Dec. 30, 2024
There are different types of ball valves with various designs for various uses. But the fundamental ball valve part is common among them. The ball valve can be classified based on the following features:
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We will review the most common and popular ones here in detail.
The full port ball valve is one of the most expensive ball valves. In this type of ball valve, the hole is oversized, allowing unrestricted flow of material (liquid, gases, vapors, etc.). In addition, the size of the hole and pipeline are almost the same size allowing the flow of material with very little or no friction.
Full port ball valves are efficient for throttling applications in various systems with high flow coefficients and low-pressure drops.
The standard port ball valve has a smaller ball and port as compared to the full port ball valve. Therefore, it is often cheaper than other types of Ball Valves. The flow is slightly restricted due to the pipe size, but it does not restrict flow too much. Although the standard port valve is cheaper than other ball valves, it has higher pressure drops than other types.
Standard port valves are excellent for systems having a high flow coefficient. They are very common in the market and are used in almost every industry, requiring a ball valve. They can also be used as a one-size-fits-all valve. However, it has one drawback; since they have restricted flow, these types of valve can be worn out by overuse.
A reduced port ball valve, shortly known as RB, has reduced ball valves to control the shrinkage of flow as needed. In reduced port ball valves or reduced bore, the flow area is smaller than the size of the pipe. This means that the incoming pipe is reduced by size on one side of the valve, which helps the valve create the pressure drop in the pipeline. The reduced port ball valve&#;s feature of restricted flow makes it useful in many industrial applications.
The V in the v-port ball valve represents either the shape of the seat or the shape of the ball, but most commonly, it is the shape of the ball. V port ball valve helps you to control the flow rate efficiently. It also enables you to control the opening and the closing better. It has a linear type of flow characteristic. These types of Valves face high velocities of fluids, forcing designers to develop more robust construction for them since these types of fluids quickly damage a standard valve. V port ball valve is also useful in maintaining flow characteristics.
A ball valve that has a mechanically anchored ball is known as a trunnion ball valve. These ball valves have a pin that secures the ball in place and stops its movement. This valve has two shafts at the opposite ends of the ball, which enable the supporting of a segmented ball by the valve and enable the system to cause less friction between different parts of the true union valve.
The trunnion valve has a high scope in systems with high velocities as they can stand higher pressure than the standard port ball valve. It allows the ball to still operate while being very efficient and long-lasting.
Trunnion ball valves can easily stand pressure even higher than 600 psi. So they are an essential part of operations where high-pressure flow is expected. They are durable and long-lasting, and one can remove them from the system if necessary.
Some appliances perform vital functions, and people are not aware of them just because they are small or not within the eye&#;s grasp most of the time. These mechanical parts are used daily, and a minor fault could render a giant machine useless. An example of this is the ballall valve.
Ball valves are used in every industry, from healthcare to mining, food processing, oil and gas, and even homes.
A ball valve is a mechanical flow control device that is used to modulate and direct the flow of liquid through it. This shut-off ball valve serves as a guide to handling different substances like gas, petrol, and other pressure liquids flow. The ball valve uses a perforated, hollow, and pivoting ball to achieve this.
This valve consists of a spherical obturator with a cylindrical hole as wide as a pipe, valve handle, and ball with a hole drilled into it. It is put to work by rotating the ball (using the handle) 90&#; around its axis; this either lets the substance go through or blocks its movement.
After the handle is rotated, the valve gets to a closed position, and the solid side of the ball effectively creates a seal and obstruction, keeping the contents of the substance trapped.
Ball valves are solid, durable, and easy to repair. They are an excellent choice for industrial and personal shut-off applications. Ball valves are used in various hydrocarbon process applications; they are capable of throttling gasses and vapor.
The ball valve works rotationally. When the stem transfers motion to the ball connected, the ball starts to rotate. The rotation of this ball then helps the bore to either open or close, which in turn causes the fluid to start or stop flowing. The actuator has to rotate out 90 degrees clockwise for the fluid to start flowing; to stop it, it has to rotate back 90 degrees again, turning the stem in an anticlockwise direction.
To get into more detail, for a manually operated ball valve, when the opening of the ball matches the inlet and outlet ports, the flow of substance continues uninterruptedly through the valve. It will undergo a minimal pressure drop if it is a complete port ball valve being used. The pressure drop will increase if it is a standard port ball valve.
If a substance is currently flowing through the pipes, then the operator must be placed parallel to the pipeline. This also indicates that the ball&#;s flow passages are in line with the body&#;s flow passage, hence the media flow. To stop the flow, however, the hand operator will need to be turned to the closed position. When this is done, the opening of the body starts to move perpendicular to the flow stream, and the edges of the port begin to rotate through the seat.
