Electronically reprinted

from August 2012

Control
Valves

PAGE 48

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Process Lead
Responsibilities
In Design Projects
Waterhammer In
Condensate Return Lines
Facts at Your Fingertips:
Heat-transfer
Expansion Tank Design

Achema 2012
Takes a Forward View

Focus on Temperature
Measurement & Control

Focus on
Pipes and Fittings

Seals and Gaskets:

Small but Mighty

Feature Report

Control Valves:
An Evolution
In Design

Emily Hoop
Emerson Process
Management

Understanding the design features of

globe-style control valves can help in
selection for specific applications

lobe-style control valves are in

virtually every chemical processing line where pressure
and flow must be controlled.
And for the most part, they perform
as required, day in and day out, requiring little to no thought or attention. In short, control valves are not
an everyday topic of discussion.
In fact, the globe valve provides a
direct contrast to todays consumer
electronics where major changes seemingly are announced and touted every
year. While these valves represent an
evolution of gradual change, significant improvements in control capability, reliability and breadth of application have been made in recent years.
Until about 45 years ago, globe
valves with their massive body castings and rugged stem-guided valve
plugs prevailed across the chemical
process industries (CPI). Yet despite
their wide usage and decades of service, the valves of that era were quickly
replaced by a new, efficient-in-design
globe-valve body that utilized interchangeable, drop-in trim packages to
meet a wide range of control needs.
This article answers the what and
why questions about the changes in
control valve design, and in doing so,
offers readers a better understanding
of what valve features are available
and how they may apply to particular
application needs.

Background

A historic disruptive innovation was

brought to market in the mid-1960s
with the introduction of cage-style
trim. Prior to that time, the control
valve shown in cross-section in Figure 1 was typical of the globe design
offered by valve manufacturers. It
featured a heavy, thick-walled body
casting with two internal ports and a
top-and-bottom guided-closure member, or valve plug. Single-port valves
were offered as well, and their body
castings mirrored that of the large,
double-port design. For decades these
valves provided adequate service in a
wide variety of applications. So why
the dramatic 1960s change in body
shape, mass and trim design?
The answer, quite simply, is economics. That double-ported valve required
a great number of machining operations. Both the bonnet and bottom
flanges were drilled and tapped. The
internal webs were also bored and
threaded in order to accommodate
screwed-in seat rings. Assembling the
dual-port valve body required extra effort to ensure that when the valve plug
moved to the closed position, its seating surfaces contacted the seat rings
simultaneously. All of these machining and assembly procedures required
time and effort that built cost into the
final valve product.
The 1960s-design globe valve with

Figure 1. The typical globe-valve design

prior to the 1960s included a heavy, thickwalled body casting with two internal ports
and a top-and-bottom guided valve plug

its cage-style, drop-into-place internals

avoided many of these cost creators.
Its body casting minimized material
use while still complying with all design codes and requirements. It eliminated the machining and assembly of
the previous designs bottom flange
and internal seat-ring ports. And since
the new trim style relied upon the flow
cage to control valve-plug movement,
the potential for misaligned valveplug guides was gone (Figure 2).

Benefits for the user

While the valve manufacturers realized a cost reduction in the new versus
old design, so did the valve user.
Tight shutoff reduces lost product.
Improved reliability meant reduced
maintenance costs and increased plant
efficiencies. Double ported valves offered ANSI/FCI Class II shutoff, while
the cage-designed valve provided a
huge step change to ANSI/FCI Class
VI shutoff capability. Recapturing this
lost process equated to money back
in the users pocket. Maintenance became less of an issue with cage-style
trim. For the most part, a changeout of
trim components required pulling out
the old and dropping in the new a
relatively simple procedure.
Protecting your investment with
anti-cavitation trim. Prior to the
cage-style valve, answers to specific
control problems, such as cavitation

Figure 3. Drilled-hole shape and spacing in the cage wall along with flow-down
design reduces and isolates cavitation to
prevent damage

