Submerged operation of a fixed-cone valve with a baffled hood

The use of fixed-cone valves (FCV) to dissipate energy has proven to be very effective for medium to high heads. Because of the large area required for energy dissipation through dispersion, a hood or other structure may be used to contain the spray, however, the contained jet concentrates the energy. Another way to contain the conical jet is to submerge the FCV. Operating an FCV under submerged conditions is often discouraged because of the possibility of cavitation and vibration. Operation of a submerged FCV is rarely used and the use of a baffled hood with an FCV under submerged conditions has not been constructed until recently. This paper discusses the concept of operating an FCV with a baffled hood in submerged conditions and presents the results showing how the addition of a baffled hood results in impressive energy dissipation.