Control Valve Performance and its Effect on Process Control, 1993 Process Control, Electrical & Information Conference Proceedings

William V. Fitzgerald

Today’s competitive marketplace is forcing pulp and paper producers to take a very hard look at reducing production costs. A method that has recently been employed by a number of companies is what is commonly called a process audit. Essentially a study is carried out on the effectiveness of each step in the production process looking for ways to lower costs, increase throughput, or improve the quality of the final product. One of the most significant findings coming out of these studies is that control valves play a very pivotal role in optimizing process performance. Unfortunately, these same studies show that control valves are not receiving the attention they deserve given their importance.

This paper will review appropriate steps to be taken to insure that control valves are specified, installed, and maintained so that they will not be the weak link in controlling the process. It will also describe several typical problems that one might encounter with control valves along with recommendations on how to correct the situation. Finally, it will briefly discuss new developments in the control valve field that will assist the end-user in achieving optimum performance from his production facilities.