What is the best installation position for pilot operated control valves?

In order to ensure that the flow to control valves is as optimal as possible, thus achieving reliable pressure control, installation directly downstream of elbows and shut-off valves should be avoided.

The resulting turbulences may have a negative effect on the performance of the valve. An ideal installation position includes a damping zone of at least 3 x DN upstream of the valve. Providing for a dirt trap between the wedge and the control valve in terms of the upstream pressure is effective for filtering coarse particles of dirt out of the service pipeline. Installing valves according to these specifications will result in a long service life and few non-routine maintenance operations.

When maintenance work involving taking the valve out of operation needs to be carried out, it makes sense to lay a by-pass pipeline, which ensures that consumers have an uninterrupted supply of drinking water and that the valve can be serviced without any disruption.