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Applications Guideline-Flashing (Water)

Flashing occurs when a liquid transitions to a vapor due to a decrease in pressure as it flows through a valve. This can cause erosion damage and reduce capacity. The best solutions to prevent flashing damage are an angle valve with a downstream liner or a globe valve with a chrome moly or stainless steel body and trim. Special hardened materials and downstream piping can also reduce flashing and erosion. Proper valve selection depends on factors like pressure drop and fluid properties.

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667 views2 pages

Applications Guideline-Flashing (Water)

Flashing occurs when a liquid transitions to a vapor due to a decrease in pressure as it flows through a valve. This can cause erosion damage and reduce capacity. The best solutions to prevent flashing damage are an angle valve with a downstream liner or a globe valve with a chrome moly or stainless steel body and trim. Special hardened materials and downstream piping can also reduce flashing and erosion. Proper valve selection depends on factors like pressure drop and fluid properties.

Uploaded by

strahor7492
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PS Sheet

PS 59:044(A) November 2002

Flashing

Applications GuidelineFlashing (Water)


Flashing is a phenomena that may, under certain circumstances, occur as liquid flows through a valve. Flashing occurs when a liquid transitions from a liquid state to a vapor, and happens due to the relationship between the pressure in a fluid and its velocity. As a liquid flows through the most restrictive part of the flow path, its velocity increases. As governed by Bernoullis equation, if the velocity increases, the fluid pressure decreases. If the pressure falls below the vapor pressure for a particular fluid, the fluid will begin to boil (or flash), changing into a vapor. Flashing can result in two problems: (1) Erosion of the valve body and trim parts due to the impingement of high-velocity liquid droplets, and (2) Reduced capacity. Guidelines have been constructed from a broad base of experience. There are undoubtedly exceptions; therefore recent experience should be used for the best valve selection. If you have any questions regarding flashing application guidelines, call your Fisher sales office. An angle valve with standard trim in the flow down direction and with a downstream liner is perhaps the best solution to preventing flashing damage. The reason this construction is an excellent choice is that flashing damage occurs when high velocity vapor bubbles impinge on the surface of a valve. An angle valve reduces the impingement by directing flow into the center of the downstream pipe, not into the valve body. If damage does occur, the downstream liner can be replaced much more economically than the valve body. Special materials can be used to reduce or eliminate flashing damage, such as hardened trim and high chrome body materials. Generally, the harder the material of trim construction, the more resistant to flashing and cavitation. The philosophy of harder is better also applies to the valve body. Typically, the power industry has standardized on Chrome-Moly steel alloys for flashing service. Of these alloys, ASTM SA-217 Grade C5 and Grade WC9 are the most common. Both material grades provide excellent resistance to erosion while being fairly economical. ASTM-SA-217 Grade WC9 is the Fisher recommendation for flashing services since Grade C5 is more expensive, more difficult for the foundry to pour, and usually has longer delivery than WC9. The added moly of WC9 makes up for the lack of chrome.

Service up to 100 PSIG drop


D Globe valve, flow down, carbon steel valve body, 416 SST Trim for all applications except water. D For water applications a chrome moly or stainless steel globe valve body with 416 SST trim should be used.

Service up to 200 PSIG drop


D Globe valve, flow down, chrome moly or SST valve body, 416 SST trim.

Service from 200 to 400 PSIG drop


D Globe valve, flow down, chrome moly or SST valve body D Use stellited trim for service other than feedwater. Use 440C trim if there is any possibility that it will be used in amine treated feedwater or condensate mixed with feedwater. Be careful of spraywater applications since most will use feedwater as a supply.

Service over 400 PSIG drop


D Carbon steel angle valve body with liner or chrome moly valve without a liner. D V500 with trim 3 (solid alloy 6) reverse flow only (note that a spool piece is recommended downstream of the valve). D Use stellited trim for non-feedwater applications and 440C if flow media is, or contains, amine treated feedwater. If it is a power plant application and you are not sure of the water source, use 440C trim.

www.Fisher.com

PS Sheet

Flashing
Solution Rankings
Best SolutionCarbon steel angle valve, flow down, with liner. If the valve body is chrome moly or SST, a liner is not required. Better SolutionV500, reverse flow, trim 3 (solid alloy 6), tack weld seat retainer to prevent back out (optional). Review Power Sourcebook section on heater drains applications for further information. Good SolutionGlobe valve, flow down, WC9 chrome moly valve body, 440C trim, or stellited trim (stellite not to be used on feedwater service). Review Power Sourcebook section on heater drains applications for further information. Stellite is also called: CoCrA, Hardfacing Alloy 6, Hardfacing Alloy Stellite 6, Hardfacing Stoody 6, Hardfacing 6, Alloy, Hardfacing

PS 59:044(A) November 2002


One of the best cures regardless of whether it is iron oxide erosion or flashing damage is to use a section of chrome moly or stainless steel pipe and pipe fittings downstream of the valve wherever the damage is occurring. For valves that exhaust into the flash tank in a power plant, an excellent solution is to place the outlet of the valve directly into the flash tank. This may result in the valve being installed in an orientation with the actuator horizontal for angle valves. Fisher recommends installation with the actuator vertical and on top. However if you have a small valve, installing it with the actuator horizontal should not cause a great problem. A somewhat shortened trim life would be possible and some actuator components may also be affected with larger valve sizes. If you install ENVIRO-SEALr packing in the valve, it should greatly help packing life since it has bushings to support the side load rather than relying on the soft packing for support. Class V is recommended as the minimum shutoff required. When the valve is in the closed position, with leakage greater than class V, flashing damage will occur downstream of the valve seat. Assuming that the piping includes an elbow close to the valve outlet, it is recommended that the customer consider using a pipe tee rather than an elbow. This can allow the use of a blind flange that can be replaced rather than blowing a hole through an elbow.

Alloy 6 (stellite) is excellent for corrosion and erosion resistance for all flashing applications other than feedwater applications. In feedwater the recommended material is 440C. Fisher recommends a straight run of pipe 8 to 10 pipe diameters downstream of the valve to reduce pipe damage caused by flashing. It is not uncommon to find entrained particles in both steam and water lines that can cause erosion damage. The entrained particles found in these systems are nearly always iron oxides (rust) from other components in the system. These materials are erosive and may accelerate flashing damage. Wet steam is very erosive and may also damage downstream pipe. A spool piece of SST downstream of the valve should be considered.

Note Fisher does not assume responsibility for the selection, use, or maintenance of any product. Responsibility for proper selection, use, and maintenance of any Fisher product remains solely with the purchaser and end-user.

ENVIRO-SEAL and Fisher are marks owned by Fisher Controls International LLC, a business of Emerson Process Management. The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. The contents of this publication are presented for informational purposes only, and while every effort has been made to ensure their accuracy, they are not to be construed as warranties or guarantees, express or implied, regarding the products or services described herein or their use or applicability. We reserve the right to modify or improve the designs or specifications of such products at any time without notice. Fisher does not assume responsibility for the selection, use or maintenance of any product. Responsibility for proper selection, use and maintenance of any Fisher product remains solely with the purchaser and end-user. Emerson Process Management Fisher Marshalltown, Iowa 50158 USA Cernay 68700 France Sao Paulo 05424 Brazil Singapore 128461 www.Fisher.com
2Fisher Controls International LLC 2002; All Rights Reserved Printed in USA E

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