Lift Check Valve

Lift Check Valve – Guided Disc Design for Vertical Upflow Service

Lift check valves employ a guided disc or piston that moves perpendicular to the seat in a linear lifting motion, fundamentally different from the swinging or tilting action of swing/tilting disc checks. The disc rides within guides machined into the body cavity (or within a separate cage assembly), ensuring concentric seating and excellent shutoff performance with metal or soft seats. This guided design delivers superior sealing compared to swing checks where hinge pin wear can cause off-center seating and leakage—critical for African oil & gas, steam, and high-pressure water applications requiring bubble-tight performance per ANSI/FCI Class V or VI.

Unlike swing checks requiring horizontal installation or dual-plate checks suitable for any orientation, lift checks MUST install in vertical upflow pipelines or horizontal lines with flow entering under the seat. Gravity provides closure force supplemented by optional springs for low-velocity applications. This installation restriction limits lift check applicability but delivers advantages in specific services: (1) In-line with globe valve installations where piping already accommodates vertical orientation, (2) High-pressure applications above ANSI Class 1500 where guided disc withstands differential pressure without deflection, (3) Steam service requiring tight shutoff to prevent reverse condensate flow that damages steam traps.

Pressure drop when fully open (5-10 psi) exceeds swing checks (0.2-0.5 psi) or dual-plate checks (2-5 psi) due to tortuous flow path through the body cavity and around the disc—similar to globe valves with which lift checks share design ancestry. For African power plants, refineries, and high-pressure systems where the application already employs globe valves for throttling, specifying lift checks for isolation maintains consistent piping orientation and reduces installation costs despite higher pressure drop versus alternative check valve types.

When to Specify Lift Check Valves vs. Alternatives

Choose Lift Checks When:

• Vertical upflow piping exists: Boiler feed lines, steam headers, condensate return systems, or high-pressure injection wells where piping already accommodates vertical orientation—lift check installation requires no layout changes
• Bubble-tight shutoff required: Steam applications preventing trap flooding, LACT units requiring custody transfer accuracy, or African oil & gas fiscal metering where leakage affects revenue measurements
• High differential pressure (Class 1500-2500): Offshore injection wells, supercritical steam, or high-pressure gas where guided disc design provides structural advantage over swing or dual-plate alternatives
• Inline with globe valves: Systems employing globe valves for throttling where lift checks match globe valve piping orientation and dimensions—maintains consistent installation without orientation transitions
• Metal-seated durability needed: High-temperature steam (above PTFE limits of 230°C), erosive service, or applications where soft seat deterioration causes maintenance burden in remote African installations

Choose Alternative Check Valve Types When:

• Installation orientation restricted: Horizontal, vertical downflow, or inclined piping where lift check gravity-dependency creates problems—specify dual-plate (any orientation) or swing checks (horizontal/vertical upflow)
• Minimum pressure drop critical: Long-distance water transmission, energy-conscious utilities, or high-volume services where 5-10 psi lift check loss is unacceptable—swing checks offer 0.2-0.5 psi advantage
• Low cracking pressure needed: Low-head pumping, sump drainage, or African water systems with minimal available head where 2-5 psi cracking pressure exceeds pump capability—dual-plate (0.5-1.5 psi) or swing checks (0.25-0.5 psi) better suited
• Large diameter required (above DN 300/12″): Lift check pressure drop becomes prohibitive—swing checks dominate DN 300+ applications with lower loss and proven reliability
• Rapid closure critical: Pulsating pump service or water hammer prevention where spring-loaded dual-plate 0.1-0.5s closure outperforms gravity-dependent lift check 0.2-0.8s response

Reference: Parent Category

This lift check valve category is a specialized subset of our comprehensive Check Valve portfolio. For general check valve selection guidance, orientation comparison charts, and standards overview (API 594 vs. API 602 vs. AWWA C508), consult the parent category. Related technologies including Swing Check Valve (horizontal/low pressure drop), Dual Plate Check Valve (any orientation/rapid closure), and Tilting Disc Check Valve (large diameter/non-slam) offer alternative approaches suited to different installation constraints.