In this article, we will explore the popular types of the most common device called ball valves. We here discuss their unique features and specialty. Let’s take a look at a simple valve. These valves were used in industries but nowadays they enter our bathrooms and stand in an irreplaceable position. That’s why it is important to take a look at the ball valve. So let’s start towards the main topic.
Ball Valve
Ball Valve is a quarter-turn, quick-action performing device to control the fluid flow inside the pipe. This device can stop, regulate, redirect and allow the flow. Some 3-way and 4-way ball valves are used for mixing purposes as well. The ball valves can control water, gas, oil types of media. There are many ball valve types with different designs for specific uses, but the primary valve parts are the same for all of them. The different types of valves can be categorized according to different features such as:
- In terms of ports: Ball valves can be easily sorted based on the number of ports. A standard ball valve has 2 ports (1 inlet and 1 outlet). A 3-way port ball valve designed with 1 inlet and 2 outlets, or 2 inlets and 1 outlet. A 4-way ball valve is designed with 4 ports and a 5-way ball valve is designed with 5 ports.
- Design: Various designs such as floating, and trunnion mounted.
- Seat Type: Teflon, Metal
- Body Type: single piece, two pieces, or three pieces.
- Ball setting: Side entry, or top entry
- Bore Size: Full bore, reduced bore, V-notch
Types & Usage of Ball Valve
Depending on your application, you should decide which type of ball valve is appropriate for you. You should think about various specifications such as pressure, size, temperature, number of ports, body materials, end connections, and configurations and check it.
Full Port Ball Valve
The full port or full bore valve is more costly than other types of valves. The extra-large ball in the full port valve reduces friction loss because the hole in this ball valve has the same diameter as the pipeline. Though the valve is larger in size, the flow is unaffected in the full port valve in comparison to other ball valves.
Full bore ball valves are frequently used for throttling applications in many systems with high flow rates and low-pressure drops.
Standard Port Ball Valve
The standard port valve has a smaller port and ball compared to the full port valve. There is a slight restriction inflow due to the pipe size, but it’s less expensive. However, they have higher pressure drops than other types of ball valves, despite being cheaper. Like full port valves, standard port valves are great for systems with high flow coefficients.
V-port Valve
Ball valves with v-ports have either a V-shaped seat or a V-shaped ball. A V-shaped valve enables you a better experience to control the opening and the closing. Flow characteristics in this type are near to linear. The high speed of the fluids used with such valves forced the makers to come up with a generally more robust design for them since these types of fluids quickly damage a standard valve.
Multi-port Valve
Multi-port ball valves have three or four ports and a hole in the ball-shaped like an L to T. T-shaped valves can connect any pair of ports and the L-shaped valve can connect the center port to side ports mostly used in factories.
Inlet in a multi-port valve is usually perpendicular to the plane of the outlets. 4-way ball valves have 2 curved ports in their ball known as X port. Multi-port valves are generally used for mixing and diverting applications.
End Connections
There are various valve-end connections available in the market. As per the piping systems, a suitable end connection comes into action. The three most common valve end connections are threaded end connection, flange end connection, and tri-clover or Tri-Clamp end connection. The threaded end connection ball valves come into action where the pipe end is threaded. In the same manner, the suitable end connections come to action as per the piping ends.
Conclusion
In the end, you have to visit the valve manufacturer and select the correct product which suits your application and fulfills your requirements without any hassle. There are so many valve suppliers present in the market. Choosing the best valve supplier is also an important factor. Make sure that the supplier has its own manufacturing factory and also check about their terms and policies. The reputation also has a big impact on the market.