Once the handle is at the fully-closed position, the hole is now positioned perpendicular to the flow stream, thereby blocking and preventing anything from going past the ball.
To achieve a throttling ball valve flow, the ball should be in a partially open and partially close position. This position should, however, not be maintained under high pressure conditions for a very long time because the balls could become permanently locked in that position.
Ball valve symbols can be classified into two &#; the two-way symbol and the three-four-way symbol.
The two-way symbol is demonstrated by two equilateral triangles that point at each other, and there is a ball at the center. The triangles are in the shape of arrowheads bumping face first against each other.
To represent ball valves with multiple ports, additional symbols were added. The T-port and L-port valves are represented with lines within the ball symbol. They are symbolized in 6 different variations with a small arrow showing the flow path beside the symbol.
Ball valves come in different specifications.
The standard Port Ball Valve flow is usually smaller than the valve&#;s pipe size. For a pipe valve diameter of up to size 12&#; NB, the bore diameter is usually one size less, 2 and 3 less for a pipe diameter of valve sizes 14&#; NB to 24&#; NB, and for sizes above 24&#; NB, respectively.
What this means for the user is that it will slightly limit or restrict the pipe content&#;s flow even when opened to the last.
This type of ball valve is less expensive compared to most other common types of ball types. They are durable and have a higher pressure drop.
Standard Port Ball Valve is ideal for use with a high flow coefficient.
What is a complete port ball valve?
Also known as the Full Bore valve, full Port ball valves have an oversized ball and a borehole with the exact fitting of the pipe that leads to the valve.
The entire port or full bore valve does not cause frictional loss, and allows pigging, thereby making it very easy to clean mechanically.
This type of ball valve is more expensive due partly to its higher weight than the standard ball valves. Full port valves are used in steady and high flow coefficient situations; it is the best valve for flow control.
The V Port ball valve comes either as a V-shaped seat or ball. This allows the opening and closing of the orifice to be much better control-wise. The flow characteristics of V Port ball valves are just about linear.
The V ball control valve does not have a borehole. It is a floating ball that gets compressed whenever the valve opens, and when it is closed, the ball goes back to size, blocking the valve&#;s in and out ports perfectly, giving it a tighter seal.
For the reason of high fluid velocity, which might damage a standard valve quickly, good industrial valve manufacturers make sure the design is given a more robust construction.
The multi-port ball valve is a 4 or three way ball valve type with multiple connectors that allow the flow of substances to be diverted into as many directions as needed.
There is an L to T-shaped hole in the middle of the three or four-way ball valve. The L valve allows the center port to connect to either side of the ports or even disconnect the three, but it can not cause a connection between the two side ports.T valves, on the other hand, can connect any pair of ports at all or even all three.
The four-way ball valve comes with two L-shaped ports that can not connect to each other. They are sometimes called &#;x ports.&#;
Trunnion mounted ball valves have two shafts at the sides of the ball facing each other, which enables the valve to support the segmented ball, thereby reducing the friction that occurs between the various parts of the Trunnion ball valve. A pin is used to stop the ball&#;s movements and secure it in place.
Trunnion ball valves can be applied in systems that have high velocity and pressure (about 600 psi upwards) since it is capable of withstanding more pressure than the standard ball valve.
This type of ball valve has double unions, which can be sealed at either end. This allows them to be completely removed from a piping system for repair or replacement.
The manually operated ball valve is a common type of ball valve that can be manually controlled with the aid of a handle that is placed outside of the pipe.
Due to its simple and minimalistic design, manually operated ball valves are easy to use. It takes only a quarter turn to open and close the valve.
However, because manually operated ball valves can be closed quickly, it poses the risk of water hammer
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Motorized ball valves are the type of ball valves that are primarily used in big industrial plants and automated factories. They are electric-powered ball valves.
With motorized Ball valves, opening and closing valves are done by an electronically powered motor that is placed over the valve.
These types of ball valves come in different sizes and configurations manually, mechanical, or electric powered.
Sanitary ball valves are primarily used in the food, beverage, health, and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries. These valves are basically for applications in cases where sanitization is required.
Sanitary ball valves have smooth and polished surfaces, which helps to prevent the build-up of debris.
Below are six crucial parts that can be found in every ball valve:
This is the central part of the entire device and contains all of the internal components. Usually, a valve&#;s body is made of metal, metal with ceramic or plastic.
The main characteristic that differentiates ball valves from other valve types is a ball with a center hole or bore. It is through this center hole that the media flows. This hole connects the inlet to the outlet through one axis. The ball is either free-floating or Trunnion mounted.
The seats are discs placed in between the body and the ball. They support the ball and provide a seal between it and the body. The ball valve seats distribute the seating stress uniformly and serve as a seal (usually a polymer or elastomer) that keeps the fluid locked inside.
