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Understand the Importance of the ASME B16.10 Specification

What is the face-to-face dimension of a flanged ball, globe, or gate valve? The ASME B16.10 chart answers this question, as it standardizes the distance between the inlet and the outlet of the most common flanged valves. The purpose of this ASME specification is to ensure the interchangeability of valves produced by different manufacturers.

WHAT IS VALVE FACE-TO-FACE DIMENSION?

The valve face-to-face dimension refers to the distance between the two end faces of a valve, which are the points where the valve connects to the piping system.

This measurement is crucial for ensuring that the valve fits properly within a given piping layout and for facilitating valve replacement or system upgrades. Manufacturers and industry standards, such as those provided by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), American Petroleum Institute (API), and the Manufacturers Standardization Society (MSS), specify face-to-face dimensions for different types of valves (e.g., gate, globe, check, ball, and butterfly valves) and service conditions. Standardizing these dimensions helps in maintaining uniformity across valves produced by different manufacturers, allowing for easier interchangeability and system maintenance.

THE ASME B16.10 SPECIFICATION

ASME B16.10 is a widely recognized standard issued by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) that specifies the face-to-face and end-to-end dimensions of flanged and butt-welded end steel valves. This standard is critical for ensuring the compatibility and interchangeability of valves within piping systems, facilitating easier installation, maintenance, and replacement.

The standard covers a variety of valve types, including gate, globe, plug, ball, check, and butterfly valves, and applies to a broad range of sizes and pressure classes.

By defining precise dimensions for each valve type, ASME B16.10 helps to standardize valve design across the industry, making it simpler for engineers and designers to select and specify valves for new installations or to find suitable replacements for existing systems.

Adherence to ASME B16.10 ensures that valves manufactured by different companies can be used interchangeably in a piping system without the need for modifications, provided they conform to the same type, size, and pressure class as specified in the standard.

This interoperability is crucial for maintaining the efficiency, safety, and reliability of fluid handling systems across various applications, including oil and gas, chemical processing, power generation, and water treatment.

ASME B16.10 SIGNIFICANCE FOR VALVES MANUFACTURERS

The ASME B16.10 standard plays a crucial role for valve manufacturers by providing a comprehensive guideline for the face-to-face and end-to-end dimensions of various types of valves, including gate, globe, check, ball, and butterfly valves. Adhering to this standard offers several significant benefits to manufacturers:

  • Ensures Interoperability: By defining standardized dimensions for valves, ASME B16.10 ensures that valves produced by different manufacturers can be used interchangeably within piping systems without the need for system modification. This interoperability is crucial for end-users looking to replace or upgrade valves without altering existing piping layouts.
  • Facilitates Design and Manufacturing Processes: ASME B16.10 provides a clear set of guidelines that manufacturers can follow during the design and manufacturing processes. This standardization helps streamline production, reduce design costs, and minimize the risk of errors that could lead to incompatibility with existing systems.
  • Enhances Market Competitiveness: Compliance with internationally recognized standards like ASME B16.10 demonstrates a manufacturer’s commitment to quality and reliability. This compliance can enhance a manufacturer’s reputation in the market, making their products more attractive to customers who prioritize standardization for ease of maintenance and system integrity.
  • Promotes Safety and Reliability: Following ASME B16.10 helps ensure that valves are designed to fit properly within a variety of systems, thereby reducing the likelihood of leaks or failures due to improper fit or installation. This contributes to the overall safety and reliability of fluid handling systems in critical applications across industries.
  • Simplifies Inventory and Distribution: For distributors and stockists, the standardization of valve dimensions means that a smaller inventory can serve a wider range of applications, reducing storage costs and simplifying logistics. This efficiency benefits manufacturers, distributors, and end-users alike.
  • Supports Regulatory Compliance: In many industries and regions, compliance with ASME standards is either a regulatory requirement or a key factor in project specifications. By adhering to ASME B16.10, valve manufacturers ensure that their products meet the necessary criteria for use in a wide range of projects, from industrial applications to infrastructure and beyond.

In summary, ASME B16.10 is essential for valve manufacturers as it promotes interoperability, streamlines production processes, enhances competitiveness, ensures safety and reliability, simplifies inventory management, and supports regulatory compliance. These benefits underscore the importance of this standard in the global valve manufacturing industry.

