Leading Butterfly Valve Manufacturers

Butterfly valves belong to the quarter valves category. Quarter valves include the type of valves which can be opened or shut close by turning the stem of the valve by a quarter. In butterfly valves there is a disc attached to a rod. When the rod is turned it rotates the disc by a quarter such that the disc falls perpendicular to the flow and stops it. And to restore the flow, the rod rotates the disc back to the original position i.e. away from the flow. Read More…

Butterfly Valves Butterfly valves belong to the quarter valves category. Quarter valves include the type of valves which can be opened or shut close by turning the stem of the valve by a quarter. In butterfly valves there is a disc attached to a rod. When the rod is turned it rotates the disc by a quarter such that the disc falls perpendicular to the flow and stops it. And to restore the flow, the rod rotates the disc back to the original position i.e. away from the flow.

Butterfly Valves & Controls, Inc. has been a premier supplier of quality butterfly control valves and other related industrial components for 25 years. We carry only the best parts sourced from world-class butterfly valve manufacturers. Extended service life and safe operation are at the core of every valve manufactured/assembled. Our catalog includes a large selection of valves, actuators,...

Butterfly Valves & Controls, Inc. $$$

MDC Vacuum Products manufactures vacuum components. Our butterfly valves are low outgassing. The Del-Seal™ mini butterfly valves have a stainless steel internal surface, aluminum handle, metal seal or elastomer O-ring seal flange. Our Kwik-Flange butterfly valves are ISO KF flanges. Seal kits are available.

MDC Vacuum Products, LLC $$$

Nor-Cal Products is a leading distributor and manufacturer of isolation and throttling butterfly valves. Products and components are used for semiconductor, research and thin film deposition applications, as well as many others. We have earned worldwide recognition for our quality stainless steel butterfly valves.

Nor-Cal Products, Inc. $$$

DynaQuip Controls has been committed to producing excellent products for more than 40 years. We provide both automatic and manual ball valves. Some of our ball valve products include stainless steel ball valves, brass ball valves, high pressure, 2 and 3 way ball valves, screwed-body and mini valves.

DynaQuip Controls $$$
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Butterfly valves are a popular choice because these are easy to install, very inexpensive and are available in almost all sizes. These are usually used in regulation services and for on-off purposes.

Butterfly Valve Applications

Butterfly valves are important to processes and operations in many different industries. This is because of their range in size and their ability to control the flow of liquids, gases, and slurries. Not only can butterfly valves stop or start flow, but when partially opened, they can also limit or reduce flow as desired.

Customers from many industries purchase butterfly valves, including those in food processing (liquid), waterworks, irrigation, pipe fabrication, industrial manufacturing, heating systems, and chemical transport.

While there are many different possible applications for butterfly valves, some specific uses include vacuuming, petroleum recovering, compressed air services, air and water cooling, HVAC, slurry services, high pressure water services, high temperature water services, steam services, and fire protection.

Butterfly valves have vast usages because of the variety of designs and materials available. From plain water to abrasive liquids or slurries, these can be fitted in any of the pipelines. These are usually employed in

  • Slurries or sludges applications
  • Vacuum services
  • Steam services
  • Cooling water, air, or gas applications

History of Butterfly Valves

One of the first people to use the butterfly valve was Scottish engineer and chemist James Watt. Watt used them as an important hardware element in his steam engine designs in the late 1700s. People did not really begin using butterfly valves in earnest, though, until the 1870s, when engineers used them as a part of a device with which they controlled air and steam flow to fans and turbines.

As time went on, manufacturers were able to make butterfly valves that were smaller, lighter, more powerful, and more heat resistant. One of the most important changes for butterfly valves came after World War II, when engineers started manufacturing them with seal accessories. These seals were made from synthetic rubbers. With them, butterfly valves became suitable for a much wider range of applications.

Then, in 1969, an American named James E. Hemphill received a patent for an updated butterfly valve design. His design allowed operators to reduce the amount of hydrodynamic torque they used to shift the valve output.

Then, in 1969, an American named James E. Hemphill received a patent for an updated butterfly valve design. His design allowed operators to reduce the amount of hydrodynamic torque they used to shift the valve output.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Butterfly Valves

Butterfly valves offer many advantages to their users. First, they feature a compact design. Because of this compact design, they require less space to work than many other valves. Second, butterfly valves are fairly low maintenance. Next, they provide high quality flow blocking. Likewise, they do not leak, yet they are easy to open when you need to. Another advantage of butterfly valves is the fact that they are inexpensive.

Advantages of Butterfly Valves

  1. Due to their small size and compact designs, these are very inexpensive to install.
  2. These cover very little space as compared to other valves.
  3. The automatic actuation makes it quick and more efficient than other valves.
  4. It needs less maintenance due to multiple disc designs and fewer moving parts, which considerably minimize the weathering.
  5. Different seating materials make it easier to use in all types of environments, even the abrasive ones too.
  6. Butterfly valves need less material, are easier to design and manufacture, and are often the more cost-effective option when compared to other valve types.
  7. Butterfly valves can be used for a variety of applications, including underground installation.

