Ball valves are some of the commonly used industrial valves, especially in industrial facilities where they are used to regulate high volume, high pressure and high temperature. As the name implies, all ball valves have a ball with a single straight-through perforation enclosed inside a metal casing. The ball valve is a quarter turn on or shut-off valve that controls the flow of substances with the help of the perforated ball.
The ball valve’s function is very simple. When the lever-like handle is turned on, the perforation of the inner ball aligns with the direction of the flow and allows the substance to flow through it. When the handle is turned towards the off position, a rounded set of seats seal off the flow through the pipes. One of the best ball valve manufacturers in Indonesia gives a clear explanation of the ball valve parts will help to understand how it functions.
A standard ball valve comprises five main parts:
The valve stem
It is a shaft that connects the internal ball to the outside lever making the ball turn to the off and one mode when the lever is rotated.
The O-ring
Nitrile rubber is the commonly used material for the O-ring, which seals the gap between the stem and the housing unit.
Valve seats
The valve seats seal the gap between the ball and the housing unit. Teflon and other metals are commonly used as valve seats.
Also Read : Gate And Ball Float Valves – Operation, Applications And Benefits
The housing case
The housing case is mostly made of sturdy metal like stainless steel or brass. It protects and encloses the internal units and has two connection points for the inlets and outlets. The valve housings are available in three types:
Single piece:
The unit actually comprises two pieces that are welded together to form a single valve housing. They are extremely affordable and ideal for applications that do not require the housing unit to be opened and closed often.
Double piece
The two parts of the housing unit are linked by threaded connections. In case of repair or maintenance, the entire valve has to be disconnected to disassemble the housing. The two parts can be reassembled, and the valve will work as good as new.
Three-piece
The three housing pieces are clamped by a bolt connection, and they can be easily disassembled without removing the valve from the pipe connection. The three-piece valve housing is expensive but ideal for sanitary applications.
The inner rotary ball
The rotary ball is the most important part of the ball valve, which gives the device its name. There are four types of balls, and each one differs based on the design and support.
Floating ball
It is the most commonly used ball type. The floating ball is supported by the valve seats.
Trunnion ball
The Trunnion ball is supported at the top and bottom to reduce the pressure on the valve seats. It is most ideal for both high and low-pressure applications.
Reduced bore
The size of the bore is much smaller than the diameter of the inlet and outlet connections. Yet, the reduced bore is used in many ball valves. ‘
Full bore
The bore size of the ball matches the size of the pipe diameter. Thus, it allows the free flow of substances and is ideal for domestic usage. The full bore is not ideal for applications that require a controlled flow.
Here are some of the applications of ball valves:
Ball valves can be manually, electrically or pneumatically operated. The electric ball valve’s actuation is controlled by an electric motor which also rotates the inner ball while opening and closing the valve.
Oilway is the best amongst Indonesia’s industrial valve manufacturers. We manufacture and supply a wide range of high-quality industrial valves that are designed to last long and work efficiently. For order enquiries, please call us @+86-21-69891289
China
Russia