- Steam Theory
- 1. Basics of Steam
- 2. Steam Heating
- 3. Basics of Steam Traps
- 4. Steam Trap Selection
- Steam Trap Selection: How Application Affects Selection
- Steam Trap Selection: Understanding Specifications
- Steam Trap Selection: Safety Factor and Life Cycle Cost
- Traps and Orifices Part 1
- Traps and Orifices Part 2
- Casting vs. Forging
- Applications of Different Types of Steam Traps
- Don't Get Steamed : Selecting Steam Trap Design
- Understanding Steam Traps
- Compare Two Fixed Orifice Venturi Products to a Variable Orifice Free Float Steam Trap
- 5. Steam Trap Problems
- 6. Steam Trap Management
- 7. Water Hammer
- Water Hammer: What is it?
- Water Hammer: The Mechanism
- Water Hammer: Cause and Location
- Water Hammer: In Steam Distribution Lines
- Water Hammer: In Equipment
- Water Hammer: In Condensate Transport Piping
- Identifying Water Hammer Using a Thermal Camera
- Mitigation of Water Hammer in Vertical Flashing Condensate Transport Piping
- Stop Knocking Your Condensate Return
- Steam Trap Management: Do Something; Anything. Please!
- 8. Risk Mitigation
- 9. Steam Quality
- 10. Steam Distribution
- 11. Condensate Recovery
- Introduction to Condensate Recovery
- Returning Condensate and When to Use Condensate Pumps
- Condensate Recovery: Vented vs. Pressurized Systems
- Condensate Recovery Piping
- What is Stall?
- Methods of Preventing Stall
- Cavitation in Condensate Pumps
- Steam Heat Exchangers are Underworked and Over-Surfaced
- Allocate New Plant Focus to Steam System Design—Part 2
- Optimize Reboiler Performance via Effective Condensate Drainage
- Vent Away Condensate Pump Frustrations in a Flash
- 12. Energy Efficiency
- Tips to improve steam plant efficiency
- Advice on Winter Preparation for Steam Systems
- Insulating Traps
- Steam Compressors
- Why Save Energy?
- Management Strategies for Conserving Energy
- Recovering Steam Clouds and Waste Heat
- Waste Heat Recovery
- Boiler Energy Saving Tips
- Steam Line Energy Saving Tips
- Steam-Using Equipment Energy Saving Tips
- Preventing Steam Leaks
- Handle Steam More Intelligently
- Optimize the Entire Steam System
- Use Available Data to Lower System Cost
- 13. Compressed Air / Gas
- 14. Other Valves
Bypass Valves
Contents:
In this tutorial, we are going to take a look at bypass valves.
Valves such as pressure reducing valves, control valves and steam traps often have bypass piping installed. The valve in such bypass piping is called a bypass valve.
Bypass Valve on Steam Trap ![]() |
Bypass Valve on Pressure Reducing Valve ![]() |
What is a Bypass Valve?
The term bypass valve refers to any valve installed in a bypass line, and is not used to indicate a particular valve shape or configuration. So what types of valves are suitable for installation in bypass piping?
The Role of a Bypass Valve
When considering what types of valves are suitable for installation in bypass piping, it is necessary to think about the role of the bypass line. What was the purpose for the installation of that particular bypass line? Bypass piping can roughly be divided into two categories.
- Bypass piping that acts as a backup line to allow operation to continue while damaged equipment such as pressure reducing valves and steam traps are isolated and shutdown during replacement or repair
- Bypass piping whose purpose is to supplement the performance of pressure reducing valves and traps
These different objectives require valves with different features. Therefore, the optimal valve models will be different.
Valves Suitable for Use as Bypass Valves
Example: Back-up Line for Uses Such as Replacement of Equipment
The role of bypass piping for uses such as a backup line during replacement of equipment is not always merely to allow the fluid to continue to flow. There are cases in which it must also act as a replacement for any pressure reducing valves or steam traps involved, so it is important that the bypass line have some 'fluid control' capability. In such cases, globe valves are a suitable type of valve.

Example: Bypass piping to supplement the performance of equipment
Bypass piping installed to supplement performance is designed to handle excessive pressure or flow, so frequently a valve with low resistance is used in the fully open position. Furthermore, if a control valve is included in the installation, the valve needs to have fast opening / closing response. In this type of application, a ball valve is the suitable type of valve.

The subject of valve types is addressed in Types of Valves and Their Applications.
Trap with Built-in Bypass Valve
There is a model of steam trap that has a built-in bypass valve.
To use this trap, at start-up open the bypass valve to rapidly discharge the start-up condensate. Then during normal operation, leave the bypass valve closed so condensate is discharged only through the trap. However, keep in mind that because this bypass valve is built into the trap, it cannot perform the bypass function when the trap is in the process of being replaced. To our knowledge, there are no control valves or pressure reducing valves with built-in bypass features. They must be used in combination with suitable valves.

Types of Manual Valves | Check Valve Installation and Benefits |