HOW TO SELECT VALVE FACE-TO-FACE

Selecting the appropriate valve face-to-face dimension according to ASME B16.10 involves a systematic approach, taking into consideration the type of valve, its application, and the specific requirements of the piping system. Here’s how you can go about it:

  1. Identify the Valve Type
    Start by identifying the type of valve you need for your application (e.g., gate, globe, ball, butterfly, check). Each valve type has different design characteristics and applications, influencing the required face-to-face dimension.
  2. Determine the Valve Size and Class
    Determine the size (diameter) of the valve required based on the flow rate and the size of the piping system. Also, identify the pressure class of the valve, which is based on the maximum pressure and temperature the valve needs to withstand. The size and class will impact the face-to-face dimensions.
  3. Consult ASME B16.10
    With the valve type, size, and class in mind, consult the ASME B16.10 standard. The standard provides tables with face-to-face and end-to-end dimensions for various types of valves across different sizes and pressure classes. Locate the appropriate table for your valve type and find the dimension that matches your valve’s size and class.
  4. Consider System Requirements
    Consider any specific requirements of your piping system that may influence the selection. For instance, if the valve is to replace an existing valve, ensure the selected dimension matches the available space and existing piping layout. For new installations, consider ease of maintenance, future replacements, and system expansion possibilities.
  5. Check for Exceptions or Special Cases
    Note that certain applications or systems may have exceptions or require special considerations that could affect the choice of valve face-to-face dimension. For example, specialized processes or extreme operating conditions may necessitate custom or non-standard dimensions. In such cases, consultation with valve manufacturers or engineering experts is advised.
  6. Confirm Compatibility
    Ensure that the selected valve and its face-to-face dimension are compatible with the flanges or end connections of the piping system. Compatibility is crucial for a leak-proof system and efficient operation.
  7. Seek Manufacturer’s Data
    Manufacturers often provide detailed catalogs or datasheets with their valves’ dimensions, including face-to-face lengths, which are compliant with ASME B16.10. Refer to these documents to confirm the selection and availability of the required valve.

Selecting the correct valve face-to-face dimension according to ASME B16.10 enhances the efficiency, safety, and reliability of your piping system. This process ensures that the valve will fit properly within the system, facilitating maintenance and future replacements while adhering to industry standards.

ASME B16.10 VALVE FACE-TO-FACE SIZE CHARTS (CLASS 150 TO 2500)

 

Valve face to face dimension ASME B16.10
Valve face to face dimension ASME B16.10

VALVES CLASS 150

Note: dimensions in mm for flanged valves with RF face (ASME B16.10)

150# Ball Long Pattern Ball Short Pattern Gate Solid Wedge and Double Disc Gate Conduit Plug Short Pattern Plug Regular Pattern Plug Venturi Pattern Plug Round Port Full Bore Globe Lift and Swing Check Y-Globe and Y-Swing Check
1/2 108 108 108 108 140
3/4 117 117 117 117 152
1 127 127 127 140 176 127 165
1 1/4 140 140 140 140 184
1 1/2 165 165 165 165 222 165 203
178 178 178 178 178 178 267 203 229
190 190 190 190 190 298 216 279
3 203 203 203 203 203 203 343 241 318
4 229 229 229 229 229 305 229 432 292 368
5 254 254 381 356
6 394 267 267 267 267 394 394 406 470
8 457 292 292 292 292 457 457 495 597
10 533 330 330 330 330 533 533 622 673
12 610 356 356 356 356 610 610 698 775
14 686 381 381 381 686 686 787
16 762 406 406 406 762 762 914
18 864 432 432 864 864 978
20 914 457 457 914 914 978
22 508 1067
24 1067 508 508 1067 1067 1295
26 559 559 1295
28 610 610 1448
30 610 660 1524
32 711
34 762 1016
36 711 813 1956

 

VALVES CLASS 300

Note: dimensions in mm for flanged valves with RF face (ASME B16.10)