Figure 2. This 1960s globe-valve design has cage-style trim

and operating noise extremes, involved use of expensive and often lessthan-successful solutions. With simple
trim changes, these problems could
now be solved with cost-effective and
reliable solutions.
Staging the pressure drop so that
the pressure remains above the liquids vapor pressure can prove effective
in avoiding cavitation. With the pre1960s valve, staging often involved the
use of an orifice plate downstream of
the main valve or the use of two valves
in series. However, these techniques
typically displaced cavitation from the
main valve to the downstream restriction and did not effectively control the
cavitation in the system. They also
increased valve size, as less pressure
drop was available to process the same
amount of flow. Cavitation control was
often less than successful, and the continual need to replace damaged piping
components proved costly.
The cage-style valve delivered an
answer to this cavitation dilemma
with its specialized cages. For example, one cage design contains a multitude of highly engineered, shaped
holes that improves the flow performance. The holes are radially aligned
to flow cavitating jets of liquid to collide in the center of the flow stream,
thereby avoiding damage to valve and
pipe surfaces (Figure 3).
A more-extreme pressure-drop
cage trim is designed specifically for
liquid applications where pressure

drops are above 207 bars (3,000 psi)

and cavitation is a serious problem. It
stages the pressure drop across successively larger flow areas, such that
more than 90% of the overall pressure drop is taken in the first stages
where there is little danger of bubble
formation. Cavitation is completely
avoided, thus protecting the valve,
and providing an answer to the high
cost of valve trim replacement.
The evolution of the specialty, anticavitation trims has extended to services where the fluid may have entrained particulate matter that could
plug trim passages or cause erosion
damage to conventional anti-cavitation
trims. Used frequently in high pressure-drop applications up to 4,200 psid,
this trim design employs a combined
axial and radial flow path with large
openings that allow particulate matter
up to in. in diameter to pass through
the valve. Due to the need for tight
shutoff in many applications, its multistage design features a protected seat
where the shutoff function of the valve
is separate from the throttling areas of
the trim. All significant pressure drops
are taken downstream of the seating
surface, and the seating surfaces are
not worn away by throttling control
action. The result, once again, is that
replacement trim costs are avoided.
Continued product evolution of that
mid-60s valve innovation created answers to other long-standing control
valve problems.

Protecting your investment with

noise attenuation trim. Throughout the CPI, steam applications
with high pressures and large
pressure drops can be noise
generators that cause equipment damage and control
issues. Because it can affect
plant availability and profitability, control valve noise
is a concern shared by plant
operators and maintenance
personnel. Equally significant
is the fact that high noise levels
can cause health concerns for personnel whose workday keeps them on
the plant floor.
The prevalent noise source of aerodynamic flow is fluid turbulence within
the control valve body. Before cagestyle trim, noise control techniques
did not consider the reduction of flow
turbulence as an answer. Instead,
they centered on the use of acoustic
wrap on the valve and adjacent piping, which served only to mask the
noise. While this approach may have
been adequate in protecting personnel
who were working close to the valve,
the noise would reappear downstream
relatively unabated.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s,
studies focusing on the mechanisms
and abatement of control valve noise
led to the development of different
strategies to control fluid-generated
noise. Today, putting these strategies
to work are cage-style trims that utilize unique flow-passage shapes and
multi-stage pressure reduction capabilities not possible with previous
generation valve designs.
A principle noise-reduction strategy is to break the aerodynamic flow
stream into many small, parallel
flow passages that ensure exit jet
independence as flow exits the cage.
This technique reduces the power of
the noise source as it shifts the frequencies to a higher, more easily dissipated range. Up to 18 dB(A) of attenuation is typical.
Yet another cage architecture utilizes drilled hole technology to deliver

Feature Report
excellent noise reduction for a wide
range of vapor, gas and steam applications. Providing up to 30 dB(A) of attenuation, these cages also employ jet
independence and frequency shifting.
The design of this style flow cage gives
the added benefits of flexibility of size,
pressure class, materials of construction, rangeability and attenuation.
At the top of the noise attenuation
hierarchy is the laser-cut, stackeddisk cage assembly (Figure 4) that
provides up to 40 dB(A) attenuation in
even the most severe applications. It
employs unique passage shapes that
stage pressure reduction to reduce
acoustic efficiency and turbulence.
Utilizing the expanding area principle
to compensate for volumetric expansion of depressurizing gas, the velocity is managed through the valve. The
parallel flow passages ensure exit jet
independence, avoiding jet recombination and providing efficient coupling
into the valve body. This stacked-disk
cage design actually shifts the frequency spectrum, which reduces the
audible acoustic energy and strain
energy in piping. Combined with the
complementary body design of the
control valve, the solution prevents
impingement on the body wall and offers enough cavity size and shape to
control secondary noise sources.
Cavitation and noise control trims
are but two examples of how control
valve capabilities have evolved since
the 1960s globe-valve revolution.

