International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013)

A Numerical Investigation of the Incompressible Flow through

a Butterfly Valve Using CFD
A. Dawy1, A. Sharara2, A. Hassan3
1
M.Sc. Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, AASTMT, Alexandria, Egypt
2
Assistant Professor, 3Professor, HOD, Department of Marine Engineering, AASTMT, Alexandria, Egypt
Abstract—The results of a numerical investigation of a
butterfly valve under incompressible flow conditions are
reported. The commercial CFD code Fluent was used for the
study, and the standard K-ε turbulence model was selected.
The simulations provided insight into the flow field
characteristics of the valve. The valve performance factors
such as the flow coefficient and hydrodynamic flow coefficient
were computed for different valve opening angles. The results
were compared with experimental data and good agreement
was found. The results demonstrated the importance of CFD
as a valuable tool in visualizing the complex structures in the
flow field of the valve. The pressure drop across the valve and
the valve flow coefficient were found to be directly dependent
on the opening angle of the valve disk. The hydrodynamic
torque coefficient curve was computed at different valve Fig. 1. A Typical Butterfly Valve
opening angles, and the angle at which maximum torque
coefficient occurs was identified. The study of butterfly valves has evolved over the years;
most of the earlier studies were based on analytical and
Keywords— Butterfly Valve, Control Valve, Computational experimental approaches. Sarpkaya [1] developed a
Fluid Dynamics, CFD, Numerical Analysis, Turbulence. theoretical model for predicting the cavitation and torque
characteristics of a flat disk butterfly valve. Eom [2]
I. INTRODUCTION studied experimentally the performance of two different
A butterfly valve (Fig. 1) is a flow control device that is configurations of butterfly valves: perforated disk and
widely used in a variety of piping applications including oil different diameters of solid disks that allow partial opening
& gas transportation, power generation plants, of the valve at closed position. The results supported the
petrochemical plants, water distribution, sewage and suitability of butterfly valves as good flow controllers.
firefighting applications. They owe much of their Morris and Dutton [3] experimentally investigated the
popularity to their simple mechanical assembly, low cost, aerodynamic torque characteristics of butterfly valves using
fast closing and opening times, and most importantly their two dimensional planar models and three dimensional
low pressure drop in the fully opened position. prototype valves at chocked and un-chocked operating
The three main components of a butterfly valve are the points, and the results revealed the significance of the flow
valve body, the valve disk and the shaft (Stem) which is separation and reattachment phenomena on the
typically connected to an actuator. The shaft acts as the aerodynamic torque characteristics of butterfly valves.
center of rotation for the disk, and turns the disk in a 90 Morris and Dutton [4] also investigated the operating
degree motion from a position parallel to the fluid flow characteristics of two similar butterfly valves mounted in
(fully opened position) to a position where the disk is series, and an experimental investigation concerning the
perpendicular to the fluid motion (fully closed position). operating characteristics of a butterfly valve downstream of
For that reason the butterfly valve belongs to the quarter a 90 degree mitered elbow [5]. Kimura et al. [6]
turn valves family. theoretically studied the pressure loss characteristics and
cavitation stages for a practical butterfly valve.

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013)
A theoretical pressure loss coefficient was formulated, The aim of the present work is to develop a CFD model
and the relation between the loss coefficient and the critical of a symmetric disk type butterfly valve using the
cavitation factor was studied. Ogawa and Kimura [7] commercial code FLUENT, that accurately represents the
conducted a theoretical investigation that focused on the flow-field and provides insight of three-dimensional
prediction of hydrodynamic torque characteristics of behavior of the flow around the valve, and predicts the
butterfly valves. An equation of torque characteristics performance factors of the valve.
derived from the theoretical investigation taking into
account the experimental measured torque data was II. CFD MODEL
proposed. Danbon and Solliec [8] conducted an
experimental research to study the influence of an elbow A. Model Geometry Description
located upstream of a butterfly valve on the time average The valve disk diameter considered for the present study
and on the fluctuating aerodynamic torque. Due to the rapid is 50 mm with pipe diameter set to be 52 mm. A rubber
development in computing power and the progress in seal around rim of the valve was not modeled to avoid
computer visualizations, more researchers have adopted the problems associated with meshing very small volumes; the
use of numerical methods and computational fluid gap closed by the seal is small and was not expected to
dynamics (CFD) techniques in their research. Among the have a significant effect on the flow through the valve.
earliest researchers to use a commercial computational According to the Research of Huang and Kim [9] the
fluid dynamics code to investigate the flow through a upstream and downstream pipe lengths should be at least 2
butterfly valve are Huang and Kim [9] who carried out a and 8 disk diameters respectively. The upstream and
three-dimensional numerical analysis for incompressible downstream pipe lengths were set to be 2 and 15 disk
fluid flows in a butterfly valve using a commercial diameters respectively.
software, the study revealed the velocity field and the B. Meshing
pressure distribution. Lin and Schohl [10] conducted a
numerical study to validate the use of the commercial CFD Tetrahedral elements were used for meshing the model
package FLUENT in predicting the hydrodynamic forces with prism layers for modeling boundary layer as shown in
acting on a partially open butterfly valve, The results Fig. 2., a grid independence study was conducted to ensure
showed that CFD modeling can provide a reasonable grid independency, and grids were constructed for valve
estimate of the force and discharge coefficients, as a openings of 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 degrees. The number
comparison was made between the CFD predicted and of elements for each case was between 979198 and
experimental data. Leutwyler and Dalton [11] [12] [13] 1055453 elements.
conducted various numerical studies to assess the capability
of CFD codes to predict butterfly valve performance
coefficients, and to provide insight into the compressible
flow-field in a butterfly valve. Song and Park [14]
conducted a numerical simulation of a three dimensional
butterfly valve operating in an incompressible fluid for
various valve opening angles. The flow field was visualized
and the pressure drop, flow coefficient and hydrodynamic
torque coefficient values were determined. Henderson et al.
[15] conducted a numerical study of the flow through a
safety butterfly valve in a hydroelectric power scheme to
stop water supply to a downstream penstock in order to
predict the hydrodynamic torque versus opening angle
(a) Extended View of Mesh at 45 deg.
characteristic. The numerical results showed that a strong
vortical flow pattern developed downstream from the
valve. Perma, et al. [16] investigated numerically the
butterfly valve disk geometry and its effects on the valve
performance at the fully open position when operating in an
incompressible fluid flow.

