What is Sigma in control valve?
Sarah Oconnell
Published Mar 29, 2026
Sigma is the most widely-accepted and precise cavitation index used to quantify and predict cavitation in control valves. Simply put, Sigma is the ratio of the potential for resisting formation of vapor bubbles to the potential for causing formation of vapor bubbles.
What is FL and xT in control valve?
ANSI/ISA liquid sizing Equations use a pressure recovery factor, FL, to calcu- late the ∆Pch at which choked flow is assumed for sizing purposes. For compressible fluids, a terminal pressure drop ratio, xT, similarly describes the choked pressure drop for a specific valve.What is cavitation in control valve?
Cavitation happens in control valves when there's variation in the flow velocity, in particular, when the fluid in the valve accelerates rapidly. It occurs when the pressure drop in the valve exceeds a critical point or when downstream pressure exceeds the fluid vapor pressure.What is cavitation and flashing?
Flashing is an in- to- out event while cavitation is an out- to- in event. Flashing occurs at low pressure and cavitation occurs when the low-pressure bubbles collapse at the high-pressure region within the pump casing producing a shock wave. Reduction of volume of the vapor sphere concentrates matter and energy.What are the three types of control valves?
There are three primary types of control valve trim:
- Snap Trim (also referred to as Quick-Opening trim)
- Nominal Trim (also referred to as Linear trim)
- Equal Percentage Trim.