Training Certificate

Prolific Consultants FZE Certificate of Course Completion will be issued to all attendees.

Course Introduction

Power Plant and other petrochemical industries do deal with different types of valves. All piping systems are fitted with valves for controlling purposes or safety requirements. Understanding the function of each valve type will have an important reflection on the process quality, equipment and plant reliability, and the economics of the whole activity. Different application needs to select the appropriate valve type of particular flow characteristics. Operation of the valve also affects the system and the process. Understanding the problems associated with valves is essential for diagnosis and troubleshooting and the needed maintenance for the particular type of valves.

The reader will be introduced to different types of valves and their different applications. The two most important requirements that determine the valve performance are the valve tightness characteristics, and the flow characteristic of a valve.

Valves can be classified as manual or control valves. When a manual valve is operated via an actuator it becomes a control valve. Valves in general do control the rate of flow in a piping system, the direction of the flow, or act as a relieving device to protect the system from overpressurization. Valves like check valves would prevent the flow from reversing, thus protecting equipment from reverse flow. Such valves operated automatically without need for any type of actuation. Stop and close valves used mainly to isolate a system in situation of maintenance and/or putting the standby equipment in services. The function of a valve is what determines its design. The right selection of a valve in terms of its type and size, and its pressure class is what affect most the stability and reliability of the system. The nature of the fluid, the type of the process, the level of temperature and pressures are parameters affecting the valve selection.

The flow through a valve will experience different effects, like cavitation, flashing, and noise. Water hammer is on of the effects that a check valve may cause. Such phenomenon might lead to different kind of problems, some would affect directly the valve itself and other might upset the process as a whole or result in system erosion or corrosion. Vibration and instrumentation false function could also be a result of faulty valve. Some of these problems can be avoided in the stage of selection and sizing of the valve. Others could be eliminated in the process of writing the specifications and through good communications with manufacturer or vendor. Understanding these different types of problems will help troubleshooting the valves and the systems and help curing the problems. Wrong installations could be the reason behind many of valves problem too.

Course Objective

This course will address all aspects of Operation, maintenance and Troubleshooting of valves as above, hoping that the participant will benefit a lot from the course and becomes of more understanding concerning the valves.

Suitable For

Mechanical and Operational Engineers and Technicians who is responsible of Operation, Maintenance and Troubleshooting of Valves of Different types and functions are the most to benefit from this course.

Training Methodology

A highly interactive combination of lectures and discussion sessions will be managed to maximize the amount and quality of information and knowledge transfer. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions, and motivate everybody find the right answers. You will also be encouraged to raise your own questions and to share in the development of the right answers using your own analysis and experiences. Tests of multiple-choice type will be made available on daily basis to examine the effectiveness of delivering the course.

Very useful Course Materials will be given.

• 30% Lectures
• 30% Workshops and work presentation
• 20% Group Work & Practical Exercises
• 20% Videos & General Discussions

Course Content

Basics of Valve Technology

Chapter 1

 Valves Technology

Types of Valves                                                                           

Valves characteristics 

Sealing performance

Leakage Criterion

Leakage Classifications

Sealing Mechanisms

Valve stem seals

Flow characteristics

Flow through valves

Valve Characterizing Coefficients

Valve flow characteristics

            Linear & equal %

Control Valves & Actuators

Chapter 2

Control Valves

            Functions of manual valves

            Methods of regulation

            Types of control valves

                        Gate Valves

                        Plug Valves

                        Ball Valves

Butterfly Valves

Pinch Valves

Diaphragm Valves

Control Valves & Actuators

            Control Valves Types

            Linear Valve Features

            Rotary Valve Features

            Control Valve Flow Characteristics

                        Quick Opening Characteristics

                        Linear & Equal %

            Actuation systems

            Types of actuators

                        Pneumatic Piston Actuator

                        Electric motors

                        Electrohydraulic Actuators

            Actuator Performance

            Valve Positioner

            Operation of Positioners

                        Positioner calibration

Self Operated Valves

Chapter 3

Check Valves

            Applications

            Types of Check Valves

Lift check valves

Swing check valves

Tilting-disc check valves

Diaphragm check valves

            Check Valves Operation

                        Water Hammer

            Selection of Check Valves

Relief and Safety Valves

            Relief Valves Types

Pressure-relieving devices

Automatically operated valves

Direct-acting & piloted pressure relief valves

Modulating, full-lift, and ordinary pressure relief valves

            Valve Loading

            Safety Valves

            Operation of Direct-acting pressure relief valves

            Blowdown

Relief valves problems

Rupture Valves

            Applications of Rupture Discs

            Rupture discs vs. Pressure relief valves

            Rupture discs in gases and liquid service

            Temperature and bursting pressure relationship

            Pressure tolerances

            Design and performance of ductile metal rupture discs

            Types of Rupture discs:

Prebulged rupture discs

                        Reverse buckling discs

                        Vent panels

                        Graphite rupture discs

                        Double disc assemblies

            Rupture disc and pressure relief valve combinations

            Selection of rupture discs

            Operation of Rupture Discs

Valves Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Chapter 4

Valves Maintenance and Troubleshooting

            High Pressure Drop

                        Pressure Recovery Characteristics

            Cavitation in Valves

                        Incipient and choked cavitation

                        Flow curve cavitation index

                        Cavitation-elimination devices

            Flashing versus Cavitation

            Flow Choking

            High Velocities

            Water Hammer

                        What causes water hammer?

                        Water Hammer Calculations

                        Solutions for water hammer

            Surge Protection

            Check valve slamming

            Noise problems

            Clean air standards

            Life loading

            Packing for fugitive-emission control

            Troubleshooting the Control Valves