Achieving Optimal Flow Control: How SteadyLine Actuators Combat Water Hammer

Water hammer poses significant risks in industrial flow control systems, causing potential damage to pipes, valves, and other components due to the sudden surge in pressure. This phenomenon occurs when valves open or close too quickly, creating a shock wave that travels through the fluid. The Kinetrol SteadyLine addresses this issue effectively by incorporating built-in dampening and adjustable opening and closing speeds.

By controlling the speed at which valves operate, the SteadyLine actuator reduces the abrupt changes in fluid velocity, thereby minimizing the pressure surges associated with water hammer. This capability ensures a smoother and more controlled flow, protecting the system from the harmful effects of sudden pressure spikes. Additionally, the built-in dampening feature further absorbs any residual shocks, providing an extra layer of protection and enhancing the longevity of the entire flow control system.

Implementing an actuator like the SteadyLine in industrial and commercial settings offers numerous advantages. It mitigates the risks associated with water hammer and contributes to the system's overall reliability and efficiency. Operators can fine-tune the actuator's performance to match the specific requirements of their application, ensuring optimal flow control and preventing damage that could lead to costly repairs or downtime. By integrating such advanced features, the SteadyLine actuator significantly enhances industrial flow control systems' safety, durability, and performance.

When reducing harmful shock or excessive motion or ensuring accurate and repeatable valve opening and closing times, Kinetrol Steadyline enhances valve stability, accuracy, and speed control.

Kinetrol Steadyline series precision valve actuators feature built-in damping devices that provide smooth resistance to actuator/valve shaft rotation, increasing with angular velocity. This product smooths out the actuator's standard travel, dampens pipeline flow-induced valve disc oscillations, and allows users to specify a minimum travel time during power failures.

For more information, contact:
Kinetrol USA
https://kinetrolusa.com
972-447-9443

A New Standard of Valve Stability, Accuracy, and Speed Control

The Kinetrol Steadyline series are precision valve actuators with built-in damping devices that give smooth rotational resistance to the actuator/valve shaft. Water hammer occurs when a pipe's fluid flow changes rapidly. The effect may be high pipe pressures, mechanical stress on pipe structures, and potential flow reversal. If not controlled, it can cause pipe bursting, pipe breaking, and joint leakage. The Kinetrol Steadyline actuators smooth the actuator's standard travel. It dampens any pipeline flow-induced oscillations of the valve disks and enables the user to set a minimum amount of travel time on power failure. As a result, the Kinetrol Steadyline provides better performance, reduced downtime, and lower operating costs. 

For more information visit Kinetrolusa.com/steadyline or call 972-447-9443.

Kinetrol Steadyline Actuators Mitigate Water Hammer Damage from Pump Station

Water hammer occurs when a pipe's fluid flow changes rapidly. The effect may be high pipe pressures, mechanical stress on pipe structures, and potential flow reversal. If not controlled, it can cause pipe bursting, pipe breaking and joint leakage. Vane actuators open and close valves and can be tightly controlled with regards to opening and closing speeds. The Kinetrol Steadyline series are precision valve actuators with built-in damping devices providing a smooth resistance to shaft rotation which increases with angular velocity. The Kinetrol Steadyline product smooths out the normal travel, dampens any valve-flow induced disc oscillations, and provides a minimum user-specified amount of travel time on power failure.

A water treatment facility pump station was having recurring problems with a large hydraulic actuator that was very cumbersome and expensive to maintain. The well engineered solution was a Kinetrol Size 14 Steadyline double acting actuator with digital speed controllers installed on 12” Pratt butterfly valves. The result: better performance, reduced downtime, lower cost of operation. 

Kinetrol USA

https://kinetrolusa.com

972-447-9443

Pneumatic Valve Actuator Assembly Designed to Prevent Water Hammer

Kinetrol vane actuator and
dashpot assembly

Water hammer occurs when the flow of fluid in a pipe rapidly changes. The result can be very high pipe pressures, mechanical stress on pipe supports, and possible reversal of flow. If not controlled it can cause pipe bursting, broken pipe supports and joint leakage.

The "hammering" is due to a pressure wave created by the instantaneous change in fluid velocity when a valve is suddenly closed or opened. Controlling valve closure time is one of the most economical ways to minimize water hammer. To do this efficiently, while still meeting the process requirements, the use of a variable speed mechanism to control valve stroke is used. One unique, economical and space savings approach is to use a pneumatic vane actuator coupled with a rotary damper (or dashpot).

Rotary dashpots are precision fluid damping devices which give a smooth resistance to shaft rotation which increases with angular velocity.

In this case, a pump station in the USA was having repeated problems with a large, open reservoir hydraulic actuator used to dampen valve opening and closing.  It was overly cumbersome and costly to maintain.

In its place, the pumping station installed Kinetrol Size 14 double acting actuators with digital speed controllers and Kinetrol LJ rotary dampers (with through-shafts to facilitate position feedback) installed on 12” Pratt butterfly valves.

The addition of the bi-directional, sealed dashpots smooth the normal travel, damp any valve flow induced disc oscillations, and provide at least 40 seconds travel time on air and/or electrical power failure.

Using pulsed outputs with programmable delay between steps, the actuators provide a 10 minute opening & closing time for the full 90 degree travel. The system is adjustable between 3-15 minutes with less than one degree increments., and other opening and closing ranges are available.  The actuators use fail-free logic, but fail-hold & fail-safe are available.

These assemblies were commissioned in early Fall of 2017 and are working very well. Their use will be replicated at other pump stations operated by the same customer.

This open reservoir hydraulic actuator was huge and a maintenance headache.