What type of valve is designed to maintain fluid pressure within a specified range?

A regulating valve is specifically designed to control the pressure of a fluid within a system, ensuring that it remains within a specified range. This functionality is essential in various applications where maintaining a consistent pressure is crucial for system performance and safety.

Regulating valves adjust their opening based on the feedback they receive from the pressure in the system. If the pressure rises above the desired level, the valve can throttle back to reduce pressure; conversely, if the pressure drops, the valve can open to allow more fluid to maintain the required pressure level. This dynamic response makes regulating valves vital for applications in heating, cooling, water distribution systems, and many industrial processes.

In contrast, flow control valves primarily manage the rate of fluid flow rather than directly maintaining pressure. Check valves are designed to prevent backflow in a system, allowing fluid to flow in only one direction, while shut-off valves are intended to completely stop fluid flow when closed. These other types of valves serve important functions in fluid control systems but do not specifically focus on pressure regulation like a regulating valve does.