Want to learn more about ball valves? You’re in the right place! These handy gadgets are essential in plumbing systems for managing the flow of water, gas, and other fluids.
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Ball valves are used in various applications due to their simple design and dependable performance. We’ll examine how they function, the many varieties available, and why they might be the ideal option for your plumbing problems. So, let’s get started and learn all about them.
Ball valves employ a hollow ball to regulate the flow of liquids or gases. When the valve is open, the hole in the ball allows fluid to flow through. When it is closed, the flow ceases altogether. A spindle is used to turn the ball, which is fitted into a slot. The spindle is controlled by a lever that opens and shuts the valve.
The spindle is inside the valve body neck and contains many seals to prevent leakage. Furthermore, the ball is maintained in position by two chairs on either side. These seats have a tight seal, so nothing spills out.
Some valves can be operated with an electric or pneumatic actuator rather than a handle. These actuators connect directly to the valve stem and rotate it a quarter turn. The ISO standard flange connection is the most often used method for connecting an actuator to a valve.
With an actuator, you may operate your ball valve remotely or with a controller, allowing the valve to function as an automated shut-off. A spring-actuated ball valve, also known as a spring-loaded or spring return ball valve, opens or closes the valve without electricity.
The actuator then maintains the valve’s open or closed position. These types of valves are useful for saving energy and safety reasons. You can get these from every ball valve manufacturer.
Brass is the most common material for valves. It is a copper-zinc alloy with good mechanical qualities. Brass valves are used for various applications, including drinking water, gas, oil, air, and other liquids.
However, chloride solutions such as saltwater or demineralized water can induce a condition known as dezincification. This is a kind of corrosion in which zinc is lost from the alloy, leaving the brass weak and porous. Despite this, brass is ideal for air ball valves and plumbing ball valves.
Stainless steel is ideal for use in corrosive and severe conditions. This makes it an excellent solution for saltwater, swimming pools, osmosis systems, high temperatures, and various chemicals.
Most stainless steel is austenitic, with the most common types being 304 and 316. Type 316 provides the highest corrosion resistance, whereas Type 304, sometimes known as 18/8, has 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Type 316 has 18% chromium and 10% nickel, also known as 18/10.
One thing to know is that stainless steel valves often require more power than brass or PVC valves. This is critical when operating a stainless steel valve with an electric or pneumatic actuator.
PVC, which stands for polyvinyl chloride, is often cheaper than other materials (except for ISO-top valves) and is widely used in irrigation, water supply, drainage, and corrosive substances.
PVC resists most salt solutions, acids, bases, and organic solvents. However, it’s unsuitable for temperatures above 60 °C and can’t handle aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons. PVC isn’t as strong as brass or stainless steel, so PVC ball valves have a lower pressure rating.
High-pressure ball valves are designed to withstand extremely high fluid pressures, often about 500-700 bars. When the valve is larger, it can tolerate less pressure, and vice versa. These valves are highly durable and are utilized in pipe systems with uniformly high pressure. If it is a manual valve, turn the lever 90 degrees to make it work. However, if it is motorized, it will activate with an electric signal.
These valves are manufactured from materials like carbon steel and stainless steel 316. Or more durable materials, such as Duplex, for pieces like the stem, ball, and seat rings. This allows the valve to handle high pressure and the maximum torque the actuator can provide.
High-pressure ball valves are available in the following connection types:
As they are made of a single piece of material, one-piece ball valves are extremely durable and have a low leak rate. However, they have a lower port size due to design than the inner diameter of the pipe they connect to.
As a result, there may be a little slowdown in the flow and a dip in pressure. Replacing them requires removing the entire valve, which may be a pain.
Furthermore, it costs less to manufacture these valves. Therefore, replacing them completely is always an option rather than attempting to fix them.
Pros of One-piece Ball Valves
Cons of One-piece Ball Valves
Two-piece ball valves consist of two components linked together using bolts or threaded connections. Typically, one part comprises the body and one end connection, while the other holds the trim to the valve and includes the second end connection. This setting enables two-piece ball valves to have port sizes that match the connecting pipes. When this occurs, they are known as full port valves.
Because full port valves provide no pressure loss, they can withstand significantly larger flow rates.
Additionally, two-piece valves are designed to bear pressure from both sides, making them ideal for stopping fluid flow in both directions, a process known as bidirectional flow shutdown.
Moreover, two-piece ball valves are often the most cost-effective option among full port valves.
