The Leading Manufacturer and Supplier of Ball Valves
D&R Metal Industry can provide a complete solution with mutually beneficial outcomes. Consider picking the ideal pieces ball valve like Inline Ball Valves. You can choose from our wide variety of Forged Steel Ball Valves to satisfy your needs!
- China’s top suppliers
- high quality and efficient performance valves
- Our valves built and pressure tested
- 15 years of providing the best customer services
Ball Valve Manufacturer
Ball valves are quarter-turn shut-off valves that control fluid flow. They get their name from the hollow rotary ball that permits or blocks media flow.
Because of our exceptional services, we have built a strong business relationship to customers from around the world. We manufacture high-quality ball valves made from excellent grade materials to satisfy customers’ requirements. All our ball valve comes with complete technical information. As a professional manufacturer, we will consistently offer you the excellent services along with trust, honesty, and integrity.
Our pneumatic ball valves are made from stainless steel, alloys, and more. It comes in customizable sizes to meet your needs.
D&R manufactures high-quality brass ball valves for fuel, gas, water, and air applications. Our products are acknowledge in the industry for its high performance.
High pressure ball valve kit is consists of two adapters. It has a 4500 PSI working pressure. It also features superior leak-resistance and easy installation.
Our API ball valves are solenoid, pneumatic, manual, and hydraulic. It can operate under a normal temperature. These are widely used in acid, gas, water, oil, and more applications.
Our Polypropylene Ball Valves are manufactured according to ISO standards. It also has brackets, couplers, and pneumatic rotary actuators.
At D&R, we are manufacturing a wide range of air flow control ball valve. We offer products with high-quality at a competitive price.
Our flange end ball valves are very easy to dismantle. It features high corrosion resistance, impact resistance, and zero-leakage.
D&R Metal Industry is a professional manufacturer of high-quality FEP lined ball valve. Our wide range of FEP lined ball valve will surely meet your requirements.
Full bore ball valves are commonly used for causticity, gas, oil, and water applications. It comes with different customizable sizes to suit your requirements.
D&R offers the broadest selection of medium pressure brass ball valves in China. We are your one-stop solution to your Medium Pressure Brass Ball Valve needs.
Our titanium ball valves are manufactured with high-quality. These are highly demanded in industries such as automobile, aerospace, chemical, and more.
D&R stainless steel ball valves are manufactured with high corrosion resistance. It is widely used for liquids and gases applications.
Features of Ball Valves




D&R Ball Valves
D&R Metal Industry is a trusted manufacturer of ball valves in China for more than 15 years. Throughout the years, we offer a wide range of ball valves to meet your demands. We can even customize your orders of ball valves to suit your applications.
Moreover, ball valves from D&R Metal Industry are guaranteed to have high quality and efficient performance for every application. As a professional manufacturer, we are committed to giving customers with valuable services, high-quality products, and affordable cost.
How We Manufacture Your Ball Valves
D&R Metal Industry – Reliable Ball Valve Manufacturer in China


In China, D&R Metal Industry is a leading ball valve manufacturer for more than 15 years. For over a decade of operating in the industry, we acquired a lot of experience in providing customers with high-quality products at an affordable price.
Through our advanced manufacturing technology, we are able to manufacture all types of ball valves. Our wide range of ball valves includes stainless steel ball valve, full bore ball valves, flanged end ball valves, and more.
Aside from that, our ball valves are constructed using outstanding quality materials. We used brass, stainless steel, aluminum, PVC, and more. With these materials, you can guarantee durable and long-lasting ball valves.
D&R ball valves are available in stock or customization. You can choose according to your preference. If you prefer to customize your orders, you can send us your detailed specification. We will work with you to create your ideal product. Customization of your ball valve size and designs is offered at a favorable price.
Moreover, our ball valves are integrated with high corrosion resistance, leak-proof properties, and impact resistance. All products are manufactured according to international industry and quality standards. We also ensure to check the quality of the product before delivering it to you.
