Understanding Cavitation in Control Valves and How to Mitigate It

Understanding Cavitation in Control Valves

Cavitation of control valves is one of the most typical problems to occur in industry since it deteriorates performance and life span of equipment. When fluid moves at high velocity through a control valve, the pressure declines and small bubbles of vapor are created. When they arrive at areas of increased pressure, the bubbles implode with force and intensity which in turn lead to shock waves that are capable of wearing away at a valve over time. This not only makes operation of the control valve less efficient, but can also result in increased maintenance expense and down time if not dealt with quickly and efficiently

Best Solutions for Avoiding Cavitation Damage in Control Valves

There are a few ways to avoid cavitation in control valves. For example, it is known to lower the resistance of a valve by increasing the flow capacity, inlet-open or outlet-closed area of a control valve when selecting a control valve, and also changes the system operation condition into that more favorable for control. Also that can reduce the cavitation, is to install a regulator or use a pressure-reducing valve upstream of the valve in order to keep the control gate inlet pressure under control. Preventive maintenance and diagnostic checks of control valves are also important in identifying cavitation problems before they become severe

Optimizing Control Valve Performance with Cavitation Control

Conversely, by controlling cavitation in control valves, industries may not only extend the life of their equipment, but also improve performance and reduce operating costs. The control valves should be maintained properly, and therefore make maintenance schedules, check it periodically regularly, use high-quality materials can help the control valve to operate at optimum performance levels. Furthermore, advanced technologies like computational fluid dynamics simulations can enable engineers to study and optimize control valve designs so that cavitation will be minimal, while the other performance aspects are optimized

2.1 Fundamental Methods for Minimization of Cavitation in Industrial Systems

In industrial practices with cavitation potential, it is important to adopt cavitation control techniques for protection of the equipment and smooth operations. One of the key approaches is to adopt a precise prediction for the cavitation index and make halting early interventions to curtail control valve cavitation. Moreover, the flow rate, temperature and pressure of fluid through the control valve can be modified to minimize the risk that cavitation might occur. 

Control Valve Performance Improved by Cavitation Minimization

At Xiangjing, maximizing control valve performance is achieved by reducing cavitation as much as possible through correct design, maintenance and operation. Properly selecting type, size and material of control valves can minimize the risk of cavitation and enhance performance. Periodic monitoring of control valves for wear, erosion and corrosion also can reveal early signs of cavitation damage that can be corrected before becoming a major problem