Environmental challenges

Continued studies into the mechanisms of fluid flow brought answers

to other tough applications, such as
extreme high-pressure control and
related clearance flow problems. Cryogenic liquefied natural gas (LNG)
services needed answers on how to
ensure continued valve operation
and survival at temperatures down
to 321F (196C), and valve metallurgists helped provide those answers.
Environmental mandates required answers to valve-related fugitive emissions. Extended studies and evaluation
programs led to packing systems that
not only perform beyond minimum
requirements, but also ensure smooth
and continued valve operation.
While control valves have always

been essential to the CPI, today the

demands are different thanks to global
competition and continued pressure to
boost plant performance and improve
process reliability. As never before, the
control valve has a direct impact on a
facilitys operational excellence a
combination of profitability, plant efficiency, quality and safety putting it
at the top of the process engineers list
of critical control equipment.
Looking ahead, will there be another control-valve design revolution
to match that of the 1960s? The basic
concept of a globe valve with drop-in,
cage-style trim continues to provide
dependable process control over an
extreme range of applications. However, while change and development
of the globe-style control valve march
ahead at a slow and measured pace,
thats not the situation with valverelated instruments.

The digital valve controller

The introduction of the digital valve

controller some 15 years ago marked
a step-change in control valve operation and maintenance by enabling
functionality that goes far beyond
that of the traditional analog or pneumatic positioner.
Today, the role of the digital valve
controller is to ensure control valve
performance and reliability, first by accurately establishing and maintaining
a control valves operating position to
reduce process variability, and second
by diagnosing the operating health of
the assembly to allow predictive and
effective control-valve maintenance.
For example, the digital valve controller when interfaced with advanced asset-management applications provides a way to increase
plant reliability and productivity while
reducing costs. Diagnostic software
utilized with the controller serves as
a configuration, calibration and diagnostic tool. Of particular importance
is that the software provides feedback
regarding control valve operation, resulting in the identification of poorly
functioning valves that are impacting
process efficiency.
As an example, in one of many such
instances when valve diagnostic software was utilized to evaluate 188
valves at a major chemical plant in

Figure 4. The laser-cut, stacked-disk

cage design is a concept in multi-path,
multistage acoustic energy management that reduces valve-caused aerodynamic noise

Texas, only 14 of those valves actually

needed service. By evaluating, diagnosing and prioritizing control valves
for maintenance prior to a plant turnaround, the user realized substantial
cost savings.
This ability to analyze a control
valves operating condition, aptly
called performance diagnostics, enables performance monitoring of the
entire valve assembly (not just the
digital valve controller) while the
valve is actively controlling the process. Examples of identifiable issues
include the following:
Low air supply or pressure drop
Incorrect regulator setting
Dirty air supply
External air leak (actuator diaphragm or tubing)
Calibration shift
Valve stuck
Piston actuator O-ring failure
Excessive valve-assembly friction
Excessive valve-assembly deadband
Elastomer failure
Broken actuator spring
Performance diagnostics continuously analyze the valve assembly
and passively gather data without
disturbing or interrupting the control
valve while it is in the process. These
diagnostics may be used to help detect problems; and when identified,
the diagnostic provides a description
and severity of the problem, a probable cause and a recommended course
(or courses) of action.
Dynamic performance diagnostics
are run optimally as part of a plant
shutdown. These full-stroke tests vary
the digital valve-controller setpoint
and plot valve operation to provide
insight into the dynamic performance
of the valve/actuator assembly. Performed while the valve is isolated
from the process, the tests include
valve signature, dynamic error band,
step response and stroke check.