As a professional manufacturer, we will consistently offer you excellent services along with trust, honesty, and integrity. Besides ball valves, we also manufacture plastic ball valves, PVC brass elbow, custom brass fittings, and more.
Send an inquiry for your next ball valve orders!
- Turning is suitable for rotary surfaces and is very commonly used. Turning makes it easy to ensure the positional accuracy of the workpiece on all sides; the cutting process is relatively smooth and suitable for the finishing of non-ferrous metals, and the tools are relatively simple.
- Drilling is a basic method of hole machining. Drilling is prone to the disadvantages of “lead deflection”, difficult chip removal and cutting heat is not easily dissipated. Due to the characteristics of the drilling process, the standard twist drill is used to machine holes with lower accuracy and rougher surfaces, mainly for rough machining.
- Reaming is the use of reaming drills to enlarge the existing holes in the workpiece. The depth of cut when reaming is much smaller than when drilling, and is often used for semi-finishing of holes.
- Boring is one of the more commonly used finishing methods for holes. The reason for the higher quality of boring is that, in addition to the advantages of reaming, the reamer construction and cutting conditions are more favorable than reaming: the boring hole has a smaller machining allowance and the reamer has a trimmed section.
- Milling is one of the main machining methods for flat surfaces. Milling is more productive, prone to vibration and has better heat dissipation from the cutter teeth.
- Machining workpieces with grinding wheels and other abrasives is called grinding. There are many types of grinding machines, the more common ones being cylindrical grinding, internal grinding and surface grinding.
- Bright finishing is a precision machining commonly used in production, generally referring to a number of machining methods that result in very high surface quality (Ra 0.2um or less), such as grinding, honing and superbright grinding. Special machining is the direct use of electrical, chemical, acoustic and optical energy for processing.
Rocket Your Business with D&R Ball Valves
- D&R Brass Ball Valves Forging
- Loading Processes of Ball Valves
Thread connection.
There are many different types of threads, depending on their shape they can be divided into cylindrical threads, tapered threads etc. Different countries have different thread standards, such as GB in China, ANSI in the USA, BS in the UK, DIN in Germany and ISO in the International Standards Organisation.
(1) Helix: the trajectory of a point moving along a cylindrical surface where the axial displacement of the point is in constant proportion to the corresponding angular displacement.
(2) Threads: continuous projections and grooves with the same profile formed along the helix on the cylindrical surface (see Figure 2).
(3) Male threads: Threads formed on the external surface of a cylinder.
(4) Female threads: Threads formed on the inner surface of a cylinder.
(1) The valve should be assembled to open and close flexibly, with no card block.
(2) After the sealing packing is installed into the stuffing box, the sealing performance should be guaranteed and there should be a certain adjustment margin or elastic preload.
(3) When the ball valve is fully open, the deviation between the axis of the ball through-hole and the axis of the valve body through-hole is not more than 3°, and the handle should be parallel to the ball channel; when closed, the handle should be perpendicular to the ball channel.
(4) The handle and handwheel should be firmly installed, there should be no gap, and the handwheel should not be idled more than 30°.
Ball Valve The Complete Buying Guide
This guide will work you through the basics of the ball valves to the complex issues you need to know about these types of valves.