Disadvantages of Butterfly Valves

It is true that the disadvantages of butterfly valves outweigh its pros. But still there are a few things to keep in mind before using these valves.

  1. Even when completely opened, a small area of the disc is always in the way of the flowing material. This could both affect the movement of placement of the disc and the pressure switch in the pipeline.
  2. The sealing function is not as great as some other valves offer.
  3. Throttling applies only to services with a low pressure difference.
  4. There is always a risk of choked flow or cavitation with butterfly valves.

Design of Butterfly Valves

Valve Materials

Manufacturers generally use plastic, stainless steel, or cast iron when creating butterfly valves. They occasionally also use aluminum. Different materials and standards of performance are expected for different applications.

Of the three main materials used to create butterfly valves, plastic is the least common. While it is cost-effective, it can’t withstand harsh chemicals or high pressures.

Stainless steel is more durable than other metals (including untreated steel) and it can easily be cleaned in applications where sanitation is a concern. For the most heavy duty uses, cast iron is the material of choice. It’s strong and able to hold back high pressure for as long as necessary when the valve is shut.

Cast iron, ductile iron, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, and exotic metals can all be used to make the body of a butterfly valve.

Disc Materials include ductile iron, stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, epoxy coated, nickel plated, etc. Because the disc is directly in the fluid flow stream, it must be carefully chosen in terms of construction material so that it does not interact with the actual fluid flowing through the pipelines.

Butterfly Valve Construction

Butterfly valves have a few main features. These include the body, the disk, the stem, and the seat. They also feature an actuator, such as a lever. Operators can turn the valve actuator in order to change the disc position.

The body is installed between two pipe flanges. Of all the different valve body designs, the most common are lug and wafer.

The disc works like a gate in the gate valve, the plug in the plug valve, the ball in the ball valve, etc. When it rotates 90° to be parallel to the fluid flow, the disc is in an open position. In this position, the disc will permit all fluids to pass. When it rotates again, the disc enters a closed position and blocks fluid flow. Based on disc orientation and design, manufacturers can manipulate operating torque, sealing, and/or flow.

The stem is a sort of shaft. It may be one piece or two pieces. If the latter, it’s called a split stem.

The seat is connected to the body via pressing, bonding, or a locking mechanism. Manufacturers usually make the seat from a polymer or elastomer. The goal of the seat is to provide the valve with shut-off. That is why the value of turning force that a butterfly valve requires to close is called "seating torque," and the turning force that a butterfly valve requires to rotate its closure element is called "unseating torque."

The actuators can either be mechanical or automatic to regulate the flow through the pipeline by dislocating the disc. While closed, the disc covers the valve perforation and the fluid is always touching it. It creates a drop in pressure. To switch the disc’s position so that it gives way to the fluid to flow, one needs to turn the rod by a quarter turn.

Types of Butterfly Valves

There are several types and series of butterfly valves, each with a unique purpose. These include high performance butterfly valves, pneumatic butterfly valves, butterfly valves with multiple shut-off points, triple offset butterfly valves, flanged butterfly valves, wafer style butterfly valves, lug butterfly valves, traditional butterfly valves, electric butterfly valves, AWWA certified butterfly valves, plastic butterfly valves, stainless steel butterfly valves, and aluminum butterfly valves.

Pneumatic butterfly valves, on the other hand, are optimal for pressurized air systems that operate at a much lower pressure.

Butterfly valves with multiple shut-off points are perfect for more complex systems.

Triple Offset Butterfly Valves

Triple offset butterfly valves provide a tighter seal because they are mounted in three positions. At each position, they seal the pipe so that it will not leak.

Traditional Butterfly Valves

Traditional butterfly valves have a manually operated control lever.

Electric Butterfly Valves

Electric butterfly valves work using electronic controls, such as direct mount electric actuators. They are ideal for automated systems.

AWWA Certified Butterfly Valves

AWWA certified butterfly valves meet all of the safety and efficiency standards of the American Water Works Association. They are made from cast iron or ductile iron, with a rubber or stainless-steel seat. Most often, people use this valve type to move potable water, which is why they must meet standards for human consumption.

Plastic Valves

Plastic valves are simply discs composed of thermoplastic materials molded into one piece. Plastic valves offer the advantages of high flexibility and low cost. They are not, however, as thermally stable or pressure resistant as metal valves.

Stainless Steel Butterfly Valves

Stainless steel butterfly valves are used in applications where resistance to corrosion and oxidation is important for consistent performance. Stainless steel is not only corrosion resistant and oxidation resistant, but also easy to clean and sanitize. Unlike many butterfly valve types, stainless steel butterfly valves can be used in food and medical applications.

Aluminum Butterfly Valves

Aluminum butterfly valves are a less common type of butterfly valve. Customers value aluminum butterfly valves because they are strong and exceptionally lightweight. They have a big disadvantage, though, which is that they are not corrosion resistant.

High Performance Butterfly Valves

High performance butterfly valves are used to control the flow in systems with extremely high pressure or high stakes. Examples of such systems include those that carry chemicals, slurries, and hazardous gases. Usually, high performance butterfly valves manifest as double offset valves.

