Valve Flow Coefficient “Cv”

The flow rate of a fluid through a valve is a function of the inlet and outlet conditions, liquid or gas properties, and properties of the specific valve. Pressure, temperature, and piping geometry are inlet and outlet conditions. Pertinent liquid properties are composition, density, vapor pressure, viscosity, surface tension, and thermodynamic critical pressure. Pertinent gas properties are composition, density, and ratio of specific heats. Valve characteristics such as flow path, valve travel, and of course size influence flow rate. ANSI/ISA-75.01-1985 (R1995) provides equations to approximate flow.

Through a standard test procedure, a Valve Flow Coefficient “Cv” can be assigned to a particular valve. This coefficient can then be used to approximate flow rates with reasonable accuracy for different fluids and gases at any inlet and outlet conditions. Cv is essentially the number of gallons of water that will flow through a particular valve in 1 minute at exactly 1.0 psi of differential pressure between the inlet and outlet. Clark-Cooper manufactures valves with Cv values ranging from 0.005 all the way to 100 and covers a broad spectrum of allowable pressures for those sizes.