Fire Protection Butterfly Valve
CA-FIRE manufactures a complete range of fire protection butterfly valves for sprinkler systems, standpipe systems, foam suppression systems, and hazardous area fire suppression installations. All models rated at 1.6 MPa working pressure, available in DN50–DN300, compliant with NFPA 13 and GB 5135.
Find Your Butterfly Valve — Quick Selector
Match your project requirement to the right product in under 10 seconds:
| Explosion Proof | Gear Operated Wafer | Lever Wafer | Grooved (Victaulic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZSXDF7 / ZSXDF8 | ZSDF7 / ZSXDF7 | ZSDF7-S / ZSXDF7-S | ZSDF8 / ZSXDF8 |
| Hazardous area Zone 1/2 | Main risers, DN100–DN300 | Branch lines, DN50–DN150 | Grooved pipe systems |
| Ex db IIC T6 Gb · IP66 | Worm gear · Wafer flanged | Quarter-turn · Wafer flanged | Victaulic-compatible · Gear or Lever |
| View Product → | View Product → | View Product → | View Product → |
Our Fire Butterfly Valve Products
Explosion Proof Butterfly Valve
Dual-certified explosion proof signal butterfly valve for Zone 1/2 hazardous area fire suppression systems. Wafer and grooved versions. SS316 or GGG40 body.
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Gear Operated Butterfly Valve
Worm gear actuated wafer butterfly valve for fire main risers and zone control valves. Three variants: with tamper switch, without switch, and lockable. Ideal for DN100 and above.
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Lever Butterfly Valve
Quarter-turn lever butterfly valve for sprinkler branch lines, test and drain assemblies, and floor zone control valves. Fast single-motion open/close. Compact for tight spaces.
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Grooved Butterfly Valve
Grooved end butterfly valve for Victaulic-compatible fire suppression pipe systems. Four variants: gear and lever, with or without tamper switch. Up to 40% faster installation than flanged.
View Product →Which Fire Butterfly Valve Do You Need?
Match your project requirement to the correct model:
| Your Situation | Specify This Model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hazardous area — Zone 1 gas or Zone 21 dust | ZSXDF7 / ZSXDF8 Explosion Proof Butterfly Valve → |
Ex db IIC T6 Gb + Ex tb IIIC T80°C Db certified. IP66. DC24V tamper switch. |
| Main fire riser, DN100–DN300, flanged pipe | ZSXDF7 (with tamper) or ZSDF7 Gear Operated Butterfly Valve → |
Worm gear reduces operating torque by 60–80%. Best for large DN on high-pressure fire mains. |
| Branch line, DN50–DN150, flanged pipe, fast isolation needed | ZSXDF7-S (with tamper) or ZSDF7-S Lever Butterfly Valve → |
Quarter-turn lever — full open/close in one motion. Compact for ceiling void and riser shaft. |
| Grooved pipe system (Victaulic-compatible) | ZSXDF8 (gear) or ZSXDF8-S (lever) Grooved Butterfly Valve → |
No flange drilling. Up to 40% faster installation. Allows angular pipe deflection. |
| Non-supervised zone, physical lock-open acceptable | ZSDF7-L (lockable, no switch) Gear Operated Butterfly Valve → |
Padlock on gear housing satisfies NFPA 13 §8.16.1(2) locked-open supervision. No FACP wiring. |
Full Technical Specification Comparison
All CA-FIRE fire protection butterfly valves share the same 1.6 MPa working pressure, EPDM seat, and GB 5135 certification. Key differences:
| Specification | Explosion Proof | Gear Operated Wafer | Lever Wafer | Grooved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Models | ZSXDF7 / ZSXDF8 | ZSDF7 / ZSXDF7 | ZSDF7-S / ZSXDF7-S | ZSDF8 / ZSXDF8 |
| DN Range | DN50–DN300 | DN50–DN300 | DN50–DN150 | DN50–DN300 |
| Working Pressure | 1.6 MPa | 1.6 MPa | 1.6 MPa | 1.6 MPa |
| Connection | Wafer or Grooved | Wafer (flanged) | Wafer (flanged) | Grooved (Victaulic) |
| Actuator | Worm gear | Worm gear | Lever handle | Gear or Lever |
| Tamper Switch | DC24V 0.5A ✓ | Optional (ZSXDF7) | Optional (ZSXDF7-S) | Optional (ZSXDF8) |
| Explosion Proof | Ex db IIC T6 Gb ✓ | — | — | — |
| IP Rating | IP66 | IP54 (switch) | IP54 (switch) | IP54 (switch) |
| Body Material | SS316 / GGG40 | SS316 / GGG40 | SS316 / GGG40 | SS316 / GGG40 |
| Strength Test | 6.4 MPa | 6.4 MPa | 6.4 MPa | 6.4 MPa |
| GB Standard | GB 5135.13 | GB 5135.13 / .2 | GB 5135.13 / .2 | GB 5135.13 / .2 |
Fire Protection Butterfly Valve — Complete Guide
What Is a Butterfly Valve?
A butterfly valve is a quarter-turn rotary isolation valve that uses a circular disc mounted on a central stem to control fluid flow. In the open position, the disc rotates parallel to the pipe bore — presenting minimal flow resistance. In the closed position, the disc rotates 90° perpendicular to the bore — sealing against a resilient EPDM seat ring.
In fire protection, the butterfly valve is the dominant water supply isolation valve for sprinkler systems, standpipe systems, and foam suppression systems. It has largely replaced the gate valve in modern fire protection design because of its shorter face-to-face length, lower weight, faster operation, and lower installed cost — especially for larger pipe sizes (DN100 and above). For full requirements, see NFPA 13 Section 8.16.