Pros of Two-piece Ball Valves
Cons of Two-piece Ball Valves
Three-piece ball valves are a trio of parts: two end caps and a body. Unlike the other types, you can separate the body from the end caps. This makes them super easy to clean and service whenever needed. Well, these valves are the best for cleaning things up very often.
They’re pretty popular in places like the pharmaceutical and food/beverage industries, where cleanliness is a top priority. While they might cost a bit more upfront, they’re totally worth it. Why? Because they come with added functions that are absolute must-haves for specific jobs. So, think of them as the superheroes of valves – a bit pricier, but totally worth the extra dough when you need their special powers.
Pros of Three-piece Ball Valve
Cons of Three-piece Ball Valve
Standard ball valves are pretty straightforward. They have a ball, seats, a housing, and a lever to spin the ball. Additionally, they have two, three, or four ports in varying sizes, which might combine male and female threading. Many ball valve manufacturers offer this type of valve.
Flanged ball valves are a bit fancier. They hook up to your pipes using flanges designed according to a standard. Their full-bore design allows them to provide you with a high flow rate.
Ball valves are, therefore, suitable for any plumbing task, regardless of whether you choose the traditional threaded design or flanged valves.
Socket weld ball valves are a specialized type of ball valve designed for high-pressure applications and permanent pipe connections. Unlike standard or flanged ball valves, socket weld ball valves use a socket weld connection, where the pipe is inserted into a recessed area at the end of the valve. This design ensures a robust, leak-proof joint, ideal for systems with common high-pressure and temperature variations.
Like most mechanical parts that keep our lives running smoothly, most people don’t know what a ball valve is until they run into a problem with one. But ball valves are quietly and efficiently doing their job in almost every aspect of American life.
Ball valves are used in manufacturing, the food industry, health care operations, and many appliances found in homes. These valves are used to keep liquids and gases flowing in the right direction, many without the need for sophisticated technology.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of 3 ball valve dimensions. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
This guide will provide detailed information about a variety of ball valves and their uses, including how they work and what purposes they serve.
A ball valve is a type of shut-off valve. It consists of a ball that has had a borehole drilled through the center and a handle. You use the handle to rotate the ball up to 90 degrees, which allows liquid or gas to flow through the borehole. When the valve is in the closed position, the solid part of the ball effectively creates a seal, keeping whatever is in the pipe trapped behind it.
Versatile and long-lasting ball valves can be made of many different materials and come in a variety of sizes. Their simple design means that you can easily have them custom-fitted. The main limiting factor for a ball valve is the specific application you need it for. A PVC ball valve may work just fine for low pressure and low-temperature applications, but you may need a stainless steel ball valve to stop the flow of materials that are at high temperatures or under a great deal of pressure.
Not all ball valves are manually operated. Some, like the electric ball valve, open and close when electrical current is passed through them. These motorized ball valves are used in high-pressure applications where the ball valve is open and closed frequently and continuously.
The basic concept of a ball valve is simple. A ball that matches the shape and size of the pipe is fitted into the valve. This ball has a bore hole that runs through its core and a handle or gear that moves it on its axis.
In the closed position, the solid part of the ball seals the valve shut. When rotated, the contents of the pipe flow through the valve until it is returned to its closed position. At a 90-degree rotation, the entire borehole is exposed, allowing for the full flow of the pipe’s contents. The flow can be controlled by partially rotating the ball valve handle.
Ball check valves work on the same principles as other ball valves except that they have a means, usually a flap or disk, of preventing backflow. This type of ball valve shuts off flow when the pressure decreases. When opened, the pressure of the medium flowing through the pipe pushes the disk or flap out of the way. When the pressure flowing forward decreases, the flap or disk falls back into place to keep the contents of the pipe from flowing backward. This happens regardless of whether the ball valve is open or closed.
A ball valve is a shut off valve. It is used to start and stop the flow of liquids or gases through a pipe or other confined space. Water ball valves can be found in almost any home or business with running water.
You can use ball valves to control the pressure in a pipeline or other confined space. By only opening the ball valve partially, you can control how much of the pipe’s contents flow through it. If you open it slightly, the amount flowing will be small and move at lower pressure. If you open the valve fully, both the flow and the pressure will be higher.
Traditional sink taps use ball valves to control the flow of water. By adjusting the taps, you move a ball valve and control how much water comes out of the tap.
Ball valve markings are labels or tags placed on the pipe that houses the valve. They provide vital information for anyone who needs to perform maintenance on the valve or the pipe that contains it.
The coded information on these labels or tags tells you many things, including information about the valve itself, the type of medium flowing through it, the pressure that contents are likely to be under, the temperature of the medium, and whether or not the contents are flammable or in another way dangerous.
