Do you want proper guidance for the valve in the steam pipeline? Do you want to know which type of valve is best in the steam pipeline system? In the liquid pipeline procedure, the valve has many functions. Primary function of these valves are isolating, controlling, cutting off, and regulating flow or pressure. It can adjust the flow of water, air, corrosive, oil, and radioactive. It is essential to comprehend the structure and characteristics of the valve for selection.

What type of valve is used for steam?

For steam pipelines you can choose either gate valve or a globe valve. The globe valve is the most common type of valve for the automatic control of steam processes. It is versatile, easy to process, and has features for the automated management needs of steam. Gate valves used for steam pipelines did not need frequent opening or closing. It offers a better function of flow regulation.

How many types of steam valves are there?

Many other kinds of traditional valves use in industrial applications worldwide. This article will cover the general function and mechanism. The most common valves used in steam are globe valves, ball valves, butterfly valves, gate valves, and diaphragm valves. Globe valves use for liquid regulation in the pipeline. These valves are controlled by the position of a movable plug about the stationary ring seat. Here we explain the list of most commonly used valves

Ball valve

Ball valves give tight shutoff and accepted control. They use in a high range due to their design of the regulating element. Ball valve has the benefit of ease of working and high pressure, high flow, and temperature. 

Butterfly valve

A butterfly valve maintains steam flow with a disk turning on an opposite axis inside a pipe. It also maintains steam flow by two partial plates hanged on the same spindle, moving in one direction. They offer a rotary stem motion of 90 degrees or less in a tight design. A compared ball valve they do not have pockets in which fluids and gas may become tangled when the valve close.

Gate valve

Besides, when the steam pipe temperature is less than 425℃, you can select a gate valve and globe valves. A gate valve is used for steam pipelines where there is no need for regular opening or closing. The globe valve delivers a more suitable function of discharge regulation. A butterfly valve is not suggested for the steam pipeline because of the high force inside. It is hard or switches to change, and the sealing surface is easy to harm. In contrast to the gate valve, the butterfly valve does not perform well.

Globe valve

They are flat motion valves with spherical bodies from which their name arises. They use the industry to control liquid flow on/off, and throttling helps. Benefits contain accurate throttling and control and high-pressure limits. Drawbacks have poor cleanliness. The gaseous state of water comprehends as steam. It is a perfect working medium in heat systems and can get heat across thermal applications. Its use is for generating turbines to produce electricity for chemicals and processing. It is also used for heating, cleaning, and humidification.

Diaphragm valves 

Diaphragm valves use a pinching mode to stop the valve flow using an elastic diaphragm. The main benefit is that the valve components can isolate from the process fluid. But it limits to the 450° F of temperature. 

The steam system generally provided a lower pressure and a drain water valve to the pipeline length.

Valves can provide exceptional service needs exist with steam about temperature and pressure. Steam valves control the pressure and flow of smoke and heated water vapor. Steam has more heat at lower pressure and increases the efficiency of energy. So, the most used steam valves are drain water and pressure-reducing valves.

Drain water valve

A steam valve is a kind of valve which can extract non-condensing gas. It also removes condensed water from the steam pipe and controls steam leakage. The discharged water comes from the bottom of the boiler cylinder. According to its function, there are thermodynamic drain water valves. These are floating ball drain water valves, thermostatic drain water valves, and so on.

You can consider a globe valve in a steam pipeline when the steam pipe temperature is lower than 425℃. The globe valve offers a flow regulation function when not open or closed. A butterfly valve is not suggested because it has high pressure inside. The sealing surface is easy to damage, difficult to twitch, and has no good performance. You may use a metal hard seal butterfly valve when pressure or temperature is not very high. You can use an electric valve that helps in the flow direction. The pipeline should be clean to prevent tight closing.

Pressure reducing valve

A steam-reducing pressure valve is an essential part of many steam systems. It offers a role by providing lower pressure and reducing the temperature in a power plant.

At high pressure, the pipe with the same diameter can pass more pressure steam due to the high steam density. And thus reducing the size of the pipe and saving the cost.

It should also be said that two-port automatic valves are also used within fluid systems. Liquid systems carry an inherent need to be balanced about mass flows. In many samples, systems are designed where two-port valves can use. Two valves are designed without destroying the balance of distribution networks.

But, when two-port valves can’t use on a fluid system. Thus three-port valves were set, which carry a balance, by acting in a diverting or mixing fashion.

Why must high temperature-resistant materials be used in steam pipelines?

X20 material is used in the high-temperature steam piping. For higher temperatures, 540℃ P91 has higher allowable stress than X20. It is now possible for power stations to get more pressure parameters on the main steam piping. This saves and reduces pollutants because fewer fuel burns.

The materials used in a valve seal should be consistent with the media flowing through the valve. Metallic materials like iron, copper, steel alloy, bronze, stainless steel and a body forming. Rubber-based materials like NBR, FKM, and plastic-based materials use for packing the steam valve.

Can bellows globe valves be used in steam pipelines?

Before choosing a control valve for steam applications, pressure has an important role. If both the temperature and pressure are higher, the more this affects the steam and valve in place. There are most valves used in the steam pipeline. But globe valves offer high efficiency and resilience.

Like steam, globe valves use for high-temperature and high-pressure factor applications so that the pressure factor is over the circle. This helps to keep it from contracting when it chills off and will keep the plate back from taking off the seat. Ball valves have a ball and stem, which turns, and are usually, indicated as “rotational” valves. Ball valves are better for on/off change without reducing pressure.

But, globe valves have a stem, which strokes and gets another name, “stroke” valves. But Globe valves are fit for steams and have straight movement with adjusted bodies. They use the industry to figure liquid streams in on/off and choking produce. Globe valves appear due to their exterior design and are generally used in power plants. Without pressure drop, globe valves are used for directing steam.

They are helpful for the program and manual activities. Compared to the entry valve, the globe valve can be used for controlling steam and the e shutoff. In comparison, the globe valve is an ideal choice and is suited to control media between the open and closed positions. They are versatile and can cover various flow ranges in different applications. Benefits include choking and control, as high-pressure limitations.

Why use a bellows cut-off valve in a steam system?

Steam using station produced steam at high pressure, providing heat for each user. This is often used to allow more cost-efficient steam and lower the diameter of the steam piping.

Reducing Steam Pressure

A standard way of reducing pressure is by throttling down the size of the steam pathway. It is possible to use a traditional globe valve with a half-open position for pressure drop. Or by inserting a plate into the flow of steam. But, any change in flow rate would be accomplished by changing pressure. To avoid such issues, pressure-reducing valves can use to control pressure. They will change the valve opening to allow the pressure to remain the same when the flow rate change.

Summary

In short, we have explained which type of valve you can use for your business. The choice of a valve depends on pipe diameter, the valve’s purpose, temperature, and pressure. There are many valves like a gate, ball or butterfly, and glob valve used. But glob valves use more in the steam pipeline because they enhance efficiency. Keeping steam pressure and flow rate valve helps maximize process efficiencies and delivery. As an industrial valve manufacturer, call us today for any type of valve!