Control Valve Primer
A User's Guide
International Society for Automation
5. Edition April 2026
242 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Control Valve Primer: A User's Guide, 5th Edition
In this new edition, Dr. Baumann--holder of more than 150 patents and author of more than 200 publications on control valves, fluid mechanics, and acoustics--shares his expertise in designing control loops and selecting final control elements. The easy-to-read text provides shortcuts through complex sizing and noise calculation formulas and gives practical advice on how to apply control valves for safety, reduced energy costs, loop stability, and easy maintenance.
This edition expands on the following:
* The accurate, scientific-based, ABC sound-level prediction method that can be applied to all types and sizes of control valves in gas or liquid systems
* A method of predicting pipe vibration levels based on acoustic sound power that enables technicians to spot dangerous acceleration levels which could damage pipes or attached instruments
* Advances in aerodynamic noise suppression
* Distributed control systems (DCSs) and smart positioners
* The environmental impact of seat and stem packing leakage
* Scientific insights on cavitation, super-sonic gas velocities, and turbulence
* Selecting fail-safe valve open or close positions to meet cybersecurity demands
Foreword xiii
About the Author. xv
Chapter 1 What Is a Control Valve and How Does It Affect My Control Loop? 1
Chapter 2 Why Not Use a Speed-Controlled Pump? 9
Chapter 3 What Valve Type Shall I Choose? 13
Chapter 4 The Self-Acting Regulator: Why Not? 21
Chapter 5 Valve Sizing Made Easy 23
Chapter 6 High-Recovery Valves 47
Chapter 7 Sizing and Selection--Let the Computer Do It All! 51
Chapter 8 What About Fail-Safe? 55
Chapter 9 Why Most People Choose "Equal Percentage" as a Flow Characteristic 57
Chapter 10 Valve Positioners 67
Chapter 11 The Mystery of Line Pressure-Produced Valve Stem Forces, or Selecting the Correct Actuator Size 81
Chapter 12 How to Install a Control Valve 91
Chapter 13 How Good Is the Valve I Purchased? 95
Chapter 14 When Do I Need to "Hard Face" the Valve Trim and Other Questions Concerning Valve Material 99
Chapter 15 Cavitation 103
Chapter 16 Concern for the Environment 109
Chapter 17 Will My Valve Be Too Noisy? 111
Chapter 18 The ABC Method for Gases 115
Chapter 19 The Graphical ABC Method for Gases 121
Chapter 20 Methods of Aerodynamic Valve Noise Reduction 125
Chapter 21 The ABC Method for Estimating Hydrodynamic Sound Level 133
Chapter 22 Graphical Estimation of Noise Produced by Turbulence and Cavitation of Liquids 137
Chapter 23 Flashing 145
Chapter 24 Avoiding Leaky Valve Stem Packing 147
Chapter 25 Seat Leakage and Seat Materials 153
Chapter 26 Valves for Sanitary or Aseptic Service 157
Chapter 27 Sixteen Commandments: What You Shall Not Do! 165
Chapter 28 Electric versus Pneumatic Actuators 167
Chapter 29 Saving Energy 171
Chapter 30 The Bus System to the Rescue, or What the Future May Bring 175
Chapter 31 Thinking "Green" and Saving Metal 183
Chapter 32 Pipe Vibration Due to Sound 185
Appendix A: References--Tables and Figures 197
Appendix B: Control Valve Standards and Recommended Practices 209
Appendix C: How Does the ABC Method Work? 215
In 1977, he founded H. D. Baumann Assoc., Ltd., a manufacturer of control valves. The company was initially acquired by Fisher Instruments, and is now part of Emerson Process Management. Over his career, Dr. Baumann has served in numerous positions, including Chief Engineer (at W. & T. Co., a German valve supplier); Manager of Research & Development (at Worthington S/A in France); Director of Engineering (at Cashco); Vice President (at Masoneilan International, Inc.); and Senior Vice President of Technology (at Fisher Controls).
Dr. Baumann holds degrees from Case institute of Technology (now part of Case Western Reserve University) and Northeastern University, and earned a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia Pacific University.