What is a Swing Check Valve?

A swing check valve, also known as a tilting disc check, is designed to allow the flow in one direction and prevent it from reversing and flowing in the reverse direction.

These valves are often used in industrial, commercial, residential, oil and gas, water treatment, and chemical processing. The swing check valve operates by a hinged disc that swings up and opens the flow path when the flow is going in the preferred direction. It closes with a combination of gravity and flow reversal, and seals when the disc is forced against the seat by the differential pressure. The main advantages are the simple automatic design, low-pressure drop, and low cracking pressure. The main disadvantages are valve orientation (critical to the proper functioning), the requirement for a pressure differential to form the seal, the occasional slamming of the disc (on larger valves) against the seat, and the creation of a water hammer. Since this valve design’s seal requires a pressure differential, they will not seal at low pressures. Additionally, since the closing relies on a combination of gravity and the flow reversing, some flow will pass through the valve allowing the flow to reverse for a short period. As a result of these disadvantages, there are other check valve designs.