Needle Valves have a slender, tapered point at the end of the valve stem that is lowered through the seat to restrict or block flow, giving them their name.
Fluid flowing through the valve turns 90 degrees and passes through an orifice that is the seat for a rod with a cone shaped tip.
These small valves are widely used to accurately regulate the flow of liquids and gases at low flow rates.
The fine threading of the stem and the large seat area allow for the precise resistance to flow.
Needle Valves are used to control flow into delicate gauges, which might be damaged by sudden surges of fluid under pressure.
They are also used in situations where the flow must be gradually brought to a halt, and at other points where precise adjustments of flow are necessary or where a small flow rate is desired.
They can be used as both on/off valves and for throttling service.
Subsea production systems incorporate complex, main line valve systems that require additional services to sustain flow assurance. These services include Chemical injection, venting, isolation and draining – all high integrity duties, which means that 25 year life serci.
Subsea Production Systems (SPSs) and Tie-backs incorporate complex, main line valve systems that require additional services to sustain flow assurance.
These services include Chemical Injection, Venting, Isolation and Draining and, because Subsea applications are high integrity duties, the small bore valves serving them need to meet these same design criteria which include an intervention-free 25 year life in-service.
In those applications where the product flow is guaranteed to be clean Needle Valves provide a volumetrically small, compact and economical solution to meeting these needs for both liquid and gas applications.
They feature tight shut-off characteristics and positive isolation through metal-to-metal sealing and lend themselves to be easily manifolded.
For high integrity, subsea services up to 15,000psi, temperatures from -46 to +121°C and water depths up to 3000m BEL Valves has a range of Needle Valves in bore sizes from 1/2″ to 1″.
These come with Autoclave, Butt Weld, Flanged, Hub Connectors, Socket Weld and other proprietary end connections to suit the OEM Package.
BEL Needle Valves are driver or ROV Actuated and are available in Standard and Exotic Materials to suit the service conditions.
Special features of the design include non-rising stem actuation and a non-rotating tip with metal-to-metal seating that facilitates repeatable bubble tight shut-off characteristics.
