butterfly valve and ball valve
There are several project specifications stated that the use of a high performance BUTTERFLY VALVE to replace the BALL VALVE is applicable to size 8 inches and above only. Why the specification make that partition and for what purposes?
In general practice, even though the high performance BUTTERFLY VALVE can be used to replacing ball valve under 600# class (see High Performance Butterfly Valve ), the BUTTERFLY VALVE will only provide the benefits for sizes 8 inches and above. From the market price point of view, this is reasonable since the price of the butterfly valve with that size and above is cheaper than the equivalent ball valves. Contrarily this cost benefit isn’t feasible when we use the butterfly valve to replace ball valve in size 6 inches and below.
More over the butterfly valve is considerably lighter than the equivalent ball valves in above that size. This lighter weight will reduce the required torque significantly and thus it can reduce also the weight and space of the actuator especially for the offshore platform.
Please take a note that the replacement of the ball valve with the high performance butterfly valve is limited up to class 600# only in general application.
