Modification and Analysis of Globe Valve Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to determine and analyze the flow characteristic through CFD for
Globe valve and to decrease losses inside the present valve and increase mass flow rate. To
this aim, the flow path inside the valve is modeled and flow is analyzed to determine the flow
characteristic which is quite accurate and reliable. The analysis results thus obtained could
be used design the shape of the physical path of flow, which could improve the flow
characteristic and optimize the valve design. A control valve could also be outlined as a valve
with a battery-powered mechanism that responds to associate degree external. In addition to
dominant the flow, a control valve may be used to shut off flow. A control valve may be
defined as a valve with a powered actuator that responds to an external signal. Valves are
used in the pipeline for isolating and controlling the flow. Selection of these valves for a
particular application is based on the flow performance or characteristics and maximum flow
capacity at specific operating conditions. It is very common to express flow capacity in terms
of flow coefficient (Kv). A piping engineer would select the type of valve and determine the
size based on the Kv value to meet the flow and pressure drop characteristics of the valve.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools are evaluated for use in industrial design
applications by predicting primary control valve performance characteristics. The
performance parameter of primary interest to the manufacturer is that the flow coefficient
Kv. In the present study, CFD analysis of a specific SPIRAX-TROL fully opened globe Valve
LE 31 DN50 design has been carried out to understand its performance and reliability during
the high pressure flow of steam. The control valve mass flow rate or Kv was experimentally
measured and numerically predicted. The equal percentage (E) Globe valve was represented
in the study. The numerical (simulation) study presented in this showed that the valve Kv and
the inherent valve characteristic could be accurately predicted using symmetric flow model.
In addition, the study demonstrates the usefulness of simplified CFD analysis for relatively
complex 3-D flows. The analyses have been performed by applying the commercial
computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, CFX, to obtain the solution of the flow field
through a globe valve.