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Effect of Valve Internal Geometry on the Flow Field

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 Effect of Valve Internal Geometry on the Flow Field
Abdallah Mosaad Abdallah
Student, 2nd Mechanical Engineering Dept., Zagazig University, Egypt, abdallamosad22@gmail.com
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ahmed Farouk AbdelGawad
Mechanical Power Engineering Dept., Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt, afroukgb@gmail.com

Abstract– A flow simulation was performed on four commercial experimental approaches. Furthermore, the effects of orifice on
valve models having different internal geometry configurations. The pressure difference in pilot-control globe valve were
commercial software Solidworks 2014 was used to understand the investigated experimentally and numerically [12].
effect of the valve geometry on the flow pressure and velocity. In this paper, a numerical comparison of four commercial
Boundary conditions of each valve were set to easily observe the
valves was carried out using SolidWorks 2014 software [13] to
behavior of the flow within each valve. Also, pressure drop 𝜟𝑷, and
loss coefficient Kl were determined. Moreover, 3D flow visualizations predict the hydraulic performance of the flow in each valve. The
of pressure and velocity were presented. boundary conditions were set accurately to make it easier to
Keywords––Valve Simulation, CFD, Pressure drop, Flow compare between the obtained results.
visualization.
II. PHYSICAL SYSTEM AND COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Governing Equations
Valves are widely used in many different flow systems for The following listed equations govern fluid flow within
many purposes [1]. The selection of a valve depends on many valves:
criteria. One of them is the valve geometry [2]. So, it is very
important to understand the flow characteristics inside the valve i. Continuing equation:
such as the spatial velocity and pressure values, the pattern of
particles motion, and sudden changes of the pressure, and the (ρ A V)1 = (ρ A V)2 (1)
direction of the flow. With the aid of the computational fluid ii. Bernoulli equation:
dynamics (CFD), it becomes possible to estimate the 𝑝1 1 𝑝 1
performance of the valves and to determine many other + 𝑉12 + 𝑧1 = 2 + 𝑉22 + 𝑧2 + ℎ𝑙 (2)
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔
parameters of the liquid flow within them [3].
Many experimental and numerical investigations on the iii. Loss coefficient 𝐾𝑙 :
flow within valves were carried out. Maier et al. [4, 5] studied 𝛥𝑃
𝐾𝑙 = 1 (3)
the effect of the piston geometry on flow characteristics by ⁄2𝜌𝑉 2
identifying the boundary-layer flow inside the valve passage
iv. Reynolds number (𝑅𝑒 ):
and examining the flow characteristics of two valve geometries 𝜌𝑉𝐷
that had different seat angles. They aimed to illustrate the inlet 𝑅𝑒 = (4)
𝜇
port flow sensitivity to small variations in valve geometry.
Palau-Salvador et al. [6] studied a control valve experimentally where, ρ is the fluid density, A is the area, V is the fluid velocity,
and numerically using the commercial Fluent software. Kim et p is the pressure of the fluid, g is the gravitational acceleration,
al. [7] examined the flow characteristics of butterfly valve by z is the height from a specified reference, ℎ𝑙 is the loss in the
particle image velocimetry (PIV) and CFD. Beune et al. [8] pressure head between points 1 and 2, D is the diameter, and μ
investigated the influence of valve dynamics on the steady flow is the liquid viscosity [14].
performance using numerical methods including fluid-structure
interaction (FSI) in CFD calculations of flow through a safety B. Valve Models
valve. Another study was carried out by Lisowski and Rajda [9] Four commercial valves having different geometry
to present the investigation of a new directional control valve. configurations were considered. These valves included three
The design was modelled in Solid Edge software and pressure globe valves (valves 1-3), and a ball valve (valve 4) as shown
losses were estimated by using ANSYS/FLUENT software. in Fig. 1.
Zhu et al. [10] investigated the flow erosion and flow-induced
deformation of a needle valve via CFD using a three-
dimensional fluid–structure interaction computational model
coupled with a combined continuum and discrete model to
predict the erosion rate and structure deformation. A recent
interesting study [11] discussed the failures of a pressure relief
valve in direct coal liquefaction by using both of numerical and
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2017.
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 (1.a) (1.b) computational domain and boundary conditions of valve 1 as
an illustrative example.

