Classes of Butterfly Valves

May 9, 2019by cbmadmin

There’s a long, and rich history leading up to the creation of the butterfly valve, an indispensable device in the machining and manufacturing world. The history starts centuries ago, when the Greeks and Romans began to utilize flap valves, which would later become our modern swing butterfly valves. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Industrial Revolution brought additional developments to this technology. Soon enough, everything from the steam engine to the first Mercedes car was taking advantage.

How the Butterfly Valve Works

The technology behind the butterfly valve is fairly simple. There’s a disk inside its body that is able to rotate around its own vertical diameter. This rotation is controlled by an operator that is connected to the disk through a set of gears. Rotating, and thus opening, the disk gives entry to the gas or liquid behind it.



Modern technologies require incredible precision. This means that modern butterfly valves come in multiple designs and forms. Concentric butterfly valves use a metal disk, and rubber body seat. This is one of the butterfly valve’s original designs, and is also the cheapest method for its construction.

Modern butterfly valves are made with what is known as an “offset design.” This means there is limited contact between the disc and the body, until the valve is completely closed. The double offset butterfly valve is most similar to the concentric valve, but uses different materials. The greatest innovation in the engineering of valves is the creation of the triple offset, or triple eccentric, valve. In this design, both the disc and the seat are made of metal. With the traditional design, this combination would have caused the metal to fracture. However, as the disk is slightly offset, the two pieces of metal do not experience much friction until full closure. This modern design is often used in oil pipelines, and does a better job preventing leaks.

New Innovations for the Butterfly Valve

The industry is constantly evolving. CRANE ChemPharma & Energy recently announced an innovative design for the triple offset butterfly valve. It is designed to work well in harsh conditions with an improved angle, and tight seal. These improvements will make it better able to account for leaks, even in trying conditions.

Another exciting industry innovation comes from Bonomi America. The company’s new package is extremely heavy duty, and electronically automated. The disk and body is made with hardened steel to withstand high-pressure systems. The electronic operator automatically adjusts to any flow for optimal support.

Why the Butterfly Valve Matters

The modern butterfly valve’s design is the culmination of years of impressive engineering, and it is a part of our lives in more ways than we know. Top performance car engines now use these valves to control their carburetors. Pushing on the gas pedal is directly correlated with controlling this valve. When the car is idling, the valve is open just enough to let sufficient air through, while maintaining speed. When the car speeds up, the valve opens further to let air, and gas pass to the engine.

This technology is incredibly important. Streamline Industries, a leading manufacturing and machining company, delivers high quality products. Give the professionals at Streamline Industries a call today.