Maintaining Butterfly Valves: Tips for Longevity

The usage of butterfly valves in industries is huge. Now, whether that is water treatment and HVAC or oil to gas and chemical processing, they perform best. Their simplicity, efficiency, compact size, and cost efficiency make them a favorite of engineers. However, they are perfect for both small and large-scale valve uses. Nonetheless, just like any other mechanical part, they need proper care to maintain their performance.

Proper butterfly valve maintenance not only increases its shelf life but also prevents expensive downtime and urgent repairs. In this guide, we will share some practical tips for the durability of butterfly valves. So, let’s begin.

Significance of Butterfly Valve Maintenance

While butterfly valves are famous for their low-maintenance design, ignoring regular maintenance can result in poor performance. The disc and seals are constantly coming in contact with the fluid flow, pressure changes, and contaminants. Without attention, wear and tear can result in:

• Leaks because of worn seals

• Corrosion or damage to the disc

• Extended torque requirements during operation

• Complete valve repair or replacement requirements

By taking care of your butterfly valve and maintaining it, you can avoid these possible issues. Also, you can keep your system running smoothly.

Getting to Know the Main Parts

Before we start discussing the maintenance tips, it is pivotal to first get to know each part that needs care and maintenance:

1. Disc: It’s the rotating part that regulates fluid flow. It must stay flawless, corrosion-resistant, and properly aligned to avoid damage.

2. Seals (Seats): Seals, also known as seats, are a tight seal between the disc and valve body. Their job is to block leaks. They are made of rubber, elastomer, or PTFE, and are likely to wear with time.

3. Shaft and Bearings: They support disc movement. However, they require oiling to operate finely.

4. Actuator/ Handle: It is the control mechanism that rotates the disc.

The main focus should be on seal and disc upkeep – it is pivotal for ensuring long-term reliability.

Upkeeping Tips for Seals

The seals are responsible for preventing leaks in a butterfly valve. It is pivotal to check them on a regular basis as a component of your butterfly valve maintenance plan.

1. Check the Seals Regularly

Examine seals regularly and look for cracks, cuts, or changes in their shape. Even a little damage can affect the sealing performance. For systems dealing with abrasive liquids, examining should be more frequent to find out the early signs of wear.

2. Keep Seals Clean

There are chances that Debris, residues, and chemical buildup can minimize seal effectiveness. Clean the seals with a mild cleaning liquid that is not harmful for the seal material. Do not use harsh chemicals. Nonetheless, if they are approved for your particular valve type.

3. Replace Worn Seals Promptly

When seals are severely damaged to give a proper seal, there is no other option but to replace them with new ones. If you do not do the replacement on time, it can result in leaks, corrosion, and expensive valve repair work.

4. Do Not tighten it Too Much

If you tighten the valve too much, it can damage the seals. Why? Because the seals have a limit, and if you force them to go beyond them, they will break. Give proper training to operators for manual and actuated systems.

5. Use Compatible Liquids

Always make sure the seals of a valve are made of a robust material. So that the fluid or gas passing through them won’t affect them. This is a simple examining that can save your seals very much.

Upkeeping Tips for Discs

The disc is the core of a butterfly valve’s operation. Proper disc care ensures flawless rotation, consistent sealing, and minimum wear.

1. Save from Corrosion

Select corrosion-resistant materials for discs based on the operating environment. For instance, stainless steel or coated discs are perfect for corrosive chemical applications. Regular inspections should include checking for small holes and changes in color.

2. Avoid Abrasive Damage

In applications where there are particles in the liquid, abrasives can erode the disc surface. If erosion is caught early, it can be polished or resurfaced to restore the disc. Otherwise, if the wear is too much, you may need to give it a valve repair or simply replace it.

3. Maintain Proper Alignment

Misaligned discs can result in uneven wear on seals. Also, it minimizes valve efficiency. During butterfly valve maintenance, see whether the disc rotates freely and sits correctly when in the closed position.

4. Clean Build-Up

With time, a crust of scale, mineral deposits, and sludge can make their place on the disc inside the valve. If you clean the disc during scheduled shutdowns, it prevents build-up from interfering with operation.

5. Do Oiling of the Bearings and Shaft

The shaft and bearings require oiling. Proper oiling minimizes friction. It also prevents strain on the disc during operation.

General Butterfly Valve Maintenance Best Practices

Other than seals and discs, proper upkeeping will help you reduce valve repair costs. It will also extend the lifespan of your butterfly valves.

1. Follow an Upkeep Schedule

You should create a maintenance plan for your system. This plan should be tailored to how your system operates. If your system faces:

• Very hot conditions

• A lot of force

• Abrasive materials

Then you have to inspect your system more often to make sure everything is functioning fine.

2. Keep the Valves in Working Order

If you don’t use the valve frequently, it will jam. Therefore, it is pivotal to keep them moving from time to time.

3. Safeguard Against Over-Torque

Torquing too much can damage:

• Discs

• Seals

• Shaft

Therefore, always use the devices that force the valve in a limited way to turn it on.

4. Keep an Eye on the Leaks

Even little amounts of leaks signal the start of seal or disc wear. Therefore, if you catch it up early, it can prevent more extensive valve repair work tomorrow.

5. Maintain Record of all Maintenance

Every time you examine your butterfly valves, do any replacements or make adjustments to them, keep a record of it. This will make you aware of everything related to the condition of your butterfly valves. So that you can plan accordingly, what to do about them.

What is the Right Time to Repair Your Valves

Always remember one thing. Even if you take proper care of your butterfly valves, one day, a time will arrive when you will need to replace them. So here are the signs of changing or repairing your butterfly valve:

• Constant leakage in spite of seal replacement

• Disc damage that affects sealing

• Too much corrosion or erosion

• Actuator failure affecting valve movement

In some cases, it’s a good thing to fully replace your butterfly valve instead of repairing it again and again. Why? Because if your valve keeps causing problems in spite of getting repaired, it’s time to replace it. It can be a sign that your valve is getting near the end of its life.

Wrap Up

Proper butterfly valve maintenance is pivotal for ensuring excellent and long-term performance, preventing leaks, and reducing downtime. By taking care of the discs and seals, you can increase the shelf life of your valve. It will also minimize the need for frequent valve repair.

Frequent checking, proper cleaning, replacing its components on time, and careful operation are the basis of an effective maintenance plan. Whether they are liquids, chemicals, or gases passing through your butterfly valves, if you keep them maintained, they will keep serving you optimal.