- Features Of Ball Valves
- Bore Profile Of Ball Valves
- Common Multi-Channel Ball Valves
- How Side Entry Ball Valve, Top Entry Ball Valve, And Bottom Entry Ball Valve Compare
- Ball Valve Body Configuration
- When To Use 3-Piece Ball Valve
- Advantages Of Three-Piece Ball Valve
- Common Ball Valve Types
- Difference Between Floating Ball Valve And Trunnion Ball Valve
- Ball Valve Mechanism Of Operation
- Main Parts Of Ball Valve
- Common Materials For Ball Valve Parts
- How Stainless Steel Ball Valve Compare To Brass Ball Valve
- Ball Valve Working Principle
- Uses Of Ball Valves
- Advantages And Disadvantages Of Ball Valve
- How To Install Ball Valves
- How To Maintain Ball Valve
- Available End Connections For Ball Valves
- Temperature And Pressure Rating Of Ball Valve
- How Ball Valve Compare To Globe Valve
- How To Repair A Ball Valve
- Factors To Consider Before Buying Industrial Ball Valve
- How Actuated Ball Valve Compare To Solenoid Valve
- Rangeability Of Ball Valve
- How To Determine The Ball Valve Size
- Ball Valve Handle Types
- How To Know If The Ball Valve Is Open Or Closed
- Spring Actuated Ball Valve
- Causes Of Ball Valve Failure
- Ball Valve Seat Selection
- Soft Seated Ball Valves Vs. Metal Seated Ball Valves
- Important Quality Certifications For Ball Valves
- Importance Of Lining In Lined Ball Valve
- Specification Of Ball Valves
- How To Prevent Water Hammer In Ball Valve Installation
- Role Of Valve Positioner In Ball Valve System
- When To Fit Valve Positioner In Ball Valve Installation
- Factors Determining Ball Valve Price
We design and manufacture a range of ball valves depending on your unique requirements and specifications.
Contact us today for all your ball valves from China needs.
Ball Valve
Ball valves come in different designs and sizes.
However, the various ball valves have some standard features such as:
- A ball for blocking or permitting the flow of media,
- An actuator is used to turn the ball.
- A tight shut-off.
- A compact design.
- Fast operating time – since they mostly require a quarter-turn of the actuator.
Bore Profile Of Ball Valves
Depending on the design of the ball valve, the bore profiles may vary.
Discussed below are the three standard bore profiles you will encounter.
Reduced (Standard) Bore
A ball valve with a reduced bore implies that the hole on the ball is smaller than the internal diameter of the pipe it is mounted on.
For example, a reduced bore ball valve mounted on a pipe with ¾ inch internal radius can have a bore with a ½ inch radius. They usually limit the media flow by 75%.
Importantly, reduced bore ball valves are used where disruption of flow or pressure drop is not of concern.
An advantage of the ball valves with a reduced bore profile is that they cost less and are also small.
Full Bore/Full Port
Unlike in the reduced bore profile, a complete bore profile means that the hole in the ball is similar to the piping’s internal radius.
For example, a ball valve with ¾ inch radius bore fitted on a pipe with a ¾ inch internal radius.
This type of profile is usually used where zero disruption (restriction) flows critical, such as pumps or pipelines containing mixed solids and liquids.
However, full bore ball valves are slightly expensive since they are more significant than the standard bore ball valves.
V-Shaped
As the name suggests, the hole in the ball is v-shaped. This type of bore increases the precision in the control of the media’s flow rate.
Notably, they have a similar design to the reduced bore ball valves. Also, the profile can be optimized to achieve linear flow.
Here is all you should know:
Side Entry Ball Valve
This type of ball valve has its ball assembled from the side. Usually, it is made in either two or three pieces of the body.
Each part, or piece, is assembled using a stud or a bolt. The assembly is similar to joining two pieces of flanges.
Notably, side entry ball valves are made from forged metal. Each piece is developed independently, and then later, the pieces are joined together.
Some advantages of side entry ball valves include:
- Easy assembly and alignment
- Minimal defects
Top Entry Ball Valves
Top entry ball valves have their balls assembled from the top side. Unlike the side entry ball valves, it is made from casting metal.
You can compare these valves to a globe valve which has a bonnet and a body. Top entry ball valves have one body.
Due to the casting design of these ball valves, the valves need to undergo NDE tests to ensure that they have no defects.
Also, they require minimal disassembly. Due to this feature, its use is preferred in high-pressure systems.
An outright advantage of the top entry valves is that they are less susceptible to leaks. It is because their design permits for minimal thread connection.
Bottom Entry Ball Valve
Bottom entry ball valves are also referred to as filling valves. They have an arm and afloat and are designed to fit cisterns.
