A Guide to Flow Control Valves Types and Use Cases

A Guide to Flow Control Valves Types and Use Cases

Flow control plays a crucial role in hydraulic system designs, allowing for the regulation of speed. Utilizing various flow control valves and devices helps to manage the hydraulic system's flow rate, thereby controlling the actuator's speed.

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Flow rate determines the rate of energy transfer at any given pressure. The relationship lies in the fact that the actuator force multiplied by the distance it travels (stroke) equates to the work done on the load. Consequently, the energy transferred must also equal the work done. Actuator speed, therefore, dictates the energy transfer rate (i.e., horsepower), making speed a function of flow rate.

Directional control, however, is primarily concerned with directing the energy transfer system to the appropriate location within the system at the right time. These valves function similar to fluid switches, channeling high-energy input to the actuator inlet and providing a return path for lower-energy fluid.

If the flow stream doesn't arrive at the correct place at the right time, controlling energy transfer through pressure and flow controls becomes insignificant. Therefore, a secondary role of directional control devices is to time cycle events. Because fluid flow can often be throttled in directional-control valves, they can also offer some degree of flow rate or pressure control.

Different Types of Flow Measurement

Controlling the flow in a hydraulic system doesn't necessarily mean regulating the volume per unit of time through a valve. Flow rate can be specified in three different ways, and it's important to understand how it should be specified or measured:

• Volumetric flow rate (Qv), measured as in³/sec or in³/min—or cc/sec or cc/min in SI metric units—is used to compute the linear speeds of piston rods or the rotational speeds of motor shafts.
• Weight flow rate (Qw), expressed in lb/sec or lb/min, is used to calculate power in English units.
• Mass flow rate (Qg), represented in slugs/sec or slugs/min for English units or kg/sec or kg/min in SI metric units, is used to determine inertia forces during acceleration and deceleration periods.

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Since these valves control the fluid quantity passing through the valve per unit of time, the same control valves are utilized for all three types of flow rates.

Control of Flow Rate with Valves

There are eight primary types of flow control valves commonly used in hydraulic circuits:

Orifices

A basic orifice in the line is the simplest method for regulating flow. When implemented to manage flow, the orifice is installed in series with the pump. Orifices can either be fixed, as in a drilled hole in a fitting, or variable, like a calibrated needle valve. Both serve as non-compensated flow control devices.

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