Butterfly Valve Installation Costs and Maintenance in 2023

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Butterfly Valve Installation Costs, Repair, and Maintenance in 2023 – Butterfly valves are flow control gadgets that use a metal disc that spins around a fixed stem axis to regulate flow. They’re quick-action flow control valves that rotate 90 degrees to transition from completely open to fully closed. If you want to know more about these valves, visit this Linquip’s post.

⇒ View a List of Butterfly Valves for Sale and Their Suppliers ⇐

Butterfly Valve Principle

The valve is in the closed position when the disc is perpendicular to the pipe’s centerline. When the disc is parallel to the pipe’s centerline, the valve is fully open (allowing maximum fluid flow). The internal diameter of the neighboring pipe is about equivalent to the flow control mechanism (disc).

These valves come in a variety of sizes and designs, which determine how well they function in industrial processes, sanitary valve applications, fire protection services, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and slurries. Butterfly valves are important for flow control and isolation in general.

Flow Regulation for Butterfly Valve Installation

The disc’s movement starts, slows down, or stops the flow of fluid. Actuated butterfly valves monitor pipeline conditions and open or close valves as needed to ensure consistent flow rates in applications that need high degrees of precision. The flow properties of butterfly valves used for flow regulation are as follows:

Near linear— The flow rate is related to the disc’s angular movement. When the disc is 40 percent open, for example, the flow rate is 40 percent of the maximum. High-performance butterfly valves frequently exhibit this flow characteristic.
Quick opening— When resilient-seated butterfly valves are used, this flow characteristic appears. When the disc travels from a closed state, fluid flow rates are maximum. As the valve approaches completely open, the flow rates gradually decrease with minor variations.
Flow isolation— On/off fluid service is possible using butterfly valves. When parts of the pipe system need to be serviced, flow isolation is required.

Table 1 Butterfly Valve Installation and Replacement Costs

Types of Service	Price Range
Average Cost	$500
Replacement High Cost	$1200
Replacement Low Cost	$220
Gadget Cost	$250-$2500
Labor Cost	$50-$300

Guidelines for the Installation of Butterfly Valves

Butterfly valves are often installed between flanges. To reduce the effects of turbulent flow, butterfly valves should be located at least four to six pipe diameters away from discharge nozzles, elbows, or branches.

Clean the pipeline and inspect the flanges for smoothness and flatness before installation. Make sure the pipes are parallel. Maintain a slightly open disc position when fitting the valve. To avoid damage to the seat faces, the flanges may need to be spread. When lifting or relocating the valve, use locating holes or a sling around the body. Lift the valve away from the actuator or the operator.

Align the valve with the insert bolts on the neighboring pipe. To estimate clearances between the bolts and the flanges, tighten them by hand and then with a torque wrench, gently and evenly. Check the bolts for uniform tensioning by tightening them with a torque wrench after the valve is completely open.

Pre-Installation Information/Checklist

Make sure that the operating circumstances (pressure and temperature) are within the product’s stipulated capability.
Make sure that the butterfly valve’s construction material is chemically compatible with the media flowing through the pipeline.
Inspect the valve flange ends and the pipeline’s connecting flanges for cleanliness and flaws. The alignment of the pipeline should also be examined. API butterfly valves should never be used to realign a piping system that is already in place.
Check the distance between pipe flanges to ensure adequate clearance for valve installation.
Larger valves should be lifted into place using the necessary material handling equipment.

Butterfly valves are often bi-directional and can be fitted in either vertical or horizontal flow directions. If a stem position option is available, the valve should be fitted with the stem horizontal to reduce seat wear by uniformly dispersing the stem and disc weight. In addition, if the media is abrasive, the horizontal stem position generates a self-flushing action, extending the valve’s service life.

Check that the current pipe diameters correspond to the inlet and output sizes of the unit being installed and that there is no obstruction. Additional support may be required if pipeline strain is an issue with bigger valves (due to weight).

Additional gaskets are not required because the rubber seat also serves as a seal between the flanges.

Butterfly valves should be positioned at a minimum of six (6) pipe diameters from upstream components and four (4) pipe diameters from downstream components, if practicable.

Table 2 Recommended Bolt Torque

Size	Bolt Torque (Ft-Lbs)
2″ – 4″	36
5″ – 8″	65
10″ – 12″	87
14″ – 16″	200
18″ – 20″	270

Industrial Butterfly Valves Installation & Maintenance

Valve maintenance includes lubrication of mechanical components, as well as examination and repair of actuators. Valves that require frequent maintenance have fittings where grease may be applied. To prevent rusting and corrosion, use enough lithium-based lubricant at regular intervals. It’s also necessary to inspect the actuators at regular intervals for any evidence of wear or loose electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic connections that might influence valve performance.

Users should also use a silicone-based lubricant to clean all sections of the butterfly valve. Any symptoms of wear on the valve seats should be checked and replaced as needed. Butterfly valve discs used in dry applications such as pressurized air service must be oiled. Butterfly valves that aren’t cycled too often should be cycled at least once a month.