(2.a) (2.b)

Fig. 2. Computational domain and boundary conditions for valve 1

(Similar to the other valves).

(3.a) (3.b)
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 lists the obtained results as well as the parameters
of water flow in valves 1-4.

Table 1. Water flow characteristics in valves 1-4.

OD = ID 𝑚• 𝑃𝑖𝑛 𝛥𝑃
Valve 𝐾𝑙 𝑅𝑒
(mm) (Kg/s) (bar) (bar)
1 125 49.68 3.31 1.31 15.59 510,967.10
2 20 1.271 3.34 1.34 15.94 81,754.70
3 53 9.060 5.54 3.54 42.12 216,650.10
4 25 2.000 2.37 0.37 4.402 102,193.40
(4.a) (4.b) OD is the outlet diameter, ID is the inlet diameter, and 𝑚• is mass flow rate.

From the obtained data, as expected, the pressure drop (𝛥𝑃)

and in turn the loss coefficient (𝐾𝑙 ) have the lowest values in
case of the ball valve (valve 4) in comparison to the other three
globe valves. This is attributed to the simplicity of geometry of
valve 4 such that water flows in a direct straightforward path.
Figures 3-6 illustrate the distribution of pressure and
velocity values as well as flow streamlines for each valve.
Fig. 1. Valve models; globe valves (1-3), and ball valve (4).
(a) 3D models, (b) Schematic representations. (a)

C. Computational Domain and Boundary Conditions

Flow simulations for all valves were carried out in the
SolidWorks environment using the same boundary conditions.
The tested fluid was water at room temperature (293 K) with
viscosity (μ) of 0.001003 Kg/(m s). The average inlet velocity
(𝑉𝑖𝑛 ) was 4.1 m/s. “Pressure outlet” boundary condition was
considered at the domain outlet. The flow was treated as
turbulent.
The computational domains for all valves were defined as
a rectangular parallelepiped that contained the entire flow
within the valve under study. Figure 2 illustrates the
Fig. (3a) Pressure values.

2nd IUGRC International Undergraduate Research Conference,

Military Technical College, Cairo, Egypt, July 24-27,
2017.
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 (b) (a)

Fig. (5a) Pressure values.

Fig. (3b) Velocity values.
Fig. 3. Values of pressure (a), and velocity (b) as well as flow streamlines of
water flow within valve 1. (b)

(a)

Fig. (5b) Velocity values.

Fig. 5. Values of pressure (a), and velocity (b) as well as flow streamlines of
water flow within valve 3.
Fig. (4a) Pressure values.

(b) (a)

Fig. (4b) Velocity values. Fig. (6a) Pressure values.

Fig. 4. Values of pressure (a), and velocity (b) as well as flow streamlines of
water flow within valve 2.

