Best choice for steam valve?

[Hyko]

We are currently using a manual ball valve on our 2" steam line to control our still. It makes adjusting heat input very difficult because I can't make the finite adjustments necessary to get the vapor temp in that sweet spot. Additionally lately I think the steam is starting to blow past the ball in the valve and causing some odd spikes in temperature. What's a good replacement for this set up? I've been looking at globe valves on mcmcaster, is this the way to go? Electric thermostat controlled valves are the ultimate goal but not currently an option.

Cheers

[Silk City Distillers]

We have a 2" Velan globe valve that is relatively precise, it helps that it has a nice sized hand wheel (it's an overkill class 800 valve).  However, if you already have a 2" ball valve for gross changes, it might be more cost effective to parallel (tee in) a smaller 1/2 or 3/4" globe valve for fine control.  This would give you the best of both worlds, fast large changes with the ball, and high precision changes with the small globe.  Having parallel steam valves in this configuration is pretty common, as large globes lose precision at the low end of their range.

Steam wouldn't be blowing past the ball valve unless it was damaged, and that would be a constant occurrence.  

 

 

[Scrounge]

Silk City is on point with the 2 valve suggestion. I personally run a single globe from McMaster Carr on all my equip. I have seen nice 2 valve set ups that would definitely give you more precise turn down though. Ball valves are only good for on -off with steam, over here anyhow. 

[indyspirits]

 

9 hours ago, Silk City Distillers said:

 

 However, if you already have a 2" ball valve for gross changes, it might be more cost effective to parallel (tee in) a smaller 1/2 or 3/4" globe valve for fine control

 

What he said!

[Silk City Distillers]

McMaster Carr is great when you need anything tomorrow, but god knows you are paying a major premium for the convenience of it dealing with a vendor like that.

$400-600 for a barely decent 2" globe valve?  That's robbery.

Here are some nice options:

Here is a nice 1/2" Velan - $30 obo - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Velan-Globe-Valve-S-2074B-02TY-1-2-S-W-Class-800-/262446837817?hash=item3d1b0cf039:g:IJcAAOSwciVXP4Tu

Or a 3/4 - $90 obo - http://www.ebay.com/itm/VELAN-S-2074B-02TY-3-4-A105N-A-NSNB-VALVE-/291685709852?hash=item43e9d2b81c:g:dsEAAOSwWTRWwhkN

Here is an absolutely beautiful stainless 1" globe, $80, this is probably close to $1000 valve. - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Velan-1-Globe-Valve-Stainless-Steel-S-2074B-13MY-062-/121649886720?hash=item1c52e5f600:g:DNsAAOSweW5VUlzd

A nice option might be to use the 1" globe in parallel.  Keep it set in the sweet spot.  For heatup, open the 2" ball, when you get near operating temp, close the ball and rely on the 1" globe.