Maintenance Rules:

If the valve is not used frequently, cycle it once a month or more.
Before keeping the valve open, relieve the system pressure.
Reverse the installation procedure to remove the piping.
Remove the stem and disc and replace the valve seat (liner). Remove the liner and replace it with a fresh one. Replace the disc and stem, as well as any seals and clips. Reinstall in the same order as before.
If the valve is used in a dry environment (for example, pressurized air), lube the disc and seat regularly to extend its life.

Please view this video clip for operational instructions.

Additional Considerations When Selecting a Butterfly Valve

Valve selection may appear to be a simple matter of picking and plugging, but there are various technical parameters to consider. The first step is to determine the type of fluid control and service fluid necessary. Valves composed of stainless steel, a nickel-chrome-based super alloy, or other corrosion-resistant materials are required for corrosive fluid service.

Users must evaluate the pipe system’s capacity, pressure and temperature variations, and required automation levels. While actuated butterfly valves give more accurate flow control than manually controlled equivalents, they are more costly. Butterfly valves do not have a complete port. If a user is unclear about the chemical compatibility of a process or how to choose the right actuation, a skilled valve company can help.

Critical Butterfly Valve Installation Costs

Most Facility Owners/End Users Have Valves That Are More Vital Than Others. These valves may be subjected to significantly greater pressures, have a bigger size, be motor-driven, or transport dangerous or fatal media. For certain essential valves, the TCO calculation is somewhat different. Because they must be maintained at a greater level than standard valves, effective maintenance is much more critical.

Additional non-destructive testing and nondestructive assessment are frequently necessary. Repairing these valves nearly always necessitates additional skill, technology, and time. This corresponds to a greater cost of repair.

When a replacement essential valve becomes available, the owner/end-user must decide whether to acquire new equipment or submit a purchase order for the repair. If the cost of repair surpasses around 60–65 percent of the cost of a new valve, then a new valve is ordered.

Replacement with new equipment is not always an option, however, because these valves are often special-order, highly engineered valves with long lead times. In those cases, the decision becomes easy: The valve is repaired. In some cases, the repair of specialized valves can cost more than a replacement valve would cost. Another consideration while considering whether or not to repair is the original valve’s toughness vs the perceived robustness of a new replacement valve.

Design Guidance & Product Advantages

Always consider available space for the actuator and feedback components while sizing the valve.
Consider using valve supports to carry extra weight.
On request, SS316 extension shafts are available. This permits actuators to be above ground and valves to be buried in pits.

Because of their lightweight form and rapid functioning, butterfly valves are appropriate for a variety of applications. Soft-seated butterfly valves are best for low-temperature, low-pressure applications, whereas metal-seated butterfly valves are better for harsh fluid duty. These procedures transport viscous or corrosive fluids at high temperatures and pressures. Butterfly valves provide the following benefits:

Lightweight and compact construction— The flow control devices of butterfly valves are tiny metallic discs. The disc is compact and takes up little space, yet it is powerful enough to control fluid flow.
Quick and efficient seals— Butterfly valves are suitable for high-precision flow applications because they seal quickly when actuated. The type of disc offset and the nature of seat materials determine the sealing qualities of butterfly valves.
Low-pressure drops and high-pressure recovery— A butterfly valve has a modest pressure drop even if the disc is constantly present in the flow. Low pressure drop is critical for regulating the pumping and energy requirements of the system.
Low maintenance requirements— Internal components are less numerous in butterfly valves. They don’t contain any pockets that may collect fluids or debris; thus they just need little maintenance.
Simple operation— Butterfly valves require relatively little torque to function due to their tiny and lightweight design. To overcome the fluid’s frictional resistance, the thin metallic disc applies a little amount of force. Because tiny actuators can generate adequate torque for butterfly valve operation, they are easy to automate. Small actuators use less power and cost less to add to a valve, resulting in cheaper operating costs.

Avoid Common Errors When Installing Butterfly Valves

Pre-installation, inspection, identification, and alignment of all items involved help to avoid some of the most common and problematic installation problems.

Pre-Installation

Make sure the waterway is clear of debris and foreign substances by inspecting the valve. Make sure there’s no extraneous material in the adjacent pipeline that might harm the seat and disc sealing surfaces.
To ensure appropriate alignment of the disc in the valve seat, the actuator should be installed on the valve before installation.
Check the materials and operating pressure on the valve identification tag to ensure they are appropriate for the application.
Check the size, threading, and length of the flange bolts or studs.

WARNING! If the valve is put where service conditions may exceed the valve ratings, personal harm or property damage may occur.

Installation

Before installing the valve, position the connecting pipe flanges in the line to ensure adequate alignment. Allow adequate space between the pipe flanges for the valve body to be situated between them without actually touching the flange surfaces. Handle the valve with extreme caution to avoid damaging the disc or seat faces.

Place the valve between the flanges for Lug-type valves.
Between the valve and the mating flanges, tighten all nuts. Tighten bolts by hand as needed.
The valve should be centered between the flanges before any bolts are tightened, and then gently opened and closed to ensure free, unimpeded disc movement.
Tighten the flange bolts uniformly using the method illustrated in Figure 3 to ensure homogeneous compression.
Check the actuator travel stop settings for correct disc alignment by cycling the valve to the completely open position and then back to the fully closed position. To ensure that no binding occurs, the valve should be actuated.
The valve is now fully functional.