Butterfly Valve Development and Applications
A butterfly valve is a quarter-turn valve used to control the flow of a liquid or gas. It is designed with a disc-shaped closure element that rotates and creates an opening or closing in the flow line. The valve and disc are usually mounted opposed to each other so that when the valve is operated, the disc is rotated and opens or closes the flow line.
The butterfly valve is a cost effective and efficient alternative to traditional gate and globe valves. It has a small body size and can provide tight shutoff when needed. The tight shutoff is achieved by mounting the disc element on a shaft with bearing support and applying tight compression to the stuffing box. This ensures that a tight seal is maintained, even when the line pressure is high.
The butterfly valve was originally developed by Neville, who patented the valve in 1920. He was inspired by the wings of a butterfly and wanted to design a valve which could be operated with a simple lever. The design was further refined and eventually patented in 1934.
In the 1950s, the butterfly valve began to gain more attention as a viable alternative to gate and globe valves. This was due largely to their ability to provide tight shutoff, as well as their low cost, light weight and small body size. They saw widespread use in food, beverage and process line applications.
Since then, butterfly valves have continued to improve and evolve, becoming an increasingly popular option for a range of applications. From water and steam systems, to chemical and oil lines, butterfly valves are now commonly used to regulate flow in all sorts of industries.
Butterfly valves are available in a wide range of materials, sizes and configurations. This allows them to be used in many different applications. Some of the most common materials used in butterfly valves include stainless steel, brass, cast iron and bronze. As for sizes, they typically range from 2 inches to 8 inches in diameter. Larger valves are also available, however, these are usually custom made and will typically cost more.
When selecting a butterfly valve for a specific application, there are a few important things to consider. The type of media being transported, the operating pressure and temperature of the system, the space limitations of the application and the type of control system being used. Once these have all been determined, the correct valve can be chosen.
The butterfly valve is a versatile and reliable valve that offers many advantages. It is lightweight, cost effective, easy to maintain and through its variety of materials, sizes and configurations, can be used in almost every fluid application. It is perhaps no wonder then that it has become so ubiquitous across a variety of industries.
