Non Return Valves

A valve is a mechanical device that performs an action that has an effect on flow stream.
The three main types of valves are block valves, throttling valves and non- return valves.
Non-return valves control fluid characteristics in volume or section of piping. Their main
function is to prevent return flow in a line, prevent flow in one line from entering another,
prevent over-pressuring of low pressure components and avoid damage to equipment.
Non return valves are inherently different from other types of valves in that no outside
intervention is required for it to perform its function. Most rotating machinery is intended
to rotate in only one direction to enable fluid flow. It is undesirable to have backward
flow of fluids as this is usually damaging. Thus there has to be a mechanism in place to
check such a flow. Check valves are used to prevent such a flow.
The types of non return valves are:
Swing Check Valve
They are generically known as Non Return Valves and are intended for the control of
fluid flow and function to prevent the fluid from returning in the direction it has entered.
It has the ability to open freely when the fluid pushes against it. The door or the disc
opens wide in one direction and swings until it hits the seat of the other. It has flanges or
other standard end connections and a removable cover. There is no stem or any other
mechanism to apply force or torque from outside. The disc is attached to a swing arm or
lever that is mounted on a bearing shaft. The arm pivots freely around the shaft and the
fluid swings the disc open or close.

Swing check valve

The seat of the swing check valve is inclined such that the disc travels about 60 from the
fully closed state to the fully opened state. This is because when the valve is installed in
the horizontal line, the weight of the disc exerts some force tending to hold it against the
seat. In a vertical line with the disc wide open, the disc has to remain unbalanced i.e.

there should be some force of gravity acting on the disc to tend to close it when the fluid
flow stops.
The disadvantages of this kind of valve include:
Many check valves close dependably enough but in the closed position they are
not really closed tight. There is a possibility of fluid getting around the check
valve disc.
The check valve merely slows down the fluid flow in the reverse direction and
cuts the mass flow rate down to 1%-5% in the backward flow direction. In most
cases a much better shut off rate is required.
The swing check valve is fairly common in Stainless Steel and Bronze bodies, since
corrosion of the swing arm and the pivot is not likely. Small carbon steel valves are also
used in some other applications.
Indian Manufacturers:
Libra Engineering Works
Atam Valves Pvt. Ltd.
Supremo Line & Control
International Manufacturers:
Shangdong Sound Metals and Machinery Inc
Xiamen Landee Industries Co. Ltd.
Tilting Disc Check Valve
The tilting disc is the closest relative of the swing check valve. It moves in the same way
as the swing except that the pivot arm runs right through the disc instead of being above
the disc. The overall motion of the disc is less and the motion is more rotational than
translational. The centre of mass of the disc is much closer to the pivot point and is
located even closer to the pivot point than the centre of opening forces. Thus the tilting
disc opens more easily with less resistance to flow and less pressure loss than the swing
check valve.

Tilting disc check valve

It closes more gently than the swing check valve. It could also be designed to close very
fast since the relative positions of centre of mass and centre of force can be varied. The
high closing forces are a problem with large masses of water as well as with high velocity
vapour flows subjected to sudden fluctuations, such as in compressor discharges. Here
the valve is normally configured to respond fairly slowly to the changes in flow rate
thereby reducing the tendency of slamming which is highly destructive to the valve as
well as the piping system subjected to such loads. Disadvantage of this kind of valve is
that it cannot be repaired in the line as it is not built in with a cap.
It is a rather specialized valve used in industries in applications where its closer
characteristics are needed. Most commonly used in water lines such as industrial cooling
water or municipal water as pump discharge check valve.
The valve is generally made in cast iron or steel.
Indian Manufacturers:
Accutech Cnc Products
Creative Engineers
Bajaj Engineering Works
Ridon Auto Parts Co.
International Manufacturers:
Beijing New Environment Base Inc.
AV Langfang Electronic Machinery Co. Ltd.

Lift Check Valve

The Lift Check Valve operates in an entirely different principle from the swing and tilting
disc check valves. As the name implies it lifts when fluid pushes on it from below. Since
the disc moves up and down it is also known as the piston check valve.

Piston lift check valve

The piston moves up and down freely, however a guide is required to aid its movement.
This guide consists of an internal guide attached to the cap inside the piston. In order to
help operate the valve better a spring is sometimes installed above the piston pushing on
the underside of the cap. This improves the operability of the valve as it helps overcome
any tendency of sticking in the open position and also helps close the valve more tightly.
This leads to higher differential pressure in the valve but this differential pressure is of
the order of a fraction of a psi, and generally not significant. A spring loaded valve closes
better in an off-vertical position, but still cannot be expected to close reliably in a vertical
line.
The small size of this valve makes it cheaper than the others. A disadvantage of the valve
is that, due to the double 90 change in flow direction, there is a higher pressure drop.
It is the most common type of valve available in any material from Brass to High Alloy in
almost any rating and type of end connection.
Indian Manufacturers:
Psn International
Arem Engineers
Sahajanand Sales Corporation
Precision Polymer Products
Jolly Overseas Pvt. Ltd.