300# Ball Long Pattern Ball Short Pattern Gate Solid Wedge and Double Disc and Conduit Plug Short and Venturi Pattern Plug Regular Pattern Plug Round Port Full Bore Globe and Lift Check Swing Check
1/2 140 140 140 152
3/4 152 152 152 178
1 165 165 165 159 190 203 216
1 1/4 178 178 178 216 229
1 1/2 190 190 190 190 241 229 241
216 216 216 216 282 267 267
241 241 241 241 330 292 292
3 282 282 282 282 387 318 318
4 305 305 305 305 457 356 356
5 381 400 400
6 403 403 403 403 403 559 444 444
8 502 419 419 419 502 686 559 533
10 568 457 457 457 568 826 622 622
12 648 502 502 502 711 965 711 711
14 762 572 762 762 762 838
16 838 610 838 838 838 864
18 914 660 914 914 914 978
20 991 711 991 991 991 1016
22 1092 1092 1092 1092 1118
24 1143 813 1143 1143 1143 1346
26 1245 1245 1245 1245 1346
28 1346 1346 1346 1346 1499
30 1397 1397 1397 1397 1594
32 1524 1524 1524 1524
34 1626 1626 1626 1626
36 1727 1727 1727 1727 2083

 

VALVES CLASS 600

Note: dimensions in mm for flanged valves with RF face (ASME B16.10)

600# Ball Long Pattern Gate Solid Wedge and Double Disc and Conduit Long Pattern Plug Regular and Venturi Pattern Plug Round Port Full Bore Globe Lift Check and Swing Check Long Pattern
1/2 165 165 165
3/4 190 190 190
1 216 216 216 254 216
1 1/4 229 229 229 229
1 1/2 241 241 241 318 241
292 292 292 330 292
330 330 330 381 330
3 356 356 356 444 356
4 432 432 432 508 432
5 508 508
6 559 559 559 660 559
8 660 660 660 794 660
10 787 787 787 940 787
12 838 838 838 1067 838
14 889 889 889 889
16 991 991 991 991
18 1092 1092 1092 1092
20 1194 1194 1194 1194
22 1295 1295 1295 1295
24 1397 1397 1397 1397
26 1448 1448 1448 1448
28 1549 1549 1600
30 1651 1651 1651 1651
32 1778 1778 1778
34 1930 1930 1930
36 2083 2083 2083 2083

 

VALVES CLASS 900

Note: dimensions in mm for flanged valves with RF face (ASME B16.10)

900 # Gate Solid Wedge and Double Disc and Conduit Long Pattern Plug Regular and Venturi Pattern Plug Round Port Full Bore Globe Lift Check and Swing Check Long Pattern Ball Long Pattern
3/4 229
1 254 254 254 254
279 279 279 279
305 305 356 305 305
2 368 368 381 368 368
419 419 432 419 419
3 381 381 470 381 381
4 457 457 559 457 457
5 559 559
6 610 610 737 610 610
8 737 737 813 737 737
10 838 838 965 838 838
12 965 965 1118 965 965
14 1029 1029 1029
16 1130 1130 1130 1130
18 1219 1219 1219
20 1321 1321 1321 1321
22
24 1549 1549 1549

 

VALVES CLASS 1500

Note: dimensions in mm for flanged valves with RF face (ASME B16.10)

1500# Gate Solid Wedge Double Disc and Conduit Long Pattern Plug Regular and Venturi Pattern Plug Round Port Full Bore Globe Lift Check and Swing Check Short Pattern Ball Long Pattern
1/2 216
3/4 229
1 254 254 254
279 279 279
305 305 305
2 368 368 391 368 368
419 419 454 419 419
3 470 470 524 470 470
4 546 546 625 546 546
5 673 673
6 705 705 787 705 705
8 832 832 889 832 832
10 991 991 1067 991 991
12 1130 1130 1219 1130 1130
14 1257 1257 1257
16 1384 1384 1384 1384
18 1537 1537
20 1664 1664
22
24 1943 1943

VALVES CLASS 2500

Note: dimensions in mm for flanged valves with RF face (ASME B16.10)

2500# Gate Solid Wedge Double Disc and Conduit Long Pattern Plug Regular Pattern Globe Lift Check and Swing Check Long Pattern Ball Long Pattern
1/2 264 264
3/4 273 273
1 308 308 308
349 349
384 384 384
2 451 451 451 451
508 508 508 508
3 578 578 578 578
4 673 673 673 673
5 794 794 794
6 914 914 914 914
8 1022 1022 1022 1022
10 1270 1270 1270 1270
12 1422 1422 1422 1422

The ASME B16.10 specification can be purchased here.