The Ultimate Guide to Heavy Hammer Butterfly Valves for Hydropower Safety
A heavy hammer butterfly valve is a critical overspeed protection device widely used in hydropower plants. This guide explains how it works, its key benefits, technical specifications, and real-world performance to help you evaluate its application.The main Butterfly Valve product names of China Butterfly Valve Network include:Heavy Hammer Butterfly Valve,Hydraulic Control Butterfly Valve,Emergency Off Butterfly Valve,Quick Off Butterfly Valve,Hydraulic Control Check Butterfly Valve,Two-stage Closure Butterfly Valve,Hydropower Safety Butterfly Valve,Overspeed Protection Butterfly Valve.
How It Works: Reliable Hydraulic-Gravity Actuation
The valve integrates a butterfly valve body with a hydraulic system, a gravity-driven heavy hammer, and an electronic control unit. During normal operation, hydraulic pressure opens the valve and lifts the hammer, which is then mechanically locked in place. In case of emergencies like turbine overspeed or power loss, the system releases the hammer. Its weight automatically closes the valve in two stages: a quick initial closure to limit speed rise, followed by a slower final phase to control water hammer pressure.
Key Benefits & Technical Specifications
Its main advantages include fail-safe automatic shutdown without external power, adjustable two-stage closing characteristics, and dual manual/electric operation for flexibility. A common model, the D741-10, supports pressures up to 1.0 MPa and heads to 100m, with diameters ranging from 400mm to 1200mm. Closing times are customizable, typically 5–10 seconds for fast-close and 10–50 seconds for slow-close, with configurable overspeed protection settings.
Proven Performance in Real Operation
At Chaitan Hydropower Station in Zhejiang, two D741X-10 valves have operated with 100% actuation reliability over extended use. They effectively limited speed rise to under 40% and pressure surge below 21% during load rejection, enhancing both safety and operational continuity.
Why Choose a Heavy Hammer Butterfly Valve?
This valve offers a cost-effective and dependable safety solution, especially for small to medium hydropower plants. It ensures automatic protection during emergencies, reduces reliance on constant manual oversight, and supports modern “unmanned” or “few-person” operational models, making it a smart investment in plant safety and automation.
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