What Every Conveyance Designer Should Know about Air Valves and Air Valve Assemblies

Several types of air valves are commercially available including manual air release valves, automatic air release valves, air/vacuum valves, combination air valves, vacuum relief/air inlet valves, and surge control assemblies. This paper includes a discussion regarding sizing and spacing of air valves, different methods and features for freeze protection, and tips regarding how to specify various types of air valves. Sources of valuable information and guidelines regarding air valves are described. Unique features of air valves used for waste water vs. clean water are discussed. The paper also includes tips for designing air valve enclosures, common problems with air valves, and a perspective from staff responsible for accessing and maintaining air valves. Drawings illustrating several types of air valve assemblies are presented and discussed. The information presented should be of interest to pipeline designers, specification authors, operating personnel, and maintenance personnel.