API · ASME · DIN · EN standard industrial valves
Foot Valves
Foot valves are check valves fitted at the intake of a suction line, holding pump priming by stopping the column from draining back when the pump stops; an internal strainer mesh keeps debris out of the impeller. Sizes run DN 50 to DN 300 at PN 16 / Class 150, with cast iron, ductile iron, SS304 or SS316 bodies, carbon steel, stainless steel, SS304 or SS316 discs, F304/F316 seats and an SS304 strainer mesh; small-diameter brass PN10 executions (threaded or cylindrical) cover domestic water and heating duties. A representative water-works build is an EN-GJL-250 cast iron body with 80-micron epoxy coating, stainless axial disc and spring, EPDM seat and galvanized steel strainer, flanged PN16 RF DN50-DN250, rated -10 to 110 C at 16 bar, opening at roughly 0.3 bar and specified for vertical installation with the flow arrow marking the flow path. Mesh tightness follows the source water - tight mesh for wells, open mesh or perforated pipe for clean draws. The type-specific failure paths are seat leakage or suction-pipe air leaks presenting as loss of prime, strainer clogging presenting as low flow, and rubber-metal seat contamination from dirty media; install about 10 pipe diameters from bends and pumps, and treat datasheet, test report, material certificate and flow-direction marking as the documentation that matters for submerged service.
Part of the Check Valves family
Last updated: 2026-11
Family specifications
| size range | DN50 to DN300 |
|---|---|
| pressure class | PN16, Class150 |
| body materials | Cast Iron, Ductile Iron, SS304, SS316 |
| disc materials | Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, SS304, SS316 |
| seat materials | F304, F316 |
| end connections | Flanged |
| operation | Self-acting (automatic) |
| mesh material | SS304 |
| function definition | A foot valve is a non-return valve installed at a pump suction or the bottom of a pipeline so water cannot flow backward when the pump stops; on the referenced execution an axial stainless disc with spring does the closing. |
| priming mechanism | Priming works because the spring-assisted check closes on a pressure continuum the moment the pump stops, trapping the liquid column in the pipe before backflow starts - without that trapped liquid most pumps cannot rebuild suction and can run dry. |
| strainer jamming risk | Using a bare check valve without the strainer risks debris lodging the closure member open - the liquid then drains back, and the same debris can travel downstream and damage the pump. |
| mesh selection | Mesh tightness follows the water source: wells with fine particulates need a fairly tight mesh, while clean draws can run an open mesh or even a perforated-pipe strainer. |
| pn16 execution envelope | A representative PN16 execution: EN-GJL-250 cast iron body with epoxy coating, stainless steel disc and spring, EPDM seat, galvanized carbon steel strainer, flanged PN16 RF, DN50-DN250, -10 to 110 C at 16 bar. |
| opening pressure | Opening pressure on the referenced spring execution is about 0.3 bar, sized to open under pump suction yet reseat promptly at shutdown, with low head loss through the trim. |
| coating spec | Corrosion protection on the referenced water-works execution is epoxy blue RAL 5005 at 80 microns, internal and external. |
| vertical orientation | The flanged PN16 execution is specified for vertical installation, with the flow-direction arrow on the body marking the permitted flow path. |
| brass pn10 variant | Small-diameter executions extend to brass: PN10 brass foot valves with strainer in threaded or cylindrical patterns alongside cast iron flanged PN16 bodies, covering domestic water, heating and air-conditioning plants. |
| installation clearance | Placement rule from the referenced maker: near bends and circulation pumps the valve must sit at a distance of about 10 pipe diameters, with pipes correctly aligned and thread sealant kept off the rubber-metal sealing zone. |
| fluid cleanliness limit | Rubber-metal sealing is the soft spot: dirt, dust or excessive water hardness reaching the seat area compromises sealing, so such media must be removed or filtered upstream. |
| check vs foot scope | Scope note: every foot valve is a check valve, but the job is narrower - hold the suction column and screen debris at the submerged inlet - while a general check valve is placed anywhere reverse flow must stop. |
| submerged access penalty | The failure modes concentrate where access is worst: a submerged foot valve that is hard to remove is cheap to buy but expensive to clean, and seat leakage, strainer clogging or an air leak in the suction pipe each present as loss of prime. |
| loss of prime symptoms | Loss of prime after shutdown points at seat leakage or a suction-pipe air leak rather than automatically at the foot valve - seat condition, pipe joints and suction-lift height should be checked together. |
