Yes. PICV commissioning is mainly about setting the design flow, verifying differential pressure, checking actuator operation, and confirming that the coil receives the required flow at different system conditions.

8

PICV Valve Commissioning — Step by Step

1. Check the design information

Before commissioning, collect:

• PICV valve size
• Manufacturer/model
• Design flow, e.g. 100 GPM
• Design differential pressure
• Coil pressure drop
• Minimum and maximum PICV operating ΔP
• Actuator type
• Control signal: 0–10 V, 2–10 V, 3-point, etc.
• Design chilled-water supply/return temperatures

Example:

Parameter	Design
Coil design flow	100 GPM
CHWS	44°F
CHWR	54°F
ΔT	10°F
PICV	DN50
Control	0–10 V

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2. Verify installation

Before starting water flow, inspect the valve.

Check:

Flow direction

CHWS
 ↓
[ PICV ] → [ CHW COIL ] → CHWR

The arrow on the PICV body must match the actual water-flow direction.

Also check:

• Correct valve size
• Correct actuator
• Isolation valves fully open
• Strainer installed upstream
• Pipework flushed
• No air trapped in the system
• Pressure gauges/test points installed correctly
• Valve accessible for adjustment

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3. Flush the chilled-water system

This is very important.

Before commissioning the PICV:

1. Open flushing arrangements.
2. Flush the pipework.
3. Clean the strainer.
4. Remove construction debris.
5. Fill the system with clean water.
6. Vent air from high points.
7. Pressurize the system.

Do not commission a PICV with a dirty strainer or air in the system.

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4. Start the chilled-water pump

Start the chilled-water pump.

For a variable-speed system:

Pump → PICV → Coil → Return

Initially operate the pump at a suitable commissioning condition.

For initial balancing, it is often useful to have the system at a relatively stable/high enough differential pressure so that all PICVs are within their operating range.

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5. Check differential pressure across PICV

This is one of the most important commissioning steps.

Connect a differential-pressure measuring instrument to the PICV test points.

        ΔP measurement
       ↓             ↓
CHWS ──●── [ PICV ] ──●── Coil
       P1              P2

       ΔP = P1 − P2

Measure:

ΔP across the PICV

Compare the measured ΔP with the manufacturer’s specified operating range.

For example:

Required PICV operating range = 5–60 kPa

Measured:

ΔP = 25 kPa

Therefore, the valve has sufficient differential pressure to operate correctly.

Important: The exact minimum ΔP is manufacturer/model specific. Do not use a generic value for commissioning.

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6. Set the design flow

Now set the PICV to the required design flow.

Suppose:

Design flow = 100 GPM

Depending on the manufacturer, you may set the flow using:

• Flow-setting scale
• Preset ring
• Adjustment knob
• Digital commissioning tool
• Manufacturer’s flow chart

Example:

Design flow = 100 GPM

PICV setting
     ↓
   [ 100 ]
     ↓
Maximum flow = 100 GPM

Set the valve according to the manufacturer’s commissioning table.

Do not assume that “50% valve opening = 50% flow.” PICV settings are manufacturer-specific.

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7. Measure actual flow

After setting the valve, measure the actual flow using the appropriate commissioning method.

Possible methods include:

• Manufacturer’s differential-pressure/flow measurement
• PICV commissioning meter
• Ultrasonic flow meter
• Dedicated valve measurement instrument

Suppose:

Design = 100 GPM

Measured:

Actual = 98 GPM

Error: %Error=10098−100​×100 =−2%

So the measured flow is approximately 2% below design.

Whether that is acceptable depends on the project’s commissioning specification/tolerance.

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8. Adjust the PICV

If actual flow is outside the project tolerance:

Design Flow = 100 GPM
Actual Flow = 90 GPM

          ↓
Check ΔP
          ↓
Check valve setting
          ↓
Adjust PICV
          ↓
Re-measure flow

Do not immediately change the valve setting without checking ΔP first.

If ΔP is below the valve’s required minimum, changing the setting may not solve the problem.

Check:

• Pump differential pressure
• Strainer blockage
• Isolation valve position
• Air in coil
• Pipe blockage
• Incorrect valve installation
• Incorrect PICV selection

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9. Test actuator operation

Now check the control actuator.

For a typical 0–10 V actuator:

BMS / Controller
       │
       │ 0–10 V
       ↓
   Actuator
       ↓
     PICV
       ↓
     Coil

Command:

Control Signal	Expected Valve Position
0 V	Minimum/closed position*
2 V	Low opening
5 V	Intermediate
8 V	High opening
10 V	Maximum/open position

*Actual relationship depends on actuator configuration.

Confirm that the actuator moves smoothly and reaches its end positions.

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10. Test minimum and maximum flow

This is an important PICV commissioning test.

Minimum cooling demand

Command the actuator toward minimum flow.

Check:

• Valve responds correctly
• Coil flow decreases
• No abnormal noise
• Actuator feedback is correct

Maximum cooling demand

Command the actuator to maximum.

Check:

• PICV reaches the preset maximum flow
• Flow does not exceed the selected maximum
• Actuator reaches required position

For example:

PICV maximum setting = 100 GPM

Actuator 100%
       ↓
Actual flow ≈ 100 GPM
       ↓
NOT 130 GPM

This is one of the major advantages of a properly selected PICV.

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11. Check different system pressure conditions

This is where PICV commissioning becomes particularly valuable.

Change the system operating condition—for example, allow other AHUs/FCUs to modulate.

The system ΔP may change:

Condition A
ΔP = 20 kPa
Flow = 100 GPM

Condition B
ΔP = 35 kPa
Flow ≈ 100 GPM

Condition C
ΔP = 50 kPa
Flow ≈ 100 GPM

As long as the PICV remains within its specified operating range, the flow should remain controlled around the set maximum.

This demonstrates the pressure-independent characteristic.

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12. Check coil ΔT

After stable operation, measure:

CHWS temperature

and

CHWR temperature

Example:

CHWS = 44°F
CHWR = 54°F

ΔT = 54 − 44
   = 10°F

If the design ΔT is 10°F, this indicates the coil is performing close to the intended design condition.

However, ΔT should not be used alone to prove flow because coil load and entering-air conditions also affect ΔT.

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13. Check BMS operation

If connected to BMS, verify:

• Valve command
• Valve feedback
• Room temperature
• Supply-air temperature
• CHWS temperature
• CHWR temperature
• Flow, if monitored
• Differential pressure, if monitored
• Alarm status

Example:

Room temperature
      ↓
Temperature sensor
      ↓
BMS controller
      ↓
0–10 V command
      ↓
PICV actuator
      ↓
PICV
      ↓
CHW flow
      ↓
Cooling coil

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14. Record commissioning data

Create a commissioning sheet for every PICV.

Example:

Item	Reading
AHU/FCU	AHU-01
PICV Size	DN50
Design Flow	100 GPM
PICV Setting	100 GPM
Measured Flow	98 GPM
PICV ΔP	25 kPa
CHWS	44°F
CHWR	54°F
ΔT	10°F
Actuator	0–10 V
Maximum Command	10 V
Minimum Command	0 V
Status	PASS

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15. Final commissioning sequence

A good field sequence is:

Design Data → Installation Check → Flushing → Air Removal → Pump Start → ΔP Check → PICV Setting → Flow Measurement → Adjustment → Actuator Test → System ΔP Test → Coil ΔT Check → BMS Test → Record Data

The most important rule

Never set a PICV based only on the valve position or actuator signal.