Which valves can be used to throttle flow for only a short period of time?

The butterfly valve is specifically designed to control the flow of fluid through a pipe. Its construction allows for quick open and close actions, making it suitable for applications where throttling is only needed for short durations. The disk of a butterfly valve rotates within the fluid flow, providing efficient regulation of flow when partially opened.

When throttling is required, butterfly valves can handle moderate control of flow rate without incurring significant pressure drops. However, when used for long-term throttling, their design may lead to issues like wear on the seating surfaces and higher operating pressures. Therefore, they are ideal for short-term throttling applications where quick adjustments are necessary and are commonly utilized in situations like transient flow control during operational adjustments or maintenance.

In contrast, other types of valves such as ball valves and gate valves are not typically designed for throttling; they are best suited for fully open or fully closed applications. Check valves serve a different purpose entirely, designed to allow flow in one direction and prevent backflow, without throttling capabilities.