Their operation is relatively straightforward. It is open and closes with the aid of an arm, a ball, and a diaphragm which cuts off the water supply.
Some of the most common configurations include:
One-Piece
The installation of a one-piece ball valve is as a unit. The retainer holds the ball and the seal.
Typically, one-pieces ball valves are threaded. These types of ball valves are firmly fixed to the pipes using the threads.
Notably, the retainer has to secure the entire joint between the pipe and the ball valve. So that the joint does not wear out unevenly.
These types of ball valves are inexpensive and are generally not repaired.
Two-Piece
Two-piece ball valves have two separate body parts with flanges. Notably, these parts are easily assembled. Their assembly simply involves joining the two parts with bolts (for flange design).
Also, their different design makes servicing the valves easy. What’s more, the entire servicing procedure can be done in-line.
Usually, two-piece ball valves use floating balls to regulate media flow.
One drawback of the two-piece ball valves is that the tightness of the joint can be altered by force and pressure. Hence, they are susceptible to leakages.
Three-Piece
A three-piece ball valve consists of three main parts, a body, and two end caps. The end caps can either be threaded, flanged, or welded.
Maintaining a three-piece valve is easy, making them preferable for applications that critically require valves. Assembling and disassembling the three-piece valves is relatively easy.
The 3-piece ball valves are majorly used in manufacturing facilities for the following reasons:
- They are easy to disassemble for maintenance.
- They come in complete port design; hence they do not hinder flow.
- Unlike the two and one-piece ball valves that may require entire replacement, 3-piece valves only require the replacement of worn-out parts.
Three Piece Ball Valve
The top advantages of three-piece ball valves are that:
- They are cost-effective in the long run since they do not require entire replacement.
- They are easy to disassemble and reassemble.
- There is no need for line shutdown during replacing the various parts (seats and seals majorly).
Ball valves come in different types.
First, ball valves can be classified in terms of the ball port orientation and the number of ports, as below:
- Full-port Ball Valve
- Standard (Reduced) port Ball valve
- V-port Ball Valve
- Multi-port Ball Valve
- True Union (Trunnion) Ball Valves
- Vented Ball Valves
Alternatively, the ball valves can be grouped in terms of their connection type as follows:
- Threaded (Standard) Ball valves – Which can either have male or female threads.
- Flanged Ball valves.
Also, ball valves can be classified according to their operating mechanisms. These include:
- Manual Ball Valves
- Hydraulic Ball Valves
- Pneumatic Ball Valves
- Electric Ball Valves
Lastly, ball valves can also be grouped as per the number of pieces:
- One-piece ball valves
- Two-piece ball valves
- Three-piece ball valves
Floating Ball Valve
Notably, the floating ball is the most common design in ball valves. As the name suggests, the ball is floating, i.e., not fixed to the stem.
Consequently, it offers extensive freedom.
In floating ball design, a seal is created using the upstream pressure, which pushes the ball back against the downstream or rear seat.
Floating Ball Valve
Trunnion Ball Valve
Unlike in the floating ball design, a trunnion design features a pin that holds the ball in place to prevent it from being dislodged.
This design is ideal mainly for high-velocity piping systems.
Notably, the ball in the trunnion ball valve is specially segmented.
The ball is supported with a shaft on one side and another shaft or post on the opposite side.
The shaft can either be separate or joined to the ball.
Trunnion Ball Valve
Lastly, there is little friction between the ball and the seal of the trunnion ball valves.
Ball valves feature various operating mechanisms. Lets’ look at the different working mechanisms.
Manual
The valve is turned on or off by manually rotating the handle at 45 degrees angle. Notably, when the valve is at a 90-degree angle, it is closed.
On the other hand, when the handle is parallel to the pipe, the valve is open.
Electric
For an electric operation mechanism, an electric actuator is fixed directly to the stem of the ball valve.
The actuator can cause a quarter of the stem.
This type of operation mechanism allows for remote control of the ball valve.
