Industrial Valves And Their Basic Components

If there is one common device in all industrial facilities, households, and commercial buildings, it is the valve. Valves are omnipresent. Even household appliances like washing machines are fitted with small valves. The water and gas supplied inside your house are regulated with the help of valves.

So, what are the parts that comprise an industrial valve? All valves are made of six basic components:

  • The body.
  • The bonnet.
  • Handle or actuator.
  • Disc or member
  • Stem
  • Seat

Depending on the size, complexity and application, valves may differ in many aspects that include:

  • Pressure capacity.
  • Number of ports.
  • Flow capacity.
  • Temperature usage.
  • Mode of operation.

Some valves are fabricated from a single piece, and some are fabricated by assembling several separate pieces. In our article, Singapore's top industrial valve suppliers explain in detail about the basic components that are found in most industrial valves.

blue with silver colour industrial valves installed in the outdoor of our clients industrial unit to control the flow of direction

The valve body

The first component that we notice in a valve is the body or outer covering made of metal or plastic. Sometimes, the body is made of bronze, stainless steel, alloys or iron to make the valve robust enough to handle medium that are harder than water. If the valve is used in applications that involve corrosive acids, the body is made of Alloy 20, models, hastelloys, and iconels, depending on the type of acid nuclear materials and hydrogens. The body encases all the vital internal parts.

Also Read : Prominent Signs Of Wear And Tear To Look Out For In Industrial Valves

Modern casting practices like shell casting, permanent mould casting and investment casting are used to fabricate the valve body.

The handle or actuator

The next most visible component in a valve is the handle or actuator. They are the part that gives the valve its controlling ability. However, automatically controlled valves like the relief valves and check valves do not have handles because they internally control media flow.

Actuators can be as simple as a wheel or a handle, and when they are operated, they move the valve stem up and down to allow or seal the flow of media.

The valve bonnet

The bonnet holds all internal parts in place and is screwed to the valve's body. All standard industrial valves come with a bonnet, except for the ball valve. For maintenance or repair work, the bonnet must be removed to allow access to the valve's internal parts. In some valves, the bonnet is attached to the body as a single part. However, it is considered a separate, critical component, for without it, the valve may leak, and it would be impossible to operate the valve.

The valve disc

The disc is also called the valve member, and it is the component that regulates the flow of media within the valve. The type of disc and its operating mode differ with the type of valve:

  • The Globe valve's disc is tapered on both sides.
  • Ball valves have a spherical valve disc.
  • Butterfly valves have a thin, flap-like disc that is controlled by the stem and actuator.
  • In a check valve, the disc rotates on a trunnion or hinge.
  • Plug valves have cylindrical or conical rotors called plugs.

The valve stem

Any valve that comes with a handle must have a stem because it is the part that connects the valve disc with the handle. The stem is screwed to the valve to enable the disc movement in different directions.

The valve seat

The seat is an internal component that acts as a counterpart to the valve disc. They are designed and fixed in such a way that they perfectly align with the disc to shut off the flow. Seats are coated with rubber and Teflon to prevent any leakage when the valve is turned off.

Anyone who wishes to invest in industrial valves ought to have a basic know-how about the critical components to help choose the best type of valve that will serve the application.

Oilway, Singapore's most preferred industrial valve suppliers

Founded in 2009, Oilway has revolutionised the valve industry in Singapore with its high-grade industrial valves. We offer the biggest range of industrial valves manufactured with the finest materials and with strict compliance to international standards of quality.

Talk to our team today to place your orders, get a price quote or discuss your specific requirements. call Us @ +86-21-69891289 or email us at info@oil-way.com.

Top