An electric butterfly valve is a type of quarter-turn valve that uses a rotating disc connected to an electric actuator to open, close, or regulate fluid flow. The disc is positioned across the pipe diameter and rotates with the valve stem to control the medium.
Inside the valve body, the disc rotates between 0° and 90°. At 90°, the valve is fully open, allowing maximum flow; at smaller angles, it provides throttling control.
Butterfly valves feature a simple structure, compact size, light weight, and low material consumption. They offer quick 90° operation, low driving torque, and easy installation. These valves are widely used for on-off, isolation, and regulation of fluids in pipelines, with excellent flow control and sealing performance. When fully open, only the thin disc creates flow resistance, resulting in a low pressure drop across the valve.
Butterfly valves are available in two main sealing types: soft seal and metal seal. Soft-seal valves use elastic materials such as rubber or PTFE for tight shut-off, while metal-seal valves use metal-to-metal contact for higher temperature and pressure resistance. Metal-seal valves generally have a longer service life but may achieve less perfect shut-off compared to soft-seal types. Soft seals offer better sealing but are limited in temperature resistance.
When selecting a butterfly valve for flow regulation, the key considerations are valve size, pressure class, and sealing material. Its simple structural design makes butterfly valves especially suitable for large-diameter pipelines. They are widely applied in industries including petroleum, gas, chemical engineering, water treatment, and power plant cooling water systems.
Common types of butterfly valves include wafer, lug, and flange butterfly valves. Wafer butterfly valves are mounted between two pipe flanges with through bolts. Flange butterfly valves have integrated flanges at both ends for direct bolted connection to pipelines. Different connection types allow flexible installation in various piping systems.