It is the stem in a ball valve that connects the rotary ball to an external control system. In a manually operated ball valve, for example, it is the stem that is connected to a lever or handle.
For the stem of the ball valve to be able to rotate, a manual or actuated power source is required to provide energy to it.
Automatic Actuated energy uses an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic power source, while manual actuators use handles and levers, which an operator will have to control.
The packing is a seal around the stem that prevents the substance from escaping.
The bonnet is visible in the opening of the body; it is used to cover this opening in the ball valve. The bonnet also serves as a pressure boundary. It accommodates the ball and stem assembly with its cap fastened tight to the body.
For more details on ball valve parts, you can read our full ball valve components guide
What is a ball valve used for? Well, ball valves have numerous functions and this makes them really popular amongst manufacturers. They are the most commonly used mechanical device for not only industrial but household applications as well.
The first and primary ball valve function is to create isolation. Ball valve is used for making a turn on/turn off action. Ball valve types are incredible for applications where an on/off action is required. Whether manual or electronically operated, ball valves are able to turn actions on and turn them off after.
The ball valve handle serves as an indicator of the valve&#;s on/off status. If the handle is parallel to the valve, this means it is open, but if the handle is perpendicular, this means the valve is closed.
Another thing a ball valve does is reduce or restrict the flow of the medium. Flow reduction is a secondary function of ball valves. The rotary ball of the ball valve is used for controlling the flow of gasses or fluids. When the bore in the ball is in line with the direction of the flow, substances can pass through freely. However, when the ball is turned 90 degrees, there is a complete halt to flow.
One reason for the popularity of the ball valve over all other kinds of valves is its versatility. Ball valves can be utilized across a wide range of applications. They are good with both liquids and gasses. Some significant applications of ball valves include:
The oil and gas industry could easily be the most significant users of the ball valve as they deal entirely in liquid and gaseous substances. Ball valves are used as isolation valves for thermal cracking units. It is also used to measure and meter the gas distribution, amongst multiple other use cases.
Like oil and gas, another industry that uses and requires ball valves the most is a pharmaceutical company. It is in this application that sanitary ball valve types are used a lot.
Ball valves in the petrochemical industry are used to handle highly viscous fluids, for emission control, etc.
Other practical applications of Ball valves can be found in the following:
Before installation commences, all welding works must have been completed, and the flanges cooled down to ambient temperature. It can be installed appropriately by following these ball valve installation instructions:
Proper ball valve maintenance culture will help increase their lifespan. To maintain:
Valve packing is the seal required in valves to allow motion of the stem from an actuator. Packing makes sure that the process fluid is sealed and there are no leaks between the moving stem and the valve&#;s body.
The commonly used type of packing is the Chevron V-ring type packing. Ball valve packing stops the flowing media from leaving the body of the valve through the stem opening Inside the bonnet.
The packing material takes the form of multiple concentric rings, which are usually stacked on top of each other; the stem is then inserted through this packing.
The packing flange forces these packing rings down from above to put a compressive force around the valve stem&#;s circumference.
This force is significant because that is what creates mechanical stress in the packing material, allowing it to seal tightly against the valve&#;s stem and the bonnet&#;s interior wall.
The two nuts used to maintain proper force on the packing should not be over-tightened as this could over-compress the packing material. If this happens, there will be excessive friction on the valve&#;s stem, which will cause the stem to wear over time and might lead to leakage.
Before purchasing ball valves, several factors need to be put into consideration so as to get the perfect value for money. Some of the things that should be considered before buying ball valves include:
Nobody wants to buy a product made with the wrong material, unsuitable for their case application, or even counterfeit materials. Ball valves are made with different materials, some of which are:
Ball valves come in different designs, as will be required by the specific purposes they were designed for. The user application determines the design that should be bought.
Popular ball valve designs are:
Before buying a ball valve, it must be certified standard by the relevant organizations.
They are:
Ball valves come in numerous varying sizes. Although some ball valves are made custom to fit specifications, there generally are standard sizes that are common in the ball valve market.
The sizes have their specific purpose, which they serve, a size for a function. When buying a ball valve, check for the size suitable for your application so as not to buy the wrong one. Some of the standard sizes you will find on the label are:
The working pressure, as seen on the label as ratings, indicates the application type a ball valve is most suitable for.
Some of the pressure ratings you will find are:
The WOG rating, however, has become old and is no longer used as often as it was before. This rating means that it is suitable for water, oil, and gaseous substances applications.
The ball valve is one of the most reliable in household and industrial applications. They are ideal for handling almost all forms of liquid and gaseous substances. Most ball valve applications exist because of the valve&#;s ability to tolerate high-volume, high-pressure, and high-temperature uses. It is highly durable and resistant to corrosion. Find reliable ball valve manufacturer could help you save money and cost. Feel free to contact us now.
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