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013)
The transport equations for the standard k-ε model can
be described as follow [21]:
̅ ̅ ̅
( ̅) [( ) ] [ ]

̅ ̅ ̅
( ̅) [( ) ] [ ]

(b) Close-up View

Where
Fig. 2. Generated Mesh
And the empirical constants for the model are given in
C. Boundary Conditions
Table. II
A summary of the boundary conditions used is given in
Table. I., inlet velocity was set at 5 m/s with fully TABLE II
Model Constants
developed velocity profile, while the pressure at the outlet
was set to zero Pascal. The valve disk and pipe surface
were both set as wall with no-slip boundary condition.
0.09 1.47 1.92 1 1.3
TABLE I
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

Surface Domain Boundary Condition III. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS

Inlet Velocity Inlet A. Flow Field Description
A common feature that is found in all non-zero opening
Outlet Pressure Outlet angles is the formation of two counter rotating swirling
vortices directly downstream of the valve disk; this can be
Valve Disk Wall observed in the velocity streamlines illustrated in Fig. 3.
this behavior was also noted by Henderson et al. [15]
Pipe Surface Wall

D. Numerical Method
Incompressible, viscous, turbulent flow was simulated
through the valve by solving the Reynolds Averaged
Navier-Stokes equations (RANS); its common form can be
written as:
̅
[ ̅ ̅] ̅

To deal with turbulence many models have been (a) Stream lines downstream disk at 45 deg.
developed over the years. Two equation turbulence models
have served as the foundation for much of the turbulence
model research during the past two decades [20], they are
the most commonly used in turbulent engineering problems
due to robustness, lower computer requirements and
relative accurracy. The Standard k-ε model which is a
semi-empirical two equation model was chosen for this (b)Stream lines extended view at 45 deg.
study. It relates the turbulent viscosity, the turbulent kinetic
Fig. 3. Velocity Streamlines.
energy and the turbulent dissipation rate.

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013)
At the fully opened angle the flow is fairly smooth with 16
very small separation region visible at the trailing edge of 14
the disk, as the valve opening angle increases the flow 12

Pressure (Bar)
around the valve becomes highly turbulent and the extent 10

of the separation increases until most of the downstream 8

6
valve disk becomes separated at 45ᵒ opening as shown in
4
Fig. 4., The separation downstream the valve and the
2
formation of vortices can be attributed to the sudden 0
pressure drop across the valve which increases with the 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

increase in valve opening angle as seen in Fig. 5. , and Valve opening angle

also the reduction in the area between the edges of the disk
and the pipe wall with the increase in the opening angle Fig. 5. Pressure Drop across valve
leads to acceleration of the flow which acts as a jet leading
to flow recirculation and flow separation from the disk.
In Fig. 6. a close up view of the valve disk at an opening
angle of 75ᵒ is illustrated showing the vortices formed
downstream the disk as a result of boundary layer
separation.

(a) 0 deg.
Fig. 6. Velocity Vectors at 75 deg.

(b) 15 deg.
B. Velocity Profiles
The fully developed velocity profile described earlier as
the inlet boundary condition can be observed in Fig. 7. at a
(c) 30 deg. distance of 2 D upstream the valve disk. The downstream
velocity profiles were observed at different opening angles
and it was found that at a downstream pipe length of about
(d) 45 deg. 8 to 10 disk diameters the flow recovered to the fully
developed pattern as illustrated in Fig. 8.

(e) 60 deg.

(f) 75 deg.