Also, the ball valve will be more efficient since it will be either fully closed or fully opened.
Hydraulic
The hydraulic operating mechanism is somehow self-sufficient.
This operation does not require any external pressure or electricity.
The opening and closing of the ball valve are entirely dependent on the pre-determined flow, level, or pressure.
Pneumatic
Like the electric operating mechanism, the pneumatic mechanism features actuators attached to the stem of the ball valve.
Commonly, pneumatically controlled ball valves employ a rack (linear gear) and pinion (circular gear) mechanism.
First, linear motion is achieved by attaching the rack to a piston pushed by compressed air.
The piston pushes the rack, which in turn pushes the pinion resulting in a circular motion. Since the pinion is attached to the stem, the circular motion causes the opening or closing of the ball valve.
Spring-loaded
Spring-loaded ball valves mostly feature springs and other actuators (primarily electric) for regulating media flow.
Commonly, they are used for fail-safe reasons or energy conservations.
Its operating mechanism is that the spring triggers the closing or the opening of the ball valve while the actuator holds the stem in place.
The common parts of all ball valves include:
- Valve Body – The part that contains all the components of the ball valve.
- Rotary Ball – It acts as the barrier that permits or blocks media flow.
- Seats – They lie in between the body and the ball. They offer support to the ball and, at the same time, create a seal.
- Stem – Usually attached to the rotary ball to control its movement.
- Packing – Located around the stem. It offers a seal that prevents the fluid from escaping.
- Bonnet – It hosts both the packing and the stem.
- Handle or actuator – Located on the outer part. It is attached to the stem to control the movement of the stem, which in turn controls the rotary ball.
Parts of a Ball Valve
For versatility, ball valves are manufactured from a range of materials. The materials commonly used are as follows:
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
As many refer to it as plastic, PVC is among the popularly used materials to manufacture ball valves.
PVC is flexible and smooth. Consequently, it allows for easy movement of the ball valve’s parts.
CPVC
CPVC is simply chlorinated PVC. This additional property makes it tolerant to high temperatures. Thus can be used to manufacture ball valves used to transport hot media, such as hot water.
Bronze and Brass
Both bronze and brass are metal alloys, with each having copper.
Notably, they are used for ball valves designed to operate under medium or low-pressure conditions.
Also, they have a significant level of corrosion resistance.
Stainless Steel
Most ball valves intended for use in the food, beverages, and pharmaceutical industries are made from stainless steel.
It is because stainless steel is less susceptible to contamination.
Also, stainless steel has bot high corrosion resistance and durability.
Iron
The popularity of iron in making ball valves lies in its ability to withstand a wide range of temperatures and pressure.
However, it is not flexible compared to other materials such as PVC.
Stainless steel ball valves differ from brass ball valves in 4 main ways:
- First, stainless steel ball valves have a higher price tag compared to brass ball valves.
- Additionally, unlike brass ball valves, stainless steel ball valves usually have FDA approval. Brass ball valves can only get FDA approval if the brass used is lead-free.
- Also, brass ball valves are more accessible to weld compared to steel ball valves. Brass ball valves are directly welded, unlike steel ball valves which mostly require you to break down its oxide layer.
- Lastly, stainless steel all valves have higher corrosion resistance as compared to brass ball valves.
Despite the differences, both ball valves will efficiently perform their roles when applied in the right environment.
Brass Ball Valve
Stainless Ball Valve
The working principle of a ball valve is centered on its various parts.
The rotary ball has a hollow that permits media flow. With a quarter turn on the handle, the stem moves, resulting in the rotary ball’s movement.
When the hollow is in line with the flow, the media will be allowed to flow. If the ball’s hollow part is not aligned to the media flow, then the flow will be obstructed.
Ball valves are commonly used:
- As on/off stop-valves since they offer a bubble-tight shut-off.
- You may use it in gaseous, air, vapor, and hydrocarbon systems.
- It is n instrument tubing to connect instruments.
