Hawles Innovative Butterfly Valves Boost Water Supply Reliability

Imagine a sprawling metropolis where millions of residents depend on a continuous supply of clean water for their daily lives and industrial activities. The urban water supply network functions much like the human circulatory system, with pipes serving as veins and arteries transporting water from its source to every household and facility. In this intricate system, valves play a critical role as the "heart valves" that regulate water flow and maintain system integrity. Among various valve types, butterfly valves have emerged as indispensable components in water supply systems due to their compact design and cost-effectiveness. This article examines Hawle's butterfly valve technology, focusing on its dual eccentric design and its crucial role in ensuring reliable urban water distribution.

Butterfly valves operate by rotating a disc to control fluid flow, offering rapid operation and simple construction that make them ideal for water distribution networks. These valves function like traffic controllers in water pipelines, directing flow patterns and ensuring proper distribution to all endpoints. While sometimes used for flow regulation, Hawle recommends against prolonged throttling as it may compromise sealing performance and accelerate wear – similar to how maintaining heart valves in a partially open state would strain their functionality.

The fundamental advantage of butterfly valves lies in their compactness, translating to lighter weight, lower cost, smaller installation footprint, and faster response compared to alternative valve types. Hawle's design incorporates flanged connections with a dual eccentric (double offset) configuration that significantly enhances sealing performance and service life. This engineering approach reduces friction between the disc and seat during operation, mirroring precision automotive design principles that minimize mechanical wear to extend component longevity.

Hawle's valve performance stems from meticulous component engineering and manufacturing quality control, ensuring reliability under demanding operating conditions.

• Valve Body: Constructed as the structural foundation, typically using flanged, wafer, or lug connections for pipeline integration. The body material and design must withstand hydraulic forces and system pressures.
• Disc: The flow control element that rotates to permit or restrict water passage. Hawle's 9881k series employs dual eccentric disc geometry to minimize seal wear and reduce operating torque.
• Seat: The sealing interface along the valve interior, often comprising elastomeric or metallic materials. Hawle's 9881k series features stainless steel welded seats with micro-finished surfaces that achieve zero-leakage performance per EN12266-A standards.
• Stem: The torque-transmitting component linking the actuator to the disc, requiring robust materials to endure operational stresses.
• Seals: Multiple O-ring stem seals create maintenance-free barriers between media and moving parts, significantly reducing lifecycle costs.

Hawle valves support various actuation methods to accommodate different operational requirements:

• Electric: Precision-controlled via 4-20mA signals for automated systems requiring accurate flow modulation
• Pneumatic: Compressed air operation for rapid response in emergency shutdown scenarios
• Hydraulic: High-torque capability for heavy-duty applications with viscous media or elevated pressures
• Manual: Lever, handwheel, or gearbox operation for standard applications, with optional extension stems for buried installations

For applications exceeding DN 200 (200mm), butterfly valves demonstrate compelling benefits:

1. Compact and Lightweight: Reduced installation space requirements and lower structural support costs
2. Minimal Maintenance: Simplified design with fewer wear components decreases service interventions
3. Rapid Operation: Quarter-turn functionality enables fast emergency response
4. Economic Efficiency: Lower material and manufacturing costs compared to alternative valve types
5. Versatility: Suitable for diverse applications including underground installation and high-volume flow control

Hawle butterfly valves excel in large-volume water management scenarios, particularly in:

• Pumping stations and water collection networks
• Raw and potable water treatment facilities
• Distribution mains up to DN 1400 (55-inch) diameters

The company offers specialized valve configurations for unique applications, including the 9881 Özkan series designed for high-pressure environments up to 40 bar (PN 40) and large diameters reaching DN 2500. Standard 9881k series valves cover DN 150 to DN 1600 sizes with PN 10 and PN 16 pressure ratings.

As water utilities embrace digital transformation, Hawle continues innovating to develop intelligent valve solutions that integrate with modern monitoring and control systems. The company's engineering focus remains on enhancing reliability, efficiency, and adaptability to meet evolving urban water challenges.