The Economic Advantages of Butterfly Valves in Low-Pressure Pipelines: A Measured Case of 50% Cost Savings Compared with Gate Valves

In industrial pipeline systems, the choice of valves plays a crucial role in the economy and efficiency of the systems. BUTTERFLY VALVES and GATE VALVES, as two common types of valves, each have different characteristics and application scenarios. This article will compare the cost differences between BUTTERFLY VALVES and GATE VALVES in low-pressure pipeline systems through a measured case, revealing the significant economic advantages of butterfly valves.

I. BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BUTTERFLY VALVES AND GATE VALVES

Butterfly Valves
A butterfly valve is a type of valve that controls the flow of fluid by rotating the disc. Its main characteristics include:

• Simple structure: The structure of a butterfly valve is relatively simple, mainly consisting of the valve body, disc, valve stem and sealing ring, with a small number of components and low manufacturing cost.

• Quick operation: The butterfly valve adopts a 90-degree rotation mechanism, enabling quick operation and allowing it to be opened or closed in a short time.

• Small size and light weight: The size and weight of a butterfly valve are smaller than those of a gate valve, and this advantage is more obvious especially in large-diameter pipelines.

• Wide application range: Butterfly valves are suitable for a variety of media, including water, gases, chemicals, etc., and perform well in low-pressure, large-flow pipeline systems

Gate Valves

A gate valve is a type of valve that controls the flow of fluid by moving the gate up and down. Its main characteristics include:

• Good sealing performance: Gate valves can achieve zero-leakage sealing and are suitable for occasions requiring strict sealing.

• Applicable to high pressure: Gate valves are designed to withstand higher pressures and are suitable for high-pressure pipeline systems.

• Slow operation: The opening and closing process of gate valves is relatively slow and is not suitable for occasions requiring a quick response.

• Large size and heavy weight: The structure of gate valves is complex, and they have a large size and heavy weight, especially large-diameter gate valves.

II. COST COMPARISON BETWEEN BUTTERFLY VALVES AND GATE VALVES

Initial Purchase Cost

• Butterfly Valves: Due to their simple structure and low manufacturing cost, the initial purchase price of butterfly valves is usually about 30% - 50% lower than that of gate valves.

• Gate Valves: The design of gate valves is complex, requiring more materials and precision machining, so the initial purchase cost is higher.

Installation Cost

• Butterfly Valves: Butterfly valves are small in size and light in weight, requiring little installation space, and the installation process is simple, resulting in a low installation cost.

• Gate Valves: Gate valves are large in size and heavy in weight, and their installation requires more space and equipment support, leading to a high installation cost.

Maintenance Cost

• Butterfly Valves: The structure of butterfly valves is simple, with few wearing parts, a long maintenance cycle and low maintenance cost.

• Gate Valves: The structure of gate valves is complex, with many wearing parts, a short maintenance cycle and high maintenance cost.

Operating Cost

• Butterfly Valves: Butterfly valves have low fluid resistance, which can reduce the pressure drop of the system and the energy consumption of pumps or fans, resulting in a low operating cost.

• Gate Valves: Gate valves have relatively high fluid resistance, which may lead to an increase in the pressure drop of the system and a higher operating cost.

III. ANALYSIS OF THE MEASURED CASE

Case Background
A chemical enterprise needed to install a batch of valves in a low-pressure pipeline system to control the flow of water and corrosive chemicals. After a comprehensive evaluation, the enterprise decided to use butterfly valves and gate valves respectively for a comparative test to determine which valve was more suitable for this application scenario.

Test Environment

• Pipeline diameter: DN300
• Working pressure: 0.5 MPa
• Medium type: Water and corrosive chemicals
• Test period: 6 months

Cost Comparison

Test Results
After a 6-month test, the BUTTERFLY VALVES performed excellently in the low-pressure pipeline system. They not only had quick operation and good sealing performance but also had a significantly lower total cost than the GATE VALVES. The specific data are as follows:

• Initial purchase cost: The initial purchase cost of butterfly valves was about 40% lower than that of gate valves.
• Installation cost: The installation cost of butterfly valves was only 60% of that of gate valves.
• Maintenance cost: The maintenance cost of butterfly valves was only 30% of that of gate valves.
• Operating cost: The energy consumption of butterfly valves was about 20% lower than that of gate valves.

Overall, the total cost of butterfly valves in the low-pressure pipeline system was about 50% lower than that of gate valves, showing significant economic advantages.

IV. CONCLUSION

Through the above analysis of the measured case, we can clearly see the economic advantages of BUTTERFLY VALVES in low-pressure pipeline systems. BUTTERFLY VALVES are not only lower than gate valves in terms of initial purchase cost but also perform well in installation, maintenance and operating costs. For low-pressure pipeline systems that require quick operation, space saving and energy consumption reduction, butterfly valves are undoubtedly a more economical and efficient choice.

When choosing valves, enterprises should comprehensively consider the performance, economy and applicability of valves according to specific working conditions and cost budgets. For low-pressure, large-flow pipeline systems, BUTTERFLY VALVES are undoubtedly one of the best choices.