In the following content, you will have enough understanding about ball valves and it can help you make the ball valve that is right for you in the end.
What is a ball valve?
As the name implies, a ball valve is a valve that controls the medium through a spherical mechanism (usually called a valve ball) in the valve body, and is one of the most widely used valves. So why are ball valves so widely used? What structures exist? How can ball valves be used better? And other related questions will be answered here:
Ball valve components
Before that, we will first take you to understand the basic components of the ball valve from top to bottom and from outside to inside:
- Handle: The common types are long rod (lever type) and short handle (butterfly type). With the development of technology, electric actuators have been developed to replace manual handles. In essence, they are all driving devices for ball valves.
- Valve stem: A key component that connects the handle and the ball and is used to transmit torque.
- Seals: Seals found between the valve stem and seat help prevent leakage and reduce metal-to-metal friction.
- Valve body & surface: The valve body contains all the internal components of the ball valve, which is similar to a protective place, playing the role of protecting and connecting to the external environment; the surface can be protected by various processes to reduce the damage to the valve body caused by the use environment, and the brand, size, pressure and other information can be presented on the surface of the valve body.
- Valve ball: The core part of the ball valve – the valve ball , is a smooth and hollow sphere. The ball wall has a certain thickness to ensure a certain pressure-bearing capacity, and the top has a certain depth to serve as a seat for connecting the valve stem.
- Valve Seat: The component used to support the valve ball at the bottom , usually part of the valve body
Ball valve working principle
Through the above introduction, I believe you have a general understanding of the ball valve, so the following working principle is easy to understand:
The ball valve is controlled by the handle – turn the valve handle, the valve ball will also be linked with the valve stem and rotate with it to achieve the passage or blocking of the medium.
For example, with a two-way ball valve:
- When the handle is horizontal, you can only see the hole in the ball through the valve body, meaning media can flow through.
- When the handle is vertical (rotated 90°), the ball is fully visible on both sides, indicating the valve is closed and blocking the flow.
- When the handle is at an intermediate angle, you may see part of the ball, allowing partial flow. However, we do not recommend leaving the valve in this position for extended periods, as it can damage the seal and shorten the valve’s lifespan. We’ll discuss this in detail later in the section on Ball Valve Maintenance and Troubleshooting Tips.
Before that, we need to introduce you to the common types of ball valves in various industries so that you can better choose the application:
Types of Ball Valves by Manufacturing Process
- Forged Ball Valves: It is formed by directly heating the solid metal raw material to soften (still solid) and compressing it in a specific mold under high pressure of the equipment, and the valve can be specially coated according to specific needs. This process improves the strength and durability of the material, making the forged ball valve more suitable for use in high pressure and high temperature environments.
For example: oil, gas and chemical industries.
- Cast Ball Valves: It is made by directly heating the solid metal raw material to liquid state, injecting it into a specific mold for cooling and forming. This process can be used for complex molds, but because it is easy to produce impurities during the cooling and solidification process, its strength and cost are not as high as forged ball valves. Therefore, its metal durability properties are more suitable for low-pressure or normal-pressure environments in daily life.
For example: household HVAC systems, daily water systems, etc.
- Machining: Usually after the ball valve is forged/cast, we will further process it. As a valve manufacturer with a complete production chain, we are equipped with high-quality precision manufacturing machinery to meet customers’ standards, tolerances and other high-precision customization needs. We believe that our products can also meet your standards!
Common Materials Used in Ball Valves
- Brass Ball Valves: The main component is an alloy of copper and zinc, with a lighter color, mostly golden yellow; it has a wide range of uses and is economical, has excellent ductility and is easy to process, is suitable for forging and casting processes, and is often used in HVAC systems, hot and cold water pipe systems, etc.
- Bronze Ball Valves: The main component is an alloy of copper and tin , with a darker color, mostly golden brown; it is mostly used in casting processes and is often used in marine and high-salinity environments.
- Stainless Steel Ball Valves: The main components are alloys of iron, carbon, nickel and chromium. The color is mostly silvery white with metallic luster. It has a wide range of uses. Compared with copper alloys, it has better corrosion resistance and higher hardness than copper alloys. It is often used in chemical, food, shipbuilding and other environments that require high corrosion resistance.
In addition, it is necessary to distinguish common stainless steel materials such as 201/304/316 by applicable occasions:
201 is suitable for less corrosive environments, 304 is common stainless steel, and 316 is suitable for highly corrosive environments.
