• Reliable backup functionality: Automatic control valves often incorporate backup hydraulic functionality, ensuring continued π www. valve-world. net Valve World November 2025
ENERGY STORAGE
Specifying valves for thermal energy storage systems
Increasing demand for thermal energy storage systems has put pressure on water utilities and private infrastructure to supply these facilities with large amounts of water. Control valves are used in water production, transmission and storage.
By Bill Moore, Cla-Val Company
An example of valves used in a commercial TES system.
Thermal energy storage( TES) systems are growing in demand due to their ability to provide cost savings, expanded cooling capacity, resiliency, and sustainability for commercial and industrial facilities. In a nutshell, TES systems store thermal energy( chilled water or hot water) for later use, which can be beneficial in managing energy supply and demand by storing excess energy produced during periods of low demand for use during peak times. TES systems are used in centralised campuses, large hospitals, and military installations to meet increased cooling loads without investing in additional chillers, cooling towers, and pumps. Another area of increased demand for TES is large data centres, which require cooling systems to manage the significant heat generated by their IT equipment. There are over 5,300 data centres in the US, and the market is projected to grow from USD 26.67 billion in 2023 to USD 55.83 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 15.92 %. All this demand for TES has put pressure on water utilities and private infrastructure to supply these facilities with large amounts of water. Control valves are used in water production, transmission and storage facilities. Integral to the design of a TES system, is the proper selection and configuration of valves that control flow and pressures. Selecting the proper valves is vital to the performance of a TES system.
Automatic control valves
Due to the volume and size of these systems, automatic control valves can provide many advantages over actuated ball or butterfly valves:
• Greater range and precision of modulating control: Globe-style automatic control valves have greater rangeability for flow and pressure applications. Due to the linear design, automatic control valves excel at modulating flow and maintaining tight control, providing infinite positioning capabilities. In contrast, ball and butterfly valves have a more limited control range.
• Improved resistance to cavitation: Cavitation can be an issue in some TES systems, causing valve damage, noise, and reduced efficiency. Automatic control valves are less susceptible to cavitation and can be supplied or retrofitted with anti-cavitation trim if needed.
• Simpler and more cost-effective maintenance: Automatic control valves have fewer moving parts and are generally less complex than actuated ball or butterfly valves. This makes them cheaper and easier to maintain over the long term, requiring less frequent overhauls or repairs.
• Versatility to perform multiple functions: Many automatic control valves can be configured to perform additional functions beyond just flow control, such as pressure regulation, metering, and more.
• Reliable backup functionality: Automatic control valves often incorporate backup hydraulic functionality, ensuring continued π www. valve-world. net Valve World November 2025
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