cal linkages inherently prone to

wear. A magnet array connected
to the valve stem slides through
a Hall-effect sensor in the digital
valve controller to detect valve
travel. The digital valve controller paired with this control valve
provides a local pushbutton for
calibration. This feature brings
the control valve into a new realm
of intuitive use for instrument
and control technicians.
The decision to design this
product may have been driven by
economics, but it was made possible by means of modern tools and
processes previously not available.
Tools such as computer aided
Figure 5. This compact chemical-service
design (CAD) software imcontrol valve is equipped with an integrated
proved the ability for foundries to
digital valve controller that features non-conmake consistent patterns to captact, linkage-less technology
ture the design intent. Today, patSince a process control plant, regard- terns are made directly from 3D modless of industry, makes money based els to ensure accuracy. Finite element
on its ability to minimize variability analysis (FEA) is used to calculate
and maximize availability, the digital stresses to optimize casting weight.
valve controller becomes an essential Fluid dynamic modeling is used to
control valve component thanks to its analyze flow geometry for an optimal
ability to maintain control valve posi- performing design. Manufacturing
tion, provide assembly diagnoses and processes also evolved to a new level of
efficiency. Not only are the tools careenable predictive maintenance.
fully defined for each step of assembly, but also the process in which the
The digitally integrated valve
While keeping up with the latest re- product is tested throughout assembly,
vision of our consumer electronics, both improve the overall quality. Anour culture has grown accustomed other level of precision and quality is
to products that are intuitive. These achieved by using the lost wax-casting
products allow us to do our jobs faster, process to achieve design goals. These
more efficiently and most often with modern processes finally provided the
fewer resources. A recent innova- means to execute the ideal controltion was the design of the digitally valve design for CPI users smaller,
integrated control valve (Figure 5). lighter and less expensive.
The valve, actuator and digital valve
controller were designed together, Wireless valve control
providing optimized performance Wireless technology in process control
and using the theoretical minimum is becoming a game-changer. It lowof parts needed. Alloy constructions ers implementation costs, creates new
became much more affordable to the approaches to valve monitoring and
CPI user than previous valve designs, control strategy, and expands access
including the 1960s cage-style design. to areas within the plant that were
Reliability and maintenance were im- previously out of reasonable reach.
While the simplicity and economic
proved and, of course, the cost to the
advantages of wireless are changuser reduced yet again.
This concept offered a tidy and com- ing new-project and new-installation
pact solution, having eliminated ex- wiring practices, the largest target of
ternal tubing and reducing the overall opportunity lies with valves that are
envelope dimensions. Now the digital already installed. Plants that implevalve controller could sense the valve ment wireless feedback gain the comstem position without using mechani- petitive advantages of reduced operat-

ing costs, improved product quality,

greater product throughput and increased levels of worker safety.
Available today are smart wireless
adapters for use on digital valve controllers that utilize the HART communications protocol. The adapter
provides an easy way to access otherwise stranded valve diagnostics. The
wireless adapter also can be used to
pass along important valve operating
and maintenance information, including valve friction, pneumatic leaks (air
mass-flow test), and instrument problems (I/P [going from an electric signal
to a pneumatic signal] and relay integrity test), that can be viewed and analyzed to improve process performance.
Wireless valve monitoring is available today. Wireless valve control is
not. Yet many plant operations are
embracing todays position monitoring and looking toward wireless valve
automation and control in the near
future. Designers of control strategies will take increasing advantage of
wireless instrumentation to expand
the reach of automated valve control
as well as gain increased valve-health
awareness. The digital communication link with globe valves has decreased the cost of commissioning
thanks to auto-tune and auto-calibrate features.
The possibility of wireless control
will greatly reduce commissioning
cost. Performance diagnostics improve the reliability of globe valves
by communicating impending problems so that repair can be planned
and executed prior to an unplanned
outage. Once again, the driving force
of globe valve evolution is economics,
reducing the total cost of ownership.
This, in all likelihood, is the next control valve revolution.

Edited by Dorothy Lozowski

Author
Emily Hoop is the marketing manager for sliding
stem control valves with
Emerson Process Management, Fisher Business Unit
(301 South 1st Ave., Marshalltown, IA, 50158; Email:
Emily.hoop@emerson.com;
Phone: 641-754-3750). She
has been with Emerson for
9 years. Hoop started her
career in sales engineering
and worked in both the chemical and refining
industries. She received a B.S. in mechanical
engineering from Iowa State University of Science and Technology.

Posted with permission from the August 2012 issue of Chemical Engineering www.che.com. Copyright 2012, Access Intelligence, Inc. All rights reserved.
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