Wafer End Type

Wafer end butterfly valves usually have four holes. These holes are supposed to line up with the connected pipe. This type of valve is usually placed between two flanges in the pipe to clamp. These are installed effortlessly but are not ideal to use at the pipeline ends.

Wafer style butterfly valves are installed in between two flanges with nuts and bolts. They are held in place by the pressure put on them by the nuts on the backside of the flanges. Wafer butterfly valves are one of the most common types of butterfly valve products.

Lug End Type

The lug body has projecting lugs around the perimeter that allow a passage to bolt holes, same as through flanges. End-of-line service is possible with lug-style butterfly valves, although a blind flange is always suggested.

Lug butterfly valves are butterfly valves that feature threaded metal inserts located inside bolt holes. With these inserts, users can install bolts without nuts. The main application of lug style butterfly valves is connecting and disconnecting piping systems from one side without distributing the other side of the system.

Flanged End Type

The body of this type of valve consists of flanges that are compatible with the pipe flanges. These are easier to install or remove because they are simply bolted with the pipe flanges.

Flanged valves are a version of the butterfly valve that uses a different method of pipe connection. Flanged butterfly valves have raised, or winged, edges in the enclosure so that they can be bolted in between two pipes.

Butt Welded End Type

The angled ends of the pipe and the straight end of the valve are welded together to form a butt-weld connection. These are appropriate to use in high pressure environments as direct welding secures the connection.

Manual Actuated Butterfly Valve

Manually actuated butterfly valves involve human input to operate. That is why they are very cheap. Manually actuated butterfly valves are further divided into two types depending on the manual actuator used:

Automatic Butterfly Valve

These types of butterfly valves are actuated automatically and can be managed from afar. Since these do not require human interaction for normal working these can manage the efficient working of larger valves in less time. These usually come with a fail-safe option and can be managed manually in such cases. Three types of automatic actuators include

Concentric Butterfly Valves

In this type of disc design, the stem goes through the center of the disc. Some sections of the disc are always in contact with or scraping the seat when it opens or closes. As a result of this configuration, the seat will be subjected to friction each time the valve is used. Concentric butterfly valves are the most basic type design and are used for low pressure environments.

Eccentric Valves

In eccentric valves, the shaft of the valve passes behind the disc instead of going through its centerline. Which means the shaft is located opposite to the flow. This configuration of shaft to disc is the basis of three different types of eccentric butterfly valves.

  • Single offset valves are the ones in which the shaft is offset from just the body centerline. This helps reduce the wear and tear of the seal as it minimizes the contact of the disc with the seal prior to closure.
  • Double offset valves have the shaft offset not only from the body center line but also from pipe centerline. This additional offset ensures that the disc will only rub against the seal slightly i.e. to about one to three degrees.
  • Triple offset butterfly valves have another offset when compared to double offset valves. It is a conical offset right where the disc is connected to the seal. A butterfly valve with three offsets is more efficient and wear-resistant. Metal seats are commonly used in triple offset valves to generate a bubble-tight shut-off.

Butterfly Valve Installation

Before installation, make sure to always test and carefully inspect your valves to ensure that no weak points are present. Then, proceed with installation per the instructions of your valve and flange manufacturer.

Butterfly Valve Standards and Specifications

Because butterfly valves are popular in such a wide range of industries, a large number of regulatory organizations put out any number of standard series related to them.

American organizations that put out butterfly valve quality and safety standards include ASTM International, American Petroleum Institute, American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Manufacturers Standardization Society, and American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

International organizations that put out butterfly valve quality and safety standards include EEMUA (United Kingdom), BSI (United Kingdom), DIN (Germany), ISO (International Organization for Standardization), CSA (Canada), European Committee for Standardization, and JSA (Japan).

Things to Consider When Purchasing Butterfly Valves

If you are interested in purchasing butterfly valves for your application, we recommend you connect with a high-quality butterfly valve manufacturer. To help you find the right one, we have put together a list of some of the best butterfly valve suppliers in the business. You’ll find the profiles and contact info of these companies by scrolling towards the middle of this page.

Before you start looking at our list of butterfly valve manufacturers, though, we suggest you take some time to write down your specifications. This will help you focus your search and focus your later conversations with potential suppliers. Make sure your specifications list includes information like your delivery deadline, your budget, your standard requirements, and your customer support preferences. Once you have written all of those down, take a look at our list of suppliers. Based on your specifications, pick three or four in which you are most interested. Then, reach out to each of those manufacturers to discuss your application. After you have spoken with each of them, compare and contrast your conversations and the services that each company offers. Finally, decide which manufacturer is right for you.

When designing a butterfly valve, it is critical that manufacturers consider the properties of the liquid or gas that the valve will be expected to control after being installed.

Based on application specifications, manufacturers can create butterfly valves that come in a diverse series of standard sizes and custom sizes, and a wide range of hardware choices. For example, in some cases, manufacturers might design the shaft as two pins rather than one solid rod. To learn more about your custom options, talk to a butterfly valve supplier.

Butterfly Valve Informational Video

 

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