Controlling Fluid Flow thru Mechanical Stainless Gate Valves
Within the process plants, the gate valves are the most
recommended and instrumented valves to control and regulate the liquid or fluid
flow of the system. Being the most used valve, the stainless steel gate valves manufacturers design it to maintain linear motion in the
stream of liquid flow by regulating the flow-thru blocking, opening the
passage, and stopping or opening the flow. When in working condition, the gate
valves are either open or closed, no in-between. There is a disc in the
structure of a gate valve which gets completely removed from the passage of
flow when the valve is and in the condition when the valve is closed, the disc
stops the flow by placing disc perpendicularly within the flow.
However, to attain the
compact and proper sealing of the flow passage to stop the flow, the valve
should not be used in the situations where throttling flow of liquids has to be
regulated as the control of such flow is not possible through gate valves. Due
to the matter, higher velocity could become responsible for the erosion and
noise in the flow when the valve is partially closed or open.
Conventional
applications
The regulation of the
flow-thru gate valves is not a conventional regulation process as it does not
mean any dimming or gradual closing or opening of the passage of the liquids;
instead, it provides complete closing or complete opening of the valve. The
completely opened gate valve does not support any obstruction in the liquid
flow which creates least or almost no resistance in the flow while the closing
state entirely shuts down the passage of liquid creating maximum resistance in
the flow. Typically in the non-linear flow of liquids, the size of the opening
or closing of the valve when it moves varies, in particular. Thus, proving that
the rate of the flow does not vary smoothly in the stream. In accordance with
the design, the valve can create vibration in the liquid if opened partially.