How Fast Can a 16-Inch Butterfly Valve Actuate?

[ENRG]

Hello; just need approximations here. 16 inch buttterfly valve with separate environments on each side. side one: clear water at about 8psi; side two: air at about 33 psi; Consider both pneumatic and electric actuatiion under ideal conditions.What is the approximate fastest time to open and the fastest time to close? We are looking at quarter turn.

 

[Travis_King]

That depends on the actuator and valve/actuator construction. Get the spec sheet.

 

[ENRG]

OK Thanks; I know this is a wide open question; first give me a good source online to help me get approximations; second, based on your knowledge of valves in general and more specifically actuators can I get an opening time within the 1 to 3 second range?

 

[Travis_King]

The manufacturer. Do you have a specific valve in mind? There are different types of actuators that can be used. On a 16in line, the actuator performances will vary greatly depending on loads. You can open a valve as quickly or slowly as you'd like, but it may not be reccommended.

When you say quarter turn you mean fully open, yes? Just wanted to make sure you mean that and not 25% "open".

Do a search, there are tons of vendors with different designs and different types of actuation. Contact vendors and ask them questions directly. There is no "average" time to open. Though I imagine on a 16 inch 150lb valve 3 seconds is pretty quick. Vendors will be your best bet.

 

[Q_Goest]

Yes, butterfly valves can be made to open/close in something like 1 second or less even up to sizes in excess of 16" and pressures in excess of 1000 psi. These are always pneumatically actuated, not electrically though I don't know why they couldn't be in principal. In our industry, they're generally referred to as "slam valves", but they are simply butterfly valves made to open/close very quickly as a safeguard for equipment primarily. Jamesbury (Metso) makes these as do others.

http://www.jamesbury.com/public/brands/defaultframe.asp?type=Jamesbury