Butterfly Valve Types in Fire Protection
There are four main butterfly valve types used in fire protection systems:
- Wafer type butterfly valve — the most common. Installs between two pipe flanges. Available in gear operated (for DN100+) and lever operated (for DN50–DN150 branch lines).
- Grooved end butterfly valve — uses Victaulic-compatible mechanical couplings. Faster to install, allows angular pipe deflection. See the Grooved Butterfly Valve page.
- Explosion proof butterfly valve — Ex db IIC T6 Gb certified enclosure for Zone 1/2 hazardous areas. Required wherever fire suppression pipework passes through classified areas. See the Explosion Proof Butterfly Valve page.
- Lug type butterfly valve — threaded inserts allow one-flange removal. Used for end-of-line and dead-end service.
Butterfly Valve Tamper Switch — Why It Is Required
A butterfly valve with tamper switch (supervisory switch) monitors valve disc position and outputs an electrical signal to the fire alarm control panel (FACP). In the fully open position, it sends a continuous "OPEN" supervisory signal. If the valve is moved — even partially — the switch triggers a "TAMPER" alarm within seconds. This is required by NFPA 72 Chapter 17 and NFPA 13 Section 8.16 for electrically supervised water supply control valves.
Without tamper supervision, a partially-closed butterfly valve could reduce sprinkler system flow below design density during a fire — without triggering any alarm.
How to Specify a Fire Protection Butterfly Valve
A complete fire protection butterfly valve specification should include:
- Pipe size: DN50–DN300 for standard fire suppression systems
- Connection type: wafer (between flanges) or grooved (Victaulic-compatible)
- Actuator: gear operated (DN100+) or lever operated (DN50–DN150)
- Supervision: tamper switch (ZSXDF series) or lockable (ZSDF7-L)
- Hazardous area: standard IP54 or Ex db IIC T6 Gb / IP66 for Zone 1/2
- Body material: GGG40 cast iron (standard) or SS316 (offshore/foam/corrosive)
- Working pressure: 1.6 MPa — covers all standard fire pump discharge pressures
Why Specify CA-FIRE Butterfly Valves
✓ NFPA 13 & GB 5135 Certified
Every valve is manufactured and tested to GB 5135.2 and GB 5135.13, with third-party hydrostatic test certificate. Signal valve models comply with NFPA 72 Chapter 17 supervisory switch requirements.
✓ Complete Butterfly Valve Family
Wafer, grooved, lever, gear operated, explosion proof — the entire specification covered from a single manufacturer. Consistent seat materials and tamper switch ratings across all models.
✓ Dual Ex Certification
ZSXDF series holds Ex db IIC T6 Gb (gas) and Ex tb IIIC T80°C Db (dust) dual certification — covers hydrogen gas group IIC environments including LNG and petrochemical installations.
✓ Factory Direct, Global Supply
CA-FIRE ships fire protection butterfly valves directly to contractors and distributors in 40+ countries. DN50–DN300 standard stock. Custom configurations available on request.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fire Protection Butterfly Valves
In fire protection, a butterfly valve is used as a water supply control valve — isolating flow of water or foam-water mixture to a section of the suppression system for maintenance, testing, or emergency shutdown. NFPA 13 requires all water supply control valves to be supervised — electrically via a tamper switch or physically via a lock. The butterfly valve's quarter-turn operation, compact size, and integrated tamper switch capability make it the dominant valve type in modern fire protection systems.
Four main butterfly valve types are used: (1) wafer type — installs between flanges, most common; (2) grooved end (Victaulic-compatible) — for grooved pipe systems, faster to install; (3) explosion proof — Ex db IIC T6 Gb certified for Zone 1/2 hazardous areas; (4) lug type — for end-of-line applications. Each type is further classified by actuator (gear operated or lever) and supervision method (with or without tamper switch).
A wafer type butterfly valve installs between two pipe flanges using through-bolts. A grooved butterfly valve uses Victaulic-compatible grooved couplings — requiring roll-grooved pipe ends. The grooved type is faster to install (no flange bolt circle) and easier to remove for maintenance. The wafer type is shorter face-to-face and generally lower cost. Both share identical pressure ratings and tamper switch options. See the Grooved Butterfly Valve page for full specifications.
NFPA 13 Section 8.16 requires water supply control valves to be supervised by one of four methods: (1) electrical tamper switch, (2) locked open, (3) sealed open, or (4) constantly attended location. A butterfly valve with tamper switch (ZSXDF series) satisfies method (1). A lockable butterfly valve (ZSDF7-L) with padlock satisfies method (2). The AHJ determines which methods are acceptable for a specific project.
Valve size is determined by the fire system hydraulic calculation. As a general reference: small commercial sprinkler system control valves use DN80–DN100; mid-rise building risers use DN100–DN150; large industrial systems use DN150–DN250; major fire water ring mains use DN200–DN300. CA-FIRE butterfly valves cover DN50–DN300 across all product families.
All CA-FIRE fire protection butterfly valves are rated at 1.6 MPa (16 bar / 232 psi) working pressure. Strength test pressure is 6.4 MPa (4×) and seal test pressure is 3.2 MPa (2×). These ratings cover the full range of commercial and industrial fire suppression system operating pressures.
Use gear operated (ZSDF7) for DN100 and above on fire water mains — the worm gear reduces operating torque by 60–80%, making large valves easy to operate at full system pressure. Use lever operated (ZSDF7-S) for DN50–DN150 on branch lines and test-and-drain assemblies where fast quarter-turn operation is the priority.
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