Are you using the ideal hydronic balancing and control valves? This article offers an overview of several balancing and control valves for hydronic systems along with benefits and rough cost comparisons. It will also cover a common misconception regarding use of automatic balancing valves (ABVs). This review begins with manual balancing valves paired with standard control valves. Discussion of ABVs and pressure independent control valves (PICVs) will occur later. For those familiar with hydronic balancing and valve selection, you may prefer to skip down to the ABV discussion.
When there are parallel flow paths through the coils in a system, flows must be balanced by adding appropriate resistance to each coil path in the system. That way, each path receives the intended flow to accomplish its purpose. In variable flow hydronic systems, each flow path requires a means for balancing the system at design flow and a means for controlling (varying) the flow as the load changes.