What Is a Double Eccentric Butterfly Valve?
A double eccentric butterfly valve, often referred to as a high-performance butterfly valve or double offset butterfly valve, is a high-functioning valve commonly found in various industrial settings. It’s chiefly designed to efficiently regulate the flow in pipelines across multiple sectors, including water treatment plants, HVAC systems, chemical processing facilities, and power generation stations. The term “double eccentric” indicates an off-center positioned shaft, contributing significantly to the technological advancements of these valves.
Primarily, a double eccentric butterfly valve is distinguished by its two crucial offsets. First, the shaft or stem is placed eccentrically from the pipe centerline and the valve body. Secondly, the shaft’s centerline is eccentric concerning the disc-seating surface centerline, resulting in a tight seal and preventing any leakage or fusion issues.
How Does a Double Eccentric Butterfly Valve Work?
An integral part of pipeline control, the double eccentric butterfly valve works by a straightforward yet effective mechanism. The valve primarily controls fluid flow in a pipeline using a rotating circular disc positioned through the valve’s center. This disc is off-centered or “eccentric” on two points—hence its name, double eccentric butterfly valve.
When the valve is fully open, the disc is perpendicular to the fluid flow, allowing maximum flow rate. As the valve closes, the disc rotates to form a tighter seal, thereby minimizing leakage. The double eccentric design significantly reduces the torque requirement during operation, thus minimizing wear and tear on the valve. This, in turn, results in a longer lifespan and enhanced durability, reaffirming the double eccentric butterfly valve’s practicality in industrial applications.
What Are the Benefits and Features of Double Eccentric Butterfly Valves?
Superior Sealing Power: The valves are designed to offer substantial sealing power, ensuring minimal leakage during operations. This is attributed to the valve’s unique ‘cam’ action, which lifts the valve disc out of its seal during operation, making these valves invaluable for applications requiring zero leakage performance.
High-Pressure and High-Temperature Resistance: Double eccentric butterfly valves are known for their high-pressure bearing capacity and high-temperature resistance, making them ideal for handling harsh and demanding operational environments. Cast iron is a popular material used in the construction of these valves due to its durability and strength.
Enhanced Sealing Capacity: The offset disc design of the double eccentric butterfly valve aids in increasing the sealing capacity while simultaneously decreasing wear and tear on the valve, extending its lifespan. The disc seal is an important component of the valve that ensures a tight seal and prevents leaks.
Durability: Manufactured from materials such as stainless steel, these valves are able to withstand acidic fluids, high pressures, and temperatures. This contributes to their robustness and ability to operate reliably in various conditions.
Long Service Life: Double eccentric butterfly valves are not only durable, but they have been designed to withstand even the toughest environments, contributing to their long service life and maintaining their original shape.
Ease of Maintenance: These valves are constructed to require minimal upkeep, making them an ideal choice for those seeking easy maintenance, saving valuable time and resources, and contributing to a long-lasting operational life.
What Are the Typical Applications of Double Eccentric Butterfly Valves?
In addition to their contributions to system efficiency, double eccentric butterfly valves are characterized by their versatility and application across multiple industries. Notably, they find extensive use in the following:Water Treatment: Double eccentric butterfly valves are integral in efficiently managing water treatment’s waste drainage processes. They are utilized to control flow and maintain smooth operations in water plants.HVAC Systems: They are applied to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning set-ups due to their robust design and utility in controlling fluid flow.
Oil and Gas: In resource extraction facilities, double eccentric butterfly valves facilitate the safe and efficient transport of products and waste products alike.Chemical Processing: Given their ability to handle high pressures and temperatures, they find extensive use in chemical processing operations, including those that require larger sizes. They assist in controlling the flow of various chemical substances, ensuring safety and efficiency with the help of a coating.
What Are the Differences Between Double Offset, Triple Offset, and Centerline Butterfly Valves?
Double Offset Butterfly Valve | Triple Offset Butterfly Valve | Centerline Butterfly Valve | |
Design | The valve characterizes two offsets: The first is the offset of the valve stem and the valve body; The second one is the eccentricity of the butterfly disc to the centerline of the valve body’s flow channel. The double offset design reduces friction between the disc and the seat and elongates the valve’s lifespan. | The triple offset butterfly valve gets its name from the three offsets utilized in its design: the first two offsets mirror the double offset valve, while the third lies in the horizontal connection’s eccentric angle between the butterfly plate’s sealing surface and the valve body. This design allows the disc to freely spin around its axis, providing frictionless stroking throughout its operation cycle. | The centerline or concentric butterfly valve has a design centered around preventing backflow in unidirectional flow systems. It utilizes tightly fitting seals, such as gaskets or O-rings, precisely machined parts, and flat valve faces on both upstream and downstream sides. |
Operation | These valves can handle a versatile range of liquids and gases. They can be installed with ease into any space, with control via manual methods or remote activation through electric or pneumatic actuators. Double eccentricity ensures easy operation and control of flow direction. | They boast strong corrosion resistances, catering to high pressure/high temperature applications. The third offset design offers zero leakages at high pressures and temperatures, making them a suitable choice for several industrial processes demanding efficient seals. | The seal developed against bi-directional pressure differential is suited for one-way flow systems. These valves restrict backflow and play an essential role in maintaining steady, unidirectional flows in various applications, thereby ensuring operational efficiency. |
Common Applications | The lightweight and durable design has value in a number of industrial settings such as water treatment plants, chemical industries, and HVAC systems. The high-performance butterfly valve is largely installed in pipelines for reliable regulation and isolation. | They are ideal for applications that involve high pressure and high temperature, such as oil & gas, HVAC, waste/wastewater treatment facilities, and shipbuilding factories. The triple offset butterfly valve provides excellent sealing capacities for a range of fluids and gases. | Most commonly used in systems designed for unidirectional flow, these valves are favored in HVAC systems, water and wastewater treatment facilities, and fire protection systems. Their precision and reliability make them a preferred choice in systems needing bi-directional pressure differential management. |
How to Maintain and Troubleshoot Double Eccentric Butterfly Valves?
Maintaining and troubleshooting double eccentric butterfly valves is primarily geared towards ensuring their long service life. Regular checks and maintenance are recommended to keep them at optimum performance levels. Some common practices include:Observing Valve Operation: Regular monitoring of the valve can provide early detection of any discrepancies in its operation, helping to anticipate potential issues.Checking for Leaks: Regular leak checks are essential to ensure that the valve is properly sealed and preventing unwanted fluid or gas leakage.Inspection of Components: Over time, parts may wear out or become damaged. Frequent inspection of valve components can help detect early signs of wear and tear.Hire a Professional: For complex maintenance tasks or troubleshooting, it’s advisable to engage a professional with specialized knowledge of double eccentric butterfly valves, ensuring quality repair work and risk prevention.
Conclusion
Double eccentric butterfly valves are versatile and reliable components of many industrial systems. Their superior features such as reduced leakage, efficient operation, and long service life make them an invaluable asset for various applications. However, regular checks and maintenance are critical to guarantee longevity and optimal performance.
Reach out to Dombor
If you’re looking for high-quality, reliable, and efficient double eccentric butterfly valves, do not hesitate to reach out to Dombor. We provide high-performance butterfly valves that meet all your industrial requirements. Contact us for more information.