VALVES PARTS

Valves are made by assemblying different parts. The main parts of a valve are:

VALVE BODY

The body is a key part of any valve: it contains the other critical components and it
has to withstand pressure loads from the connected piping system. Valve are joined to
other piping components by different connections as, for instance, butt weld or socket
weld, threaded or flanged types. The body can be manufactured out of cast steel or
forged steel in a variety of shapes, designs and material grades. The most common
grades are high temperature carbon steel, low temperature carbon steel and austenitic
stainless steel (SS304, SS316, SS321, etc). For specific applications, special material
grades with stronger corrosion resistance are used, such as superaustenitic stainless
steels (SMO 254), duplex and super duplex steels, and nickel alloys (inconel, incoloy,
hastalloy). For marine applications, non ferrous materials or alloys are used (monel,
cupronickel, aluminum bronze). Iron bodies are used in less critical applications as
water distribution systems.

VALVE BONNET

The bonnet is an another important part of most valves. When dismantled from the
body, it allows the access to the internal components of the valve to execute
maintenance activities or replacement of parts (such as the disc, seat, stem,
etc). Valve bonnets are available in many designs and models (the most typical are:
bolted, round bolted, welded, pressure seal) and are manufactured in cast steel or
forged steel (generally using the same material grade of the body). The bonnet is
connected with the body by a threaded, bolted, or welded joint connections – and
gaskets are used in between the body and the bonnet. Manufacturers strive to optimize
the design of this part (to reduce the overall dimension of the device and to ensure that
the connection is tight and leakage-proof).
VALVE TRIM

The valve trim is a collective name for all the internal parts of the valve that can be
removed and replaced and that have a direct contact with the fluid flowing through the
pipeline. Typically, the trim includes components as the disc, the seat, the stem, the
glands, the bushings and the sleeves needed to guide the stem (but the specific
elements that constitute the trim of a valve depends on the valve type). The trim is a
fundamental component of the performance and the operation of the valve and the
trim materials combination shall be choosen with care. The most used trim
combinations for gate, globe and check valves are defined by the API trim chart.

VALVE DISC

The disc is the part of the valve that opens, closes or modulate the flow of the fluid
within the pipeline, depending on its relative position to the seat. In the case of a gate
valve, the gate (wedge) is the disc of the valve (whereas the disc is called "ball" for
ball valves).

After the body and the bonnet, the disc is the third most important element that
determines the performance of the valve and its tight seal. Discs are generally
manufactured in forged steel and are often reinforced (hard faced) to enhance the
mechanical properties of the base material.

VALVE SEATS

Seats accommodate the movements of the disc, and valves may have one or multiple
seats. Globe or a swing-check valve are fitted with one seat that, in connection with
the disc, creates the seal that interrupts the flow of the fluid. Gate valves have instead
two seats, one on the upper side and the other on the lower side of the valve. Seats are
often hard-faced. A proper finish of the seats is required to ensure a good seal when
the valve is in the closed position
VALVE STEM

The stem of a valve is used to maneuver the valve (open / close) because it moves the
disc inside the valve. The stem is linked to the valve actuator or to the manual hand
wheel (or lever) at one end, and is connected to the valve disc on the other end. In the
case of gate and globe valves, the stem exercises a linear motion on the disc, whereas
for ball, butterfly and plug valves the disc rotates to open or close the valve (therefore
such valves are called "quarter turn valves"). Stems are made of forged steel and are
connected to the disc by threading or other means. To prevent the leakages of the
valve, a proper finish of the stem surface is necessary.