| standards document expectation | Documentation that matters more than a standards list for this duty: datasheet, pressure test report, material certificate, flow-direction marking and a maintenance note covering the submerged installation. |
| selection frame | Selection turns on suction lift, debris load, pressure loss, closing speed and maintenance access: flooded suction may not need a submerged valve at all, while suction lift from sump, tank, reservoir or well depends on the intake valve to keep the line full. |
| mesh | SS304 |
| carbon steel materials | Carbon Steel: WCB (ASTM A216) — General water and utility pumping |
| low temp carbon steel materials | Low Temperature Carbon Steel: LCB, LCC (ASTM A352) — Cold water and low-temperature service |
| alloy steel materials | Alloy Steel: F11, F22 (ASTM A182) — High-pressure pumping and industrial service |
| stainless steel materials | Stainless Steel: CF8, CF8M (ASTM A351) — Corrosive water and chemical service; Stainless Steel: F316, F316L (ASTM A182) — Aggressive water and coastal applications |
| duplex stainless steel materials | Duplex Stainless Steel: F51 (2205) (ASTM A182) — Chloride-rich and high-strength service |
| super duplex stainless steel materials | Super Duplex Stainless Steel: F53, F55 (2507) (ASTM A182) — Offshore and severe corrosion service |
| aluminium bronze materials | Aluminium Bronze: C95400, C95800 (ASTM B148) — Marine, seawater, and raw water intakes |
| nickel alloy materials | Nickel Alloys: nickel-chromium alloy 625, nickel-copper alloy 400 (ASTM B564) — Severe corrosion and special pumping service |
| industries served | Water supply systems – well pumps and suction lines, Irrigation networks – canal and sump pumping, Fire protection systems – suction lines and reservoirs, Industrial utilities – cooling water and process pumping, Marine and offshore – seawater intakes and bilge systems, Wastewater treatment – lift stations and raw sewage pumping |
| selection factors | Suction pipe diameter and orientation, Vertical lift and static head, Required opening pressure and flow rate, Type and size of debris present, Screen open area and blockage risk, Installation depth and accessibility, Maintenance and cleaning frequency |
Scope & source notes
| size envelope | Size envelope: tenant band DN50-DN300 exceeds the referenced PN16 flanged execution DN50-DN250 - the top of the tenant band relies on other OEM executions (e.g. cast iron flanged PN16 larger bodies) not evidenced in this round. |
|---|---|
| seat material split | Seat material split: existing trim list is F304/F316 metal seats, while the referenced water-works execution seals on EPDM with a rubber-metal seat pairing - both executions exist; elastomer selection sets the temperature ceiling (-10 to 110 C on the EPDM build). |
| mesh guidance | Mesh guidance: tight-mesh recommendation for wells vs open mesh/perforated pipe for clean draws - strainer choice is media-dependent, not a single catalogue setting. |
Ordering & documentation
Documents
Ask for the documentation set with the inquiry — typical items (material certificates, test reports to the listed inspection standard, dimensional drawings) are confirmed and supplied with the quotation.
Quotation
Send the medium, temperature, pressure, size and connection for a quotation-ready inquiry. Lead time, MOQ and price are confirmed at quotation, together with the documents to be supplied with the order.
Sample & supply
Supply terms, order quantities and lead time are agreed per order — state the destination country and required schedule with the inquiry.
Storage & shipping
Store valves with seats and seals protected from UV, ozone and deformation, and keep end-face protectors on until installation; storage limits and shipping arrangements for the selected materials are confirmed at quotation.
Frequently asked questions
What sizes and pressure ratings are available for foot valves?
The published size range is DN50 to DN300, and the published pressure ratings are PN16, Class150. Availability of a specific size and rating is confirmed at quotation.
What materials are foot valves available in?
The published specification lists body materials: Cast Iron, Ductile Iron, SS304, SS316. Material availability for a specific size and rating is confirmed at quotation.
What end connections do foot valves support?
The published specification lists Flanged as the available end connections. The connection for a specific size is confirmed at quotation.
What should a quotation inquiry for foot valves include?
The governing standard and class, nominal size, body and seat materials, the service medium with temperature, and the destination — anything missing is confirmed during quotation.
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