Control valve

A control valve (also known colloquially as a regulating valve) is a mechanical device that uses auxiliary energy and is used in industrial processes to regulate and control the flow of liquids, gases, or vapors in piping systems. This versatile device enables the precise adjustment of a material flow in order to control process parameters such as pressure, flow rate, and temperature in an industrial environment. A control valve consists of a fitting connected to an actuator that is capable of changing the position of the throttle body depending on the control signal.

The function of a control valve is to change the flow cross-section between a fixed part, the valve seat, and a moving part, the throttle body, in order to achieve the desired flow rate. This is usually done by adjusting the valve opening using the actuator, which can be controlled pneumatically, hydraulically, or electrically (in exceptional cases also manually).

Control valves are of great importance in almost all industries, such as chemicals, petrochemicals, power generation, food, and water and wastewater treatment. They are available in various designs, including lift valves, butterfly valves, and control ball valves, which are specially tailored to the requirements of different applications.