Automatic Control Valve - Pressure
Reducing Valve
Pressure Reducing & Control
Valves
Working. Selection. Sizing
- Sanjay Jude,
Director – Business Development,
Lehry Valves.
Agenda
⮚ PRV – Necessity and Use.
⮚ Code Requirements.
⮚ Types of PRVs.
⮚ Characteristic Differences.
⮚ Probable problems, causes and solution.
⮚ Installation & Configurations.
⮚ Q&A.
What is Water Pressure?
• The “push” behind water
• It is measured in ‘Kg/cm2' - one Kg/cm2 is the pressure
needed to raise water to a height of 10 meters.
Effects Of High Pressure
• Increased water usage.
• Increased energy usage.
• Increased water hammering with quick closing valves.
• Damage to plumbing system components
Pressure Vs Wastage
Supply
Wasted Water Water flow
Pressure
3.4 bar - 130 Litres
4.4 bar 6 Litres 136 Litres
5.5 bar 21 Litres 151 Litres
6.8 bar 40 Litres 170 Litres
10 bar 81 Litres 211 Litres
*2.2gpm / 8.5lpm faucet, fixed T - running time
The Fix - Pressures.
• Uniform pressure distributions.
• Optimum comfort levels.
• Serviceability in spite of varying
demand rates.
What is Pressure Reducing Valve?
• The valve which reduces the pressure of water that goes
through it, and is used to obtain a regulated and
constant set pressure at the outlet.
• It is installed in the water main which protects the whole
plumbing systems from problems due to high pressures.
• Also called Pressure Regulators.
History of Pressure Reducing Valve
▪ In 1876 :
▪ The first pressure regulator Invented,
manufactured and marketed.
• It was somewhat complicated, took up
a lot of space (nearly 2 metres high),
but it worked.
• In 1930 :
• Everything was designed – the principle
of the direct action regulator valve
with diaphragm
• the general look
Code Requirements
All National codes say system requires PRV where
water pressure exceeds 5.5 bar
• IPC (International Plumbing Code) Section 604.8
• UPC (Uniform Plumbing Code) Section 608.2
• NBC (National Building Code), 2016 Part 9 Section
2.
• IS 9739:1981 (Indian Standard Code)
Types Of Pressure Reducing Valves
Piston Operated Diaphragm Operated
Direct Acting Pilot Operated
Pressure Reducing Valves–Piston type
Piston type PRV - basic function
Pressure Reducing Valves–Diaphragm
type
Compensated seat working principle
The outlet pressure acts on the
diaphragm:
• the force exerted by the outlet
pressure, which tends to close the
plug
• The force exerted by the spring,
which tends to open it.
1. Body
2. Cap
3. Lock nut
4. Setting screw
5. Spring
6. Diaphragm
7. Inlet
8. Outlet
Automatic Control Valve
Pilot Operated PRV-ACV
An AUTOMATIC CONTROL VALVE controls and maintains a
pressure and/or a flow with only WATER ENERGY
Automatic Control Valve - PRV
Construction
Pilot Circuit
Basic Valve
Automatic Control Valve - PRV
The Closing
Position
Automatic Control Valve - PRV
The Opening
Position
Automatic Control Valve - PRV
The Maintaining
Position
Automatic Control Valve - PRV
The Downstream Pilot
Setting screw
Membrane Spring
The valve is
independent of the
diaphragm
Characteristic Piston operated PRV Direct Acting PRV Pilot operated PRV
Metal Erosion Present Absent Absent
Response time to variating
High Low Low
upstream pressure
Response time to variating Moderate to low (proper selection
Does not respond Low
upstream flow rate required)
Behaviour to continuously varying
Unstable output pressure Stable output pressure Highly stable output pressure
input pressure
Output Pressure feedback Absent Present Present
Behaviour with varying input flow
Bad Good Excellent
rates
Transfer of input pressure to
Present Absent Absent
output during static flow
Accuracy in downstream set
High variations Accurate Highly Accurate
pressure
Frequency of choking High Unlikely Highly Unlikely
Moderate to low (proper selection
Pressure loss across valve High Very Low ~0.3 bar
required)
Seat compensation principle with
Spring tension + seat compensation
feedback from downstream
Principle Of Operation Spring tension priciple across diaphragm with
pressure. (Includes characteristic of
feedback from output
diaphragm PRV for pilot)
NBC Does not specify As per NBC/IS As per NBC/IS
PRV Selection
Problems with Pressure?
PRV
Further
problems?
Design / The valve
Selection itself
Battling problems with the Valve
• Use a Diaphragm type PRV
• Setting of pressure.
• Particle & gravel / bad water problems?
• Worried about the working?
An inbuilt filter helps protect the diaphragm from damage and does not expose it to
greater wear and tear, only scheduled maintenance of filter required.
The compensated seat valve has an outlet pressure insensitive to variations in
pressure Upstream.
The inlet pressure acts on the two openings A and B having the same cross
section. it is compensated and does not therefore result in any force on plug.
PressureSIZING OF PRV
Reducing Valve - ACV
1. Flow Requirements:
● PRV Sizing - Min & Max Flow, NOT ON size of the pipe.
● Minimum flow should be 10% - 15% of the maximum flow rate desired in
the system
2. Operating Pressures:
● Inlet and Outlet pressure are important Factor
● In a thumb rule we can reduce the pressure in 3: 1 ratio
3. Flow curve / Pressure loss curve
● Pressure loss should be fall in between 0.25 to 0.75 bar
4. Speed Characteristic
● The velocity across the PRV should be between 1 - 2m/s.
Note: Properly sized valve prevents noisy operation or premature failure.
Over sizing can lead to wire draw
SIZING OF PRV
Cavitation
C zone : No Cavitation, Recommended
B zone: Risk of Cavitation
A zone: Cavitation Zone, Not
recommended
Continuous operation in the red cavitation
zone could cause rapid damage of the
internal parts.
INSTALLATION - PRV
The Installation
• Arrow of valve body should point
in the direction of flow
• Can be installed horizontally in
the upright or vertically (Beyond
6” vertical not recommended) FLOW DIRECTION
depending on serviceability
INSTALLATION - PRV
Installation Configurations
• 3 Types of Installation Configurations:
• Single Regulator
• Two-Stage Serial Reduction.
• Parallel / Low flow by-pass.
INSTALLATION - PRV
The Installation
INSTALLATION - PRV
The Installation
Automatic Control Valve - PRV
Two-Stage Serial Reduction Configuration
• Ideally, where there is a wide variation in pressure
between inflow pressure and functional pressure
needed in building
• Ideal where supply main pressure exceeds 15 bar.
65mm
65mm
INSTALLATION - PRV
Parallel Installation
Ideal where a wide range of water flow demand at reduced
pressures is required.
65mm
Set at 3.5 bar
65mm
Set at 3 bar
100mm Supply Line
INSTALLATION - PRV
An Alternative
• Throttles to reduce high
upstream pressure to
constant lower downstream
pressure
• Low flow bypass controls at
low flows
• Main line controls at high
flows
• Reducing and low flow
bypass set points are
separately adjustable.
Automatic Control Valve - PRV
PRV Station as per NBC, 2016
PRV STATION
Air Vent Gate Valve
Air Vent
PRV
Y Strainer
Gate Valve
End of Session - Thanks!
Q&A
[email protected]
+918754497770