International Manufacturers:
Zhejiang Kelit Valve Co. Ltd.
T & A Valve Industries, Inc. - Brooklyn, NY
Superior Valve Co. - Houston, TX
Y-Pattern Piston Check Valve
In this valve the piston and the spring area are in exactly the same orientation regardless
of orientation of the end connections. They are larger than the lift check valves.
Advantages of this valve are that it operates in a vertical line just as well as it does in a
horizontal line. They have a straighter flow path and correspondingly a lower pressure
drop than straight lift check valves.

Y-Pattern spring loaded piston check valve

They are used for specialised purposes, one of the applications is for pulsating flow
where pressure and volume surges in a line as from a piston pump would cause some
other kinds of check valves to bang open and close with each cycle. They are also used
under high pressure conditions and smaller sizes.
Ball-Type Lift Check Valves
It is a variation of the lift check valve, the only difference between the two is that the
piston is replaced with a spherical ball, typically a ball bearing. It takes a slightly
different guiding system than the piston and does not need to be vented because it does
not totally block in the volume in the top of the block.

Ball-type check valve for installation in a horizontal line

It is possible to use a spring to aid in seating. They can specially be designed to be used
in vertical lines with a slightly modified body construction. The flow around the ball and
out through the top of the valve is easy to accomplish. These modified valves require a
union joint in the middle for disassembly since there cannot be a cap and can be installed
only where the flow is vertically up since gravity is the closing mechanism.
Ball check valves have more internal clearings than the piston and when the fluid is
viscous it does not gum up as easily. Since the ball falls back on the seat in a different
orientation each time, it wears better in high cycling services (pulsating flow).

Ball check valve for installation in vertical flow line

International Manufacturers:
Parker Hannifin Instrumentation Products Div USA - Huntsville, AL
The Specialty Mfg. Co. (SMC) - Saint Paul, MN
Check All Valve Manufacturing Co. - West Des Moines, IA
Ausco. Inc. - Port Washington, NY
Kepner Products Co. - Villa Park, IL
Split Disc Check Valve
It is also known as Double Door or Wafer Check Valve. It consists of two discs each in
the shape of a half circle hinged on the straight side i.e. the vertical centre line of the
valve such that the two discs open towards each other. These discs are spring loaded and
hence gravity is not required for the valves to operate. The fluid force required to open
the valve is less than that required for a swing check valve since each door has less than
half as far to travel as in a swing check valve. The fluid does not need to lift against
gravity. Since the parts are physically smaller it is practical to install them in a wafer type
body which significantly decreases the mass of the entire valve and hence its cost.
Pressure drop in these is less than that in swing check valves. It is available in almost all
materials and because of its small body mass its High Alloy construction cost is
significantly less than that of an equivalent swing check valve. It has an economic
advantage in large sizes. The springs are available in a number of materials, some of
which make better springs than others. Inconel, Inconel-X, some other variations of
Nickel-Chrome-Iron alloy are the most common materials as they have both good
springiness and high corrosion resistance. Springs are available out of other corrosion
resistant materials and high temperature alloys which have better temperature resistance
than valve bodies.
Its disadvantage is that the springs can break and go downstream which can render the
valve non-functional and can damage the downstream piece of machinery.

Split disc check valve.

Indian Manufacturers:
Crawley & Ray (Founders & Engineers) Pvt. Ltd.
Sakthi Industries, Tamilnadu
Cosmic Equipments (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Gurukrupa Engineers, Ahmedabad
Kateel Engineering Industry Pvt. Ltd.
International Manufacturers:
Check-All Manufacturing Company - W. Des Moines, IA
Milwaukee Valve Company New Berlin, WI
Warren Alloy Houston, TX
Cyclonic Valve Company Broken Arrow, OK

Centered Spring Check Valve

It works similar to a lift check valve, in that the disc moves directly into the flow. This
movement is accomplished by having a centering device suspended form the sides of the
valve downstream of the seat holding a short stem or guide that is attached to or part of
the disc. The force that moves the disc into the seat is given by a spring that wraps around
this guide and pushes against it. The significance of this design is that the spring flow
directly opposes the flow of flowing liquid. As the liquid flow slows the spring begins to
push the disc closed. When the low stops completely the disc seats until pressure
difference is enough to lift the disc back off the seat.
As the valve seats gently less wear occurs and the valve lasts longer. There is also less
closure noise. In many cases the centered spring check is built as a wafer type often in
Iron with Bronze trim for water services.
It is used as a standard type of check valve in building service piping. Its most significant
use is in the prevention of water hammer.

Centered spring check valve

International Manufacturers:
Taizhou Jiangshi Valve Co. Ltd.
Vincent International Trading Company
References:
Valve Selection and Specification Guide; Ronald C. Merrick; Van Nostrand Reinhold
The Design of Valves and Fittings; G. H. Pearson; Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd.