Control Valve Vibration

Reduce maintenance costs with Fisher control valves and instruments that can withstand damaging vibration.

C010 - Vibration testing Fisher valve actuator - W9968

Understanding Control Valve Vibration

High vibration poses a risk to control valves. It can cause part fatigue/breakage, excessive component wear, damage to accessories, and loss of performance during and after vibration. When it originates at the control valve, it is usually linked to aerodynamic noise or cavitation. Whereas vibration around control valves can result from many different sources, including pumps and compressors. When severe vibration is observed, it is important to act quickly to identify the source and take action to address it.

Principles of Control Valve Vibration

Damage Potential

Within an industrial facility, vibration can originate not only within the control valve, but also with upstream and downstream piping and equipment. Vibration experienced in control valve installations can damage components and instruments.

At the very least, vibration is annoying because of the noise generated. At worst, vibration can prevent the control valve from controlling the process.

Control valve bodies can be susceptible to high-pressure drop vibration, so care is needed when choosing a design to avoid this. Plugs vibrating against cages can cause high friction and poor control valve assembly performance.

If a control valve positioner has a physical linkage to the control valve stem, it is susceptible to failure. Intense vibration may require a positioner designed with a sturdy mounting, rugged internal mechanisms, or remote mounting capability.

Control Valve Vibration - Damage Potential - D352786_p9

Solving Vibration Problems

Fisher control valves and instruments, by design, are enhanced to improve vibration robustness.

Wear points are eliminated in instrumentation with linkage-less, non-contact position feedback. Fisher FIELDVUE DVC6200 digital valve controllers use a magnet array and hall effect sensor, which result in no sliding parts to vibrate in harsh or nonstop cycling environments (see image).
Integral mountings make brackets and external tubing obsolete. An integral air passage on Fisher 667 size 30i through 76i actuators eliminates the need for external tubing and fittings that are susceptible to vibration.

The magnet array and hall effect sensor on the FIELDVUE DVC6200 digital valve controller mean there are no sliding parts to vibr

Emerson Testing

We measure the ability of Fisher products to withstand vibrating environments to meet industry standards and fulfill customer requests.

Types of vibration testing performed:

Resonance identification and fatigue evaluation are routinely tested.
General pipeline vibration testing with higher frequency, lower acceleration is for digital valve controllers, valve positioners, and valve actuators for vibration typically found in pipelines. Relevant standards include: ANSI/ISA-75.13, IEC 60068-2-6, IEC 60068-2-27, and IEC 60068-2-64.
Seismic (earthquake) testing with low frequency, high acceleration is primarily for nuclear power plants. Tests can be completed to the IEEE 344, IEEE 382, and IEEE 323 standards.
Custom vibration testing of Emerson products can be requested through an Emerson sales office