What is a flanged butterfly valve?
Flanged butterfly valve is a type of valve used in industrial and commercial applications to regulate the flow of liquids, gases, and other materials. It is designed with two concentric metal discs - or "butterflies" - connected to an open stem which passes through the disc center. The stem turns operating the two discs as they rotate simultaneously either open or closed due to the mechanical connection between them. This allows for precise control over flow rate adjustment by slowly opening and closing the valve.
The most common butterfly valve feature a circular body shape with four "flanges" around it forming a fluid-tight seal when properly lined up against other pipe flanges during installation, hence its name “flanged butterfly valve”. The flanges are held together in place by bolts, meaning that no welding is required during installation which greatly simplifies set-up time and costs for users. There are typically three types of connections available depending on your specific application: lugged (welded lugs attach one piece), wafer style (attaches between two flat surfaces) and traditional full face..
Flanged butterfly valves can be made from various materials including cast iron, ductile iron, bronze alloy steel or stainless steel depending on requirements such as resistance to corrosion or extreme temperatures. Due to their simplicity they require little maintenance while offering high performance life expectancy at low cost compared to standard gate/globe/diaphragm valves; plus they provide reliable shutoff capability due their quarter turn operation principle without requiring excessive torque since only minimal pressure is needed for operation making them ideal solutions for many industries such as water treatment centers, food processing plants etc.. In addition their versatility also makes them suitable for many different types of applications like controlling air conditioning systems in factories, regulating gas lines at home etc..
What are the different types of flanged butterfly valves?
There are a number of different types of flanged butterfly valves available on the market, each suited to various applications and needs. Broadly speaking, these models can be divided into three main categories: lug-style, wafer-style and double-flanged. Let’s take a closer look at each type below.
Lug-Style Butterfly Valves - The lug style is one of the most commonly used types of butterfly valve designs and consist of two main components – the body with integrated lugs on either end for two bolts which couple together with an elastomeric liner in between sealing the connection shut. These valves feature very low head loss due to their design plus they offer quick installation times as no extra hardware or welding is required. This makes them ideal for many industrial piping systems where time savings are important.
Wafer Style Butterfly Valves - Wafer style butterfly valves are typically built from plastic or stainless steel for superior strength and corrosion resistance such as in wastewater treatment plants where chemical resistant properties are necessary. These units use a pair of clamps along with an elastomeric liner that binds both sides together when tightened down creating a solid seal between them without any additional fasteners or welding needed making it easy to fit onto existing pipe lines quickly without much hassle.
Double Flange Butterfly Valves - Double flange butterfly valves utilize two distinct sets of flanges around its circumference which provide improved support during operation while also providing added stability against external loads such as pressure surges or impacts caused by fluid flowing through it making them suitable for high pressure applications like oil rigs out at sea needing reliable protection against severe weather conditions or structural shocks causing damage elsewhere within their system allowing repair teams more time before critical failure occurs thus avoiding downtime due to unexpected maintenance requirements leading directly increased safety margins all round!