This labeling system, set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is vital to the health and safety of those working on the pipes. It also ensures that those who do the work are prepared with the correct gear and tools before the job begins.
ANSI is one of the three organizations that regulate the labeling, use, and maintenance standards for ball valves.
Although ball valves can be custom made to fit any application, there are standard sizes designed to fit most needs. The most commonly used sizes are:
Each of these sizes serves a specific purpose, from bathroom sinks to garden hoses to boiler steam pipes. The size of the ball valve should be listed in the valve label or tag.
There are some other important pieces of information that you can find on valve labels.
The PN Class number lets you know how much pressure the valve is designed to withstand. The PN is designated by bars, with each bar representing 14. pounds of pressure. This means that a valve label with 3 bars would indicate that the underlying valve could withstand pressures of up to 43. pounds.
PSI stands for pounds per square inch and is a standard measurement for pressure in any circumstance. When listed on a valve tag or label, it indicates the pressure of the liquid or gas that is flowing through the pipe. The higher the PSI rating, the more durable the ball valve must be to withstand the force applied against it.
CWP stands for cold working pressure. This value on a valve label or tag is used to indicate the maximum pressure the valve can withstand at temperatures between –20 degrees and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range is considered to be the cold range. For example, a 680 CWP would mean that the labeled valve can withstand 680 PSI at temperatures within the cold range.
This means that you can count on a ball valve with a high CWP to perform well at the lower temperatures found in dairies, food processing plants, and anywhere else that cold media is traveling through the valve.
SWP stands for steam working pressure. It may also be labeled WSP for working steam pressure. Either way, it means the same thing. It indicates the pressure the valve will continue to function at even in the highest temperature range.
Ball valves with a high SWP are essential for pipes that carry steam, lubricants for engines, and hydraulic systems where friction may heat the oil. They have many industrial uses.
Ball valves are simple to repair and replace, long lasting, and highly effective. Because of these advantages, we use them in almost every home, business, and manufacturing plant. Anywhere you find pipes, you will find ball valves controlling the flow of the medium inside of them.
Over time, many types of ball valves have been developed to meet specific needs. In the following list, you will find the 10 most important types of ball valves and some of their common uses.
These valves are designed for use in the food industry, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and anywhere that sterilization is required. They come in many different configurations and sizes and may be manual, mechanical, or electric actuated ball valves. They all share the ability to be sterilized by heat or chemicals, and they have smooth, polished surfaces to prevent the build-up of debris.
Unlike most ball valves, the V-port ball valve does not have a ball with a bore hole but rather a floating ball that is compressed when the valve is open. When the valve is closed, the ball expands and blocks both the in and out ports of the valve. This feature creates a tighter seal.
A full port ball valve has a borehole with the same diameter as the pipe leading to the valve. When fully opened, this type of ball valve allows for the free flow of the pipe’s contents without bottlenecking in the valves. These valves are most often found in situations where the medium in the pipes must flow at a steady pace or when high-pressure ball valves are used.
These valves may be 3-way ball valves or have more connectors that allow the flow of the medium to be diverted in different directions as needed. They can be made so that the flow travels in only one direction at a time or designed so that multiple connectors can be opened simultaneously.
The bore holes on standard port ball valves have a smaller diameter than the pipes leading into them. They are usually less expensive and more durable than full bore ball valves, but they will restrict the flow of the pipe’s contents even when they are fully opened.
Reduced port ball valve is another name for the standard port ball valve, which is explained in number 5.
These ball valves have double unions with the pipes that contain them. The unions can be sealed at either end of the valve, which allows you to completely remove them for repair or replacement.
Many different configurations of ball valves may fall into this category. As the name implies, you manually control these valves using a handle mounted outside of the pipe.
Electric ball valves are opened and closed by an electrical current instead of a handle.
These valves are electric ball valves. They use an electrically powered motor mounted over the valve that opens and closes it as needed. Motorized ball valves are commonly found in automated factories and manufacturing plants.
Regardless of the application, your best chance of long-term success is to get your valves from a respected and reliable source. There are many ball valve manufacturers, but few offer the quality, variety, and customer satisfaction levels of Adamant Valves.
Since , Adamant Valves has been working to improve ball valve design, manufacturing, and materials to create reliable, long-lasting, and economical choices. Adamant Valves manufactures a large range of sizes and can supply you with a custom fit if a standard size does not work. Adamant Valves has quickly gained a reputation for high-quality valves delivered quickly and has become a leading supplier of valves to food manufacturing and distribution plants, cosmetics manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and many other industries.
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