- Another use is in high temperature and pressure conditions, especially the metal seated valves.
The advantages of ball valves include:
- The packing seal lasts longer since the stem is not turned multiple times, i.e., only a quarter-turn is required.
- Full-bore balls offer zero flow resistance, with the other bore orientations offering minimal flow resistance.
- jmmIt is easy and fast to operate the ball valves since a 90-degree turn is enough to close or open the ball valve.
- Ball valves have a simple structure and are relatively small in size, making it easy to disassemble and reassemble them for repair and maintenance.
- Ball valves are versatile and have a wide range of applications.
Ball valves also have few disadvantages, including:
- Some types of ball valves, such as one-piece ball valves, may be challenging to clean, resulting in contamination.
- Generally, ball valves are poor when it comes to throttling.
- Generally, ball valves can be installed with your desired orientation. However, you will be forced to install larger ball valves with actuators vertically.
- Before installation, ensure there are no defects on the part of the ball valve. Also, check what material the valve’s seat, ball, and body are made from.
- Ensure that the ball valve’s pressure rating is in line with the system’s pressure rating.
- Also, the temperature rating of the valve should be ideal for the application.
- Check that the ball valve’s connection type (threaded, flanged, or weld) is compatible with the piping system.
- If the ball valve needs welding, complete all the welding work before installing and clean any welding residue.
- After ensuring the ball valve is clean, clean the pipe thread or flange end to be connected to the ball valve. You can use mild detergent and water if necessary.
- Support the valve to ensure there is no strain caused on the piping system.
- You may need to install a pipe union for 2-way and 3-way valves to allow for easy maintenance.
- For threaded connection, insert the male end to the female end and tighten. You can use a sealant if necessary.
- For flanged connection, tighten one bolt at a time. It is to apply even pressure, consequently forming a seal.
- After completing the installation, ensure the valve is good to go by turning it on completely and closing it multiple times.
- Clean and repair the ball valve at least once a year
- Ensure you activate the ball valve once a year to prevent it from getting stuck
- Do not use the ball valve for throttling. Instead, you should fully open or fully close it.
- Before maintaining the ball valve, ensure you relieve the system pressure.
- Ideally, you should replace valve seals and seats by removing the endplates. Check that you used only the approved lubrication for the seals.
Some of the most common end connections include:
Threaded
A threaded connection is the most common end connection since it offers a streamlined and compact connection between the ball valve and pipe.
Ball valves can either have male or female thread end connections.
Regardless of the type of thread (tapered or straight), they must adhere to specific standards. These standards are:
- National Pipe Thread Tapered (NPT) – This is the US standard for tapered threads used in fittings and pipes.
- British Standard Pipe Taper Threads (BSPT) – It is similar to NPT with only a variation in the angle of the thread flanks.
- British Standard Parallel Pipe Threads (BSPP)
Notable tapered threads form a tighter seal compared to the straight or parallel threads. As such, you may need to use a soft seal in the parallel threading connection.
Flanged Connection
Flanges are also a popular end connection for ball valves.
Flanged connections adhere to the standards set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Other standards are by the DIN and SAE.
The most common flange connection used in ball valves is the four-bolt flanges.
Weld Or Soldered
Ball valves can also be welded to the pipe. The common types of weld include:
- Socket weld – Where the pipe is inserted into the ball valve’s socket and welded.
- Buttweld – Typically used for small size ball valves, less than 2 inches in size.
- Soldered – Commonly used in residential plumbing and is similar to socket weld. The only difference is that in this case, the connection is soldered, not welded.
Push-in
Push-in end connection is mainly used in ball valves used in residential plumbing.
Ball valves with a push-in end connection have an O-ring slightly smaller than the pipe’s outer diameter. Consequently, when the pipe is inserted into the ball valve, the o-ring gets stretched around the pipe, forming a seal.
Barbed Hose
Ball valves with barbed hose end connections feature long end connections with barbs on them.
The hosepipe is then stretched over them, forming a connection.
