Flow from discharge to suction.

Open during start-up (usually) then normally closed unless low / no flow occurs during operation.

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Also: There's usually a good reason why everyone does it that way

We have Conventional Globe valve doing the kick back function from discharge to suction. From what I gather from your post, it would be flow tends to close due to these and most valves having the inlet flow coming in on top of the valve plug and assisting the valve to close. However this does not make sense to me because your kick back controller should be a fail open valve with quick response to process changes, being able to fully open from a closed position in 2 seconds or less. Wouldn't a flow tends to close valve direction hinder this specification. The valve is spring return.

No. The flow direction is clear and this should be from under the plug which as you correctly say should fail open. I don't know where you get the idea that "most valves" have inlet on top of the plug, but this doesn't look right to me. This type should be spring to open.

My motto: Learn something new every day

Also: There's usually a good reason why everyone does it that way

Thanks for your input. It has shared much insight.