COMMON VALVE TYPES
Butterfly Valves
The families that appear on first RFQs and Chinese export quotes. Shared names are not interchangeable designs.
Choosing Butterfly Valves
A butterfly valve turns a disc within the pipe passage. The short body can suit a compact installation, while the disc and seat arrangement determine its operating behavior. Concentric, eccentric and other high-performance designs should be compared as distinct constructions, with the actual seat system and duty identified.
What to include in the RFQ
- Request disc arrangement, liner or seat material, flow coefficient and torque data.
- Identify wafer, lug or flanged construction and the mating-flange details.
- Ask whether the exact assembly permits end-of-line service and under which pressure conditions.
- For regulation, obtain a usable control range and the actuator sizing conditions, not only a nominal diameter.
Selection scenario
For a cooling-water header with restricted installation length, first confirm the available face-to-face space. Then compare pressure loss, disc clearance and actuator access before treating two butterfly quotes as interchangeable.
Common selection mismatch
A valve that fits between the flanges may still have an incompatible seat, disc clearance or end-of-line rating. Compactness is only one selection factor.