Industrial valves play a crucial role in controlling and regulating the flow of liquids, gases, and slurries within various industrial processes. These devices are designed to withstand high pressure and temperatures while ensuring the smooth operation of pipelines and machinery. With a wide variety of valve types available, each with its unique features and benefits, selecting the right valve for a specific application is essential. In this blog post, we will explore different types of industrial valves, their applications, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.
Different types of Industrial Valves include:
- Ball Valves
- Check Valves
- Butterfly Valves
Ball Valves
Ball valves, as their name implies, employ a ball-shaped mechanism to manage the flow of substances between openings. These valves function by enabling the hole to be fully open, completely blocked, or partially open to regulate the flow of gases or liquids. Ball valves are particularly well-suited for use with gases due to their superior sealing capabilities. They exhibit remarkable versatility, supporting pressures up to 700 bars and temperatures up to 200°C, with sizes typically ranging from 0.5 cm to 30 cm. These valves are known for their user-friendly operation and maintenance, thanks to their simple structure, which facilitates ease of repair.
Ball valves are engineered with specific mechanisms that allow for a 90-degree rotation, which is necessary for their opening and closing operations. This distinctive design feature sets ball valves apart as a preferred choice in industrial applications. When in the closed position, ball valves exhibit reliable and airtight sealing, further enhancing their appeal and suitability for various industrial processes.
Advantages:
- Excellent sealing capabilities, providing a reliable and airtight closure.
- Quick and easy operation with a simple 90-degree rotation.
- Versatility in handling various fluids, pressures, and temperatures.
- Minimal pressure drop when fully open, ensuring efficient flow.
- Durability and longevity due to robust construction materials.
- Ease of maintenance and inspection, reducing downtime and costs.
- Some designs offer improved throttling capabilities for precise flow control.
Disadvantages
- Unsuitability for permanent throttling: Ball valves are not recommended for continuous throttling applications. Their design is primarily optimized for full-flow or shut-off operations rather than precise and prolonged flow control.
- Potential for leakage and abrasion: In systems with residual fluids containing particles, there is a risk of particles colliding with the surfaces of ball valves and causing adhesion. This can lead to leakage, abrasion, and other operational issues, requiring regular maintenance and cleaning to mitigate these problems.
Applications:
- Ball valves are utilized for controlling flow, pressure, and shut-off functions in a wide range of applications including corrosive fluids, slurries, normal liquids, and gases.
- They have significant usage in the oil and natural gas industry, as well as in various manufacturing sectors, chemical storage facilities, and even residential applications.
Butterfly Valves
Although they have a restricted range of control, butterfly valves are made to control flow. By simply turning a handle 90 degrees, butterfly valves are readily opened and closed. When the valve is closed, a metal disc in the valve’s body is positioned perpendicular to the flow. The control of liquid flow is possible with intermediate rotations. Butterfly valves can be set up to function pneumatically, manually, or electrically.
These valves find application in various areas such as water supply, wastewater treatment, fire protection, gas supply, chemical and oil industries, fuel handling systems, power generation, and more. Depending on specific requirements, these valves can be operated using handles, gears, or actuators.
Advantages:
- In industrial applications, butterfly valves offer high accuracy, making them highly advantageous.
- These valves are known for their reliability and require minimal maintenance.
- They possess the ability to effectively throttle flow.
- One of their key advantages is the ease of installation or removal without dislocating the pipe system.
Disadvantages:
- Butterfly valves do not provide tight shut-offs.
- Even when fully opened, a portion of the disc is exposed to the flow, which can create a pressure drop across the valve regardless of its setting.
Applications:
- Butterfly valves find utility in pharmaceutical, chemical, and food processing industries.
- They are suitable for handling corrosive liquids under low temperature and pressure conditions.
Check valves
Check valves, also known as Non-Return Valves (NRV), are designed to allow the flow of liquid in only one direction while preventing the backflow of media in the opposite direction. Their main purpose is to safeguard the system by preventing process flow from reversing, which could potentially cause equipment damage or disrupt the process.
Check valves are commonly employed to safeguard pumps in liquid applications and compressors in gas systems, as backflow can lead to the shutdown of these components. The fundamental design of a check valve effectively minimizes the occurrence of backflow within a pipeline.
Due to their simpler design, check valves can function autonomously without the need for human interaction or automation. They rely on the velocity of the fluid flow to automatically open and close. As the flow rate increases, the valve progressively opens further until it reaches its maximum fully open position.
Advantages:
- Check valves effectively prevent backflow.
- They have the capability to withstand pressure.
- Check valves act as reliable backup systems.
Disadvantages:
- Check valves are not suitable for use with pulsating systems.
- There is a risk of the closing element crashing, which can lead to damage and excessive wear.
Applications:
- Check valves find extensive use across various markets and applications due to their simple design and versatile material options.
- They play a crucial role in preventing backflow and maintaining pressure.
- Check valves are commonly employed in industries such as refining, petrochemical, chemical, oilfield production, water, steam, and the handling of viscous fluids.
- They are also frequently found in wastewater management systems and various manufacturing processes.
Are you looking for manufacturers and suppliers of industrial valves for your company pipeline? Look no further than Fluton Valve, a renowned industrial valve manufacturer in India.