actuation system in industries

An important consideration when replacing a valve is the face-to-face

distance between flanges, which can be clearly seen in the image above.
Generally, a valve needs to fit in the space between fixed pipes so this
dimension can be critical if modifications to existing piping are undesirable and
are to be avoided. Some manufacturers will offer their valves as direct
dimensional replacements for valves of other types.

In their larger sizes, valves typically adhere to the standardized ASME

flanges for their connections. In smaller sizes, the connections can vary from
sanitary (Tri-clamp type) to compression type.

Ports and ways refer to the number of passages into the valve, and for
most pipeline valves there are two. Ball valves are routinely available with three
or more ports and use a ball that has an “L” shaped passage.

Hydraulic valves are generally controlled automatically on stationary

industrial machinery and manually on mobile machines. Cartridge designs are
available for either venue. Hydraulic valves are often mounted in common
manifolds or ganged together as valve stacks to simplify plumbing and reduce
space requirements. Some hydraulic valves are designed as mono-blocks,
meaning the multiple valve body is cast as a single unit.
 Figure 1.7 Linear actuation of gate valve by hydraulics

Air logic valves represent the analogous version of hydraulic valves

which use air as the fluid (instead of oil) and are as ubiquitous in
factory/manufacturing operations as hydraulic valves are in mobile systems.
Many of the same considerations for hydraulic valves are paralleled in the world
of air logic valves.

1.7 Advantages, Dis-advantages and applications of gate valves

1.7.1 Advantages

d. Gate valves contain very low friction loss

e. They can be used both ways in the circuit
f. They provide laminar flow, a pressure loss is minimum
g. Gate valves help to save energy and reduce total cost of ownership
h. There will be low-pressure drop when opened fully and tight sealing

1.7.2 Disadvantages
 a. Gate valves cannot be opened & closed quickly
b. They cause vibrations
c. In systems where high-temperature changes irregularly, due to the
load in pipe at the valve end, leakages in gate valves occur.
d. The operation, maintenance, and repair of gate valves seating surfaces
are complex.

1.7.3 Applications

Gate valves have a wide range of applications due to its diversified

construction materials, design combination, and trim offerings. These valves
reliably perform from food & pharmaceutical services to high-temperature
coking units. In the power industry, certain gate valves are ideal for both critical
and standard applications, such as steam distribution in power plants. The valve
design eliminates leak paths, reduces weight and simplifies the exterior
insulation application. It is with the forged steel body provides the highest
integrity sealing. To control the flow through a system, the valve is used. It may
be used to start, stop, and throttle the flow to ensure the efficient and safe
operation.

Other than the O&G, Gate valve usage is popular in Marine, Bio-pharm,
Food & Beverage, and Pipelines Industries.

1.8 Summary

Most pipeline valves are available with manual levers or hand-wheels

which can be adapted to gear type actuators in larger sizes and fitted with
electric or electro-pneumatic actuators for automatic control. Valves fitted with
such actuators are sometimes called control or flow control valves in that with
automatic actuation they can be integrated into control loops used for process
automation. The phrase “control valve” is sometimes used to describe the valves
used in hydraulic and pneumatic fluid power systems to actuate a ram, for
example. Any valve can be a control valve, that is to say.
Ball Valves

As the name suggests, ball valves are valves that use a ball to control the
flow of substances from one opening to the next. These valves work by
allowing the hole to be open, blocked, or open partially to regulate the flow of
gas/liquid. Ball valves are the ideal choice for using with gases as they are able
to offer better sealing. They are very versatile as they support pressures up to
700 bars and temperatures up to 200°C and sizes typically range from 0.5 cm to
30 cm. They are easy to operate and repair as they contain a simple structure.

They are designed with special measures that permit only a 90-degree
rotation which is required for the opening and closing of ball valves. These
valves are a notable industrial choice because of their reliable and air-tight
sealing when in the closed position.
Advantages

a. They contain a compact and low-maintenance design that requires no

lubrication
b. They are cost-effective among all of the valves
c. The biggest advantage of ball valves is that they have poor throttling
characteristics that can cause the seat of a ball valve to easily erode.
d. They provide leak-proof service.
e. They open and close quickly.
f. Ball valves have multi-way design flexibility.

Disadvantages

a. Ball valves are not suitable for permanent throttling.

b. In residual fluids, the particles in the fluid collide with the surfaces
and stick to them. This may cause leakage, abrasion, and other
problems.

Applications

a. Ball Valves are used for flow and pressure control and shut off for
corrosive fluids, slurries, normal liquid and gases.
 b. They are used in the oil and natural gas industry, but also find a place
in many manufacturing sectors, chemical storage, and even residential
uses.

Limit switch

This is an important topic to address – especially in the realm of solenoid

valves. If a valve is “normally closed” it means that the valve is closed in its
uncharged state. More simply put, if there is no electrical current passing
through the valve coil then then it will remain closed. If a valve is “normally
open”, that means the valve is open in its uncharged state.