Fig. 4. Velocity Contours. Fig. 7. Inlet Velocity Profile at fully opened position

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013)

250.0

(a) 0 deg. 200.0

Flow Coefficient (Cv)

150.0

100.0
(a) 75 deg.
50.0

0.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Fig. 8. Velocity Profiles at various downstream positions Valve opening angle

C. Valve Performance Factors

Fig. 9. Flow Coefficient
The main factors considered during classification and
selection of butterfly valves are the valve flow coefficient, 0.4
and the hydrodynamic torque coefficient. The knowledge Current CFD data
0.35
of these two factors is essential for piping designers and Exp. Data of Song et al. [14]
0.3
valve manufacturers to ensure safe and reliable operation of
Torque Coefficient
Exp. Data of Solliec et al. [17]
the valves and the piping system. The most common 0.25

equations used to describe these coefficients are [18]: 0.2

0.15
√ 0.1

0.05

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Valve opening angle
The valve flow coefficient can be seen in Fig. 9. , the
Fig. 10. Hydrodynamic Torque Coefficient
curve starts with a maximum value at the zero opening
degree and gradually decreases to a minimum value at the
fully closed position, the trend of is opposite to the trend IV. CONCLUSIONS
of the pressure drop curve of Fig. 5. , this can be easily The investigation of the flow characteristics through a
understood by examining Eq. 4. Where is inversely butterfly valve under different opening angles and for
proportional to the root of the pressure drop across the incompressible flow regime was studied using
valve. The computed hydrodynamic torque coefficient is computational fluid dynamics techniques. The flow field
illustrated in Fig. 10. and compared with experimental data was visualized and the performance factors of the valve
from the literature. The comparison confirms that the were computed and compared against experimental data.
numerical curve follow the trend of the experimental Based on the results the following conclusions can be
curves as the curves qualitatively agree with maximum highlighted:
torque coefficient occurring between 10ᵒ and 16ᵒ, at  CFD provides a means of gaining valuable insight
opening degrees greater than 16ᵒ the value of starts to into the flow field of the valve, where complex fluid
decrease gradually till it reaches a minimum value near structures including vortex formation and flow
fully closed position. separation and velocity profile recovery can be
observed and studied.

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013)
 Strong vortical behavior is present downstream of the [6] Kimura, T., Tanaka, T., Fujimoto, K., and Ogawa, K.,
valve, the extent of vortices formation and flow 1995,” Hydrodynamic characteristics of a butterfly valve -
separation increases with the increase in the opening Prediction of pressure loss characteristics”, ISA
Transactions, 34(4), pp. 319-326
angle of the valve disk.
 The pressure drop across the valve & the valve flow [7] Ogawa, K. and Kimura, T., 1995, “Hydrodynamic
characteristics of a butterfly valve - Prediction of torque
coefficient were found to be directly dependent on the characteristics”, ISA Transactions, 34(4), pp. 327-333
position of the valve disk, where increasing the
[8] Danbon, F. and Solliec, C., 2000, “Aerodynamic Torque of a
opening angle of the valve results in an increase in the
Butterfly Valve—Influence of an Elbow on the Time-Mean
pressure drop, and consequently a drop in the flow and Instantaneous Aerodynamic Torque”, Journal of Fluids
coefficient. Engineering, 122(2), pp. 337-344
 The maximum value of the hydrodynamic torque [9] Huang, C. and Kim, R. H., 1996, “Three-Dimensional
coefficient was observed at a valve opening angle of Analysis of Partially Open Butterfly Valve Flows”, Journal
10 to 16 deg., this was confirmed by comparing the of Fluids Engineering, 118(3), pp. 562-568
results with experimental test data from the literature. [10] Lin, F. and Schohl, G. A., 2004, “CFD Prediction and
Validation of Butterfly Valve Hydrodynamic Forces”,
Nomenclature Proceedings of World Water and Environmental Resources
Congress, Salt Lake City, USA, pp. 1-8
CFD Computational Fluid Dynamics
̅ Mean Velocity [11] Leutwyler, Z. and Dalton, C., 2004, “A CFD Study to
Analyze the Aerodynamic Torque, Lift, and Drag Forces for
Pressure a Butterfly Valve in the Mid-Stroke Position”, ASME Heat
Density Transfer-Fluids Engineering Summer Conference, North
Viscosity Carolina, USA pp. 1-9
Reynolds Stress Tensor [12] Leutwyler, Z. and Dalton, C., 2006, ”A Computational Study
Turbulent Viscosity of Torque and Forces Due to Compressible Flow on a
Turbulent Production Rate Butterfly Valve Disk in Mid-stroke Position”, Journal of
Turbulent Dissipation Rate Fluids Engineering, 128(5), pp. 1074-1082
Flow Coefficient [13] Leutwyler, Z. and Dalton, C., 2008, “A CFD Study of the
discharge Flow Field, Resultant Force, and Aerodynamic Torque on a
Specific Gravity Symmetric Disk Butterfly Valve in a Compressible Fluid”,
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 130(2), pp. 021302-
Pressure drop across valve (1-10)
Hydrodynamic Torque Coefficient [14] Song, X. G. and Park, Y. C., 2007, “Numerical Analysis of
Hydrodynamic Torque Butterfly Valve-Prediction of Flow Coefficient and
Dd Disk Diameter Hydrodynamic Torque Coefficient”, Proceedings of the
World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science, San
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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013)
[18] American Water Works Association (AWWA), Butterfly [20] Wilcox, D., 1994, Turbulence Modeling for CFD, DCW
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