There are five types of valve stems:

 Rotary Stem: This is a standard type for ball, plug, and butterfly valves. A quarter-
turn motion of the stem opens or closes the valve.
 Sliding Stem: In this case the stem does not execute any rotation. The stem slides in
and out the valve to open or close it. This design is common in hand-operated lever
rapid opening valves. It is also used in control valves are operated by hydraulic or
pneumatic cylinders.
 Rising type with outside screw and yoke (“OS&Y”): the external side of the stem is
threaded while the part of the stem which is inside the valve is plain. The threads of
the stem are isolated from the medium by the packing. Two alternative designs are
available. The "OS&Y" design is common for valves above 2".
 Rising type with an inside screw (“IS&Y”): The threaded part of the stem is
positioned inside the valve body, whereas the stem packing lays outside. With this
design, the stem threads are in touch with the medium flowing through the pipeline.
Once rotated, the stem and the hand wheel rise together and open the valve.
 Non-rising stem type with inside screw: The threaded part of the stem is inside the
valve and does not rise. The valve disc floats on the stem, like a nut if the stem is
rotated. Stem threads are in contact with the media of the pipeline, and as such,
may be exposed to its corrosive impact. This is the reason why such design is used
when the available space to position the valve is too narrow to permit linear
movement, and the media does not cause erosion, corrosion or abrasion of the stem
material.
VALVE PACKING

The gasket that seals the stem with the bonnet is called packing, and comprises the
following components:

 Gland follower, which is a sleeve that compresses the packing, by a gland into the
stuffing box.
 Gland, a type of bushing, which compresses the packing into the stuffing box.
 Stuffing box, a chamber in which the packing gets compressed.
 Packing, available in different materials, like PTFE, elastomers, fibrous material, etc.
 A backseat is a seating inside the bonnet. The backseat provides a seal between the
stem and bonnet and prevents system pressure from building against the valve
packing once the valve is fully open. Back seats are often used in gate and globe
valves.
 The valve packaging shall be properly designed and manufacture to minimize the
possible damages to the stem and minimize the risk of leakages of fluids. On the
other hand, it is necessary to observe that a too tight packing may affect the stem.
 Types of valves

Ball Valve

Long life and safe operation in tough services, from cryogens to highly corrosive
fluids — these are the hallmarks of our comprehensive and respected ball valve
portfolio. Maximum safety and environmental protection are the driving factors in
every design, achieved through corrosion-resistant materials, fire-safe testing,
blowout-proof stems and tight shut-off features. Global customers can fulfill
requirements from dozens of configurations built to a full range of international
design and performance standards.

Gate Valves

Reliable, tight shutoff and low-pressure drop operation characterize the Flowserve
range of gate valves. Flexible wedge, split wedge, slab gate and double-disk
configurations cover a range of requirements to meet any user need, from general
service to severe conditions with gross thermal transients or dual-phase fluids. Plant
personnel are kept safe through the application of fast-acting valves manufactured to
ASME Section III and RCC-M design codes.

Globe Valves

Maintaining a safe plant environment and extending service life — that’s what’s
engineered into every Flowserve globe valve. Whether it’s fail-safe response in
nuclear plants, reliable performance in high-temperature/pressure boiler plant
services, or regulating steam and condensate, every Flowserve globe valve
incorporates special features to maximize performance. Optimized flow passages and
smooth transitions reduce pressure drop and destructive turbulence.
Butterfly Valves

Ideal for precision throttling and on-off applications, especially in lighter-weight

piping systems, the Flowserve family of butterfly valves is often specified for its
versatility. Outstanding throttling accuracy for process control is achieved through
low-friction, erosion resistant sealing surfaces with very low operating torques. A
broad range of applications can be met via metal- and soft-seated designs as well as
lined versions for corrosive and hygienic applications.

Check Valves

Leak-free, tight sealing, protection against reverse flow and minimal flow direction
changes are at the core of Flowserve check valve designs. A broad range of
configurations that includes piston, tilting disc, spring-loaded disc and dual-plate
models meets the critical, high-temperature/pressure demands of the world’s major
industries. Customers can carefully match application requirements through myriad
valve body, seat and disc options.

Plug Valves

The range of plug valve applications is broad, and the Flowserve portfolio reliably
addresses the vast majority of requirements. High temperatures and pressures.
Corrosive media. Lethal, toxic and sub-zero fluids. Our family of plug valves delivers
low energy consumption through low-torque designs and safe operation with tight
shutoff performance. High levels of uptime are achieved through pressure-balanced
designs. Absolute shutoff requirements can be addressed by double-isolation models.