Control valves play a large role in the success of your plant. They help you achieve higher product quality and higher levels of efficiency. This means better products and more cost savings.
Here are three ways you can improve the performance of your control valves.
Make sure all system components are the right size
We’ve written before about the importance of sizing your valves correctly.
It’s common for engineers to select a valve that’s too big, based on the logic that your needs in the future might require a larger valve.
But that logic is flawed. If your valve is too big, you won’t be able to achieve precise control of the process variable. You’re giving up optimal efficiency and performance today for the possibility that you’ll want something else down the road.
And that’s not the only “but.”
A control valve is part of not only a larger valve assembly, but of a larger fluid system as well. All of the other components of that system need to be the right size, too. For example, if your pump is too big, that oversizing will wreak havoc on your valve performance and efficiency.
Consider dynamic performance
Sizing isn’t the only determinant of valve selection. A traditional selection process involves looking at several variables, including the process temperature, pressure, and media.
However, as the authors of this Valve Magazine article point out, these traditional factors aren’t sufficient. You also need to consider dynamic performance factors — i.e., those that take into account the context in which the valve operates beyond fixed performance conditions.
They suggest that you assess dynamic performance by answering these three questions:
- Does the valve move?
- How fast does the valve move?
- Does the valve provide the right process gain?
These questions get to the heart the matter, and their answers can reveal some problems you may be having, for example, deadband. By considering them in your selection process, you can “dramatically improve control valve performance.”
Protect your valves
Many problems that arise with control valves can be traced back to a lack of proper maintenance.
If your valves come contaminated with moisture or foreign matter, they won’t work correctly. If they become damaged due to excessive vibration, they won’t work correctly. If their mechanical linkages become loose, they won’t work correctly.
You can protect your valves from all of these things through a regular maintenance program that includes diagnostic testing to identify these problems before they occur.
For more information, read: Maximizing Your Control Valve Performance: A Guide to Control Valve Selection, Maintenance, and Repair.