2nd IUGRC International Undergraduate Research Conference,

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2017.
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 (b) [3] J. A. Davis, and M. Stewart, “Predicting Globe Control Valve
Performance–part I: CFD Modeling”, J. Fluids Eng., Vol. 124, pp. 772-
777, September 2002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1490108
[4] A. Maier, T. H. Sheldrake, and D. Wilcock, “Geometric Parameters
Influencing Flow in an Axisymmetric IC Engine Inlet Port Assembly:
part I–Valve Flow Characteristics”, J. Fluids Eng., Vol. 122, pp. 650–657,
December 2000. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1311787
[5] A. Maier, T. H. Sheldrake, and D. Wilcock, “Geometric Parameters
Influencing Flow in an Axisymmetric IC engine Inlet Port Assembly: part
II–Valve Flow Characteristics”, J. Fluids Eng., Vol. 122, pp. 658-665,
December 2000. https://doi.org/doi:10.1115/1.1311791
[6] G. Palau–Salvador, P. González–Altozano, I. Balbastre–Peralta, and J.
Arviza–Valverde, “Improvement in a Control Valve Geometry by CFD
Techniques”, Pipeline Division Specialty Conference, American Society
of Civil Engineers, pp. 202-215, 2005.
Fig. (6b) Velocity values. https://doi.org/10.1061/40800(180)16
Fig. 6. Values of pressure (a), and velocity (b) as well as flow streamlines of [7] S. W. Kim, J. H. Kim, Y. D. Choi, and Y. H. Lee, “Flow Characteristics
water flow within valve 4. of Butterfly Valve by PIV and CFD”, New Trends in Fluid Mechanics
Research, pp. 463-466, 2007.
Generally, flow streamlines are more uniform in valves (3), https://doi.org/10.1007/978–3–540–75995–9_149
[8] A. Beune, J. G. M. Kuerten, and M. P. C. Van Heumen, “CFD Analysis
(4) than the other two valves (1), (2). For all valves, it can be with Fluid-structure Interaction of Opening High-pressure Safety
seen that the pressure drops from a high value (red color) at the Valves”, Comput. Fluids, Vol. 64, pp. 108-116, July 2012.
valve inlet to a smaller value (blue color) at the valve outlet. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compfluid.2012.05.010
This means a considerable pressure drop (loss) occurs as [9] E. Lisowski, and J. Rajda, “CFD analysis of Pressure Loss during Flow
by Hydraulic Directional Control Valve Constructed from Logic Valves”,
appearing in Table 1. The pressure loss increases as the Energy Convers. Manage., Vol. 65, pp. 285-291, January 2013.
geometry of the valve is more complicated as noticed for https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2012.08.015
Valve 3. Moreover, the internal path of valve 3 is narrower than [10] H. Zhu, Q. Pan, W. Zhang, G. Feng, and X. Li, “CFD Simulations of Flow
the other three valves. erosion and Flow-induced Deformation of Needle Valve: Effects of
Operation, Structure and Fluid Parameters,” Nucl. Eng. Des., Vol. 273,
pp. 396–411, July 2014.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2014.02.030
IV. CONCLUSION
[11] Z. Zheng, G. Ou, Y. Yi, G. Shu, H. Jin, C. Wang, and H. Ye, “A Combined
A computational fluid dynamics study (CFD) was carried Numerical-Experiment Investigation on the Failure of a Pressure Relief
Valve in Coal Liquefaction”, Eng. Fail. Anal., Vol. 60, pp. 326-340,
out for four commercial valves having different geometry February 2016.
configurations. Each one of them was modeled and simulated https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2015.11.055
using SolidWorks 2014 software. Visualization of flow [12] J. Y. Qian, B. Z. Liu, L. N. Lei, H. Zhang, A. L. Lu, J. K. Wang, and Z. J.
streamlines within the valves as well as distributions of pressure Jin, “Effects of Orifice on Pressure Difference in Pilot-control Globe
Valve by Experimental and Numerical Methods,” Int. J. Hydrogen
and velocity values were presented. Values of pressure drop and Energy, Vol. 41, pp. 18562-18570, November 2016.
loss coefficient were found for the four valves. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.08.070
The main conclusion is that the simpler the valve internal [13] SolidWorks 2014 software, Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation,
geometry with smooth transitions, the better its efficiency and Waltham, Massachusetts, 2014.
[14] F. M. White, Fluid Mechanics, 5th ed., Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003.
the smoother the fluid flow. Better valve efficiency means less
pressure drop (loss) and lower loss coefficient.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was carried out under the kind supervision of
Prof. Dr. Ahmed Farouk AbdelGawad, Professor of
Computational Fluid Mechanics, Vice Dean for Graduate
Studies and Research, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig
University, Zagazig, Egypt.

REFERENCES
[1] J. Y. Qian, L. Wei, Z. J. Jin, J. K. Wang, and H. Zhang, “CFD Analysis
on the Dynamic Flow Characteristics of The Pilot–control Globe
Valve”, Energy Convers. Manage., Vol. 87, pp. 220–226, November
2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2014.07.018
[2] P. Smith, and R. W. Zappe, Valve Selection Handbook: Engineering
Fundamentals for Selecting the Right Valve Design for Every Industrial
Flow Application, 4th ed., Oxford: Elsevier, 2004.

2nd IUGRC International Undergraduate Research Conference,

Military Technical College, Cairo, Egypt, July 24-27,
2017.
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