- Zinc Alloy Ball Valves: The main components are zinc and aluminum alloys, the color is mostly silver-gray, more suitable for die-casting, compared with copper alloys and stainless steel, it has obvious economic advantages, and is often used in small HVAC systems, household water supply and other civil low-pressure environments.
- Plastic Ball Valves: The main component is high molecular polymer, and there are many types, including PVC/UPVC, CPVC, PPR, PE, PP, PA, etc., all of which have different chemical and physical properties, and also determine the corresponding use environment. Compared with metal ball valves, their colors have more personalized choices and will not affect performance due to color changes. Most plastic balls are made by injection molding, which is lighter and more attractive in price. They are often used in plastic pipes, easy to carry and other products and equipment. The details will be introduced in the PVC ball valve chapter.
Types of Ball Valves by Flow Control
According to the number of flow channels or the application’s pipeline connection control requirements, it is usually divided into: two-way type, three-way type; there are also special multiway types.
Types of Connections for Ball Valves:
- Threaded Ball Valves: The most common connection method, using internal and external thread connection (the thread teeth have corresponding implementation standards to ensure its sealing), with a variety of size options and free matching. It is mostly suitable for civil low-pressure piping systems. It is recommended to purchase a diameter within 2 inch for easy installation.
- Flanged Ball Valves: Mostly used in large projects and high-pressure pipeline systems, with large diameter and reliable connection.
- Union Ball Valves: Connected by a detachable interface. Because its interface can be flexibly disassembled, it is more suitable for piping systems that require frequent disassembly and assembly.
- Compression Ball Valves: Easy to install, often used in small-diameter pipeline environments with certain pressure requirements, mostly used for gas transportation.
- Welded Ball Valves: Fixed by welding with a welding machine, mostly used for plastic ball valves, with a firm connection and no leakage, but the replacement is more complicated, so it is often used in pipelines with high requirements for air tightness such as petrochemicals.
- Quick-Connect (Clamp-Type) Ball Valves: One end, two ends, or multiple ends are Pagoda-type interfaces, which can be used for quick installation, mostly used for gas or temporary installation test pipelines
Choosing the Right Ball Valve
After understanding the common processes, materials and connection types of ball valves, you will realize that ball valves are widely used because of their simple operation, manufacturing processes and materials. Then the key factors you need to consider when purchasing are obvious: the medium, pressure, temperature, corrosiveness, pipe size, connection method, and operation method of the ball valve.
Of course, when you choose a ball valve, we will also match the ball valve that best suits your budget and use the environment according to your personalized needs.
Ball Valve Maintenance and Troubleshooting Tips
Finally, when you finish selecting the ball valve, we will provide you with its maintenance tips. You can also refer to the common problems and simple troubleshooting services here:
- Regular Inspections: We will test all delivered products before leaving the factory to ensure that the ball valve can be used normally. However, during use, it is still recommended that you regularly check the wear of the joints or the surface of the valve body, because this is related to the airtight safety during the connection with the pipeline;
- Pre-Installation Testing: Before installation, ensure the valve handle moves smoothly. If there is resistance, lubricate the stem and handle connection. It’s normal for the valve to be stiff when first used.
- During installation: it is recommended to operate the handle first to ensure that the ball valve can be opened and closed normally before installing it to the corresponding position, and regularly lubricate and maintain the external moving components to ensure that it can obtain longer pipeline service;
- If it is difficult to rotate before installation, you can lubricate the valve stem and handle joints. This is normal for the first use;
- If leakage is found during use, first check the leakage location:
Leakage at the connection: It may be improper installation, thread mismatch, etc.
Leakage at the valve stem: The seal is worn (the seal needs to be replaced or the ball valve needs to be replaced)
Leakage at the valve body: There is a very small probability that the valve body is damaged (the entire valve needs to be replaced)
- For other questions, please consult us. We provide you with free 24-hour online service.
FAQs
- What are the ideal applications for ball valves? Ball valves are versatile and suitable for a wide range of applications, depending on the material and type of connection.
- How do I know if my ball valve needs replacement? If there is significant leakage, difficulty in operation, or the valve is not functioning properly, it may be time for a replacement.
- Can ball valves be used in high-pressure or high-temperature environments? Yes, we offer ball valves specifically designed for high-pressure and high-temperature applications.
- How long do ball valves last? With proper maintenance, ball valves can last 3 years or more.