Notably, this type of connection is used for low-pressure systems.
Note: Ball valves with thread end connections can also be attached to the pipe using unions or connection nuts.
All valves’ temperature and pressure ratings vary depending on their class classifications.
Typically, a ball valve can operate under a minimum temperature of -55oC to a maximum of 300oC.
A ball valve may have a pressure rating of up to 2250 psi depending on the end connection type and the valve’s body material.
Globe Valve VS Ball Valve
The table below gives out the main distinctions between ball valves and globe valves.
Ball Valves | Globe Valves |
Used to shut off the flow | Used to control and throttle flow |
It has a stem and a ball rotating horizontally | It has a stem and a plug moving vertically |
Works efficiently under a high-pressure system | It is not that efficient in high-pressure systems |
Lightweight | Heavier compared to ball valves |
Offer less obstruction to the fluid flow and are less noisy | Do obstruct fluid flow and can become noisy over time |
Can keep flow closed for a lengthy period | It is not efficient in shutting off flow for an extended period. |
Although ball valves are durable and require minimal maintenance and repair, you may need to carry out repairs once in a while.
Below are some tips to guide you as you repair your ball valve:
- First, you need to shut off the media supply to the affected area to avoid wastage.
- Familiarize yourself with the fitting the valve uses and remove it.
- Proceed to disassemble the parts orderly to ease the reassembly process.
- Meticulously inspect each part, placing keen attention on wear and tear, stiffness, or any signs of leaking.
- If only one component is damaged, you can proceed to replace it.
- However, if multiple components are damaged or damages are hard to visualize, you should preferably replace the entire ball valve.
- You will then reassemble and fix the now repaired old valve. Alternatively, you will fix a new ball valve.
- Lastly, turn back on the media supply and ensure the valves are fully functional.
There are some considerations you need to make before purchasing an industrial ball valve. We will group this into two: Product specifications, and supplier considerations
Under product specifications, you will consider:
- Materials – The ball valve material should not be reactive to the media that will flow through it.
- Applications – Ball valves are majorly used as shut-off valves and not for throttling purposes.
- Actuation – Industrial applications may need automated actuators as opposed to domestic applications, which will perform quite okay with manual handles
- Temperature and pressure ratings – The ball valve should operate efficiently under the prevailing temperature and pressure in the piping system.
- Media – The ball valve should be able .to to control the media (gas or liquid) flow efficiently.
- Life expectancy – Ensure that the ball valve will be operating for a long time. You can check the ball valve’s warranty period to estimate the lifespan.
- Cost – How much a ball valve costs should also be at the back of your mind. Do not overstretch your budget.
Here, you will be concerned with:
- Where the supplier sources their material.
- Whether the supplier offers a discount on bulk purchase,
- The company’s authenticity, concerning how long it has been operational.
- The testing and quality assurance that the ball valves undergo.
- The certifications that the supplier has.
- After-sale support that the supplier offers.
- The delivery time upon purchase.
Below is a comparison table showing the difference between an actuated valve and a solenoid valve:
Parameter | Actuated Ball Valve | Solenoid Valve |
Actuation | It can either be electric or pneumatic | Exclusively uses an electric signal to power the valve. |
Power options | Electric actuators offer minimal power options | They offer a wide range of AC & DC options to choose from. |
Size | Larger compared to the solenoid valves | Offer a more compact option |
Pressure rating | Have a higher rating that extends to the thousands | Have a lower pressure rating ranging within the hundreds. |
Response time | Might have a lag in response | Speedy response time. |
Construction material | It is constructed from several materials. | Materials are mostly limited to stainless steel and brass. |
Fail-safe | Rarely features fail-safe design. | Mainly have a fail-safe design. |
Rangeability is the flow rate (maximum to minimum) that the ball valve can control. It depends on the design and the actuator of a brass ball valve.
To determine the rangeability, you divide 100 by the non-accuracy level (%) of the valve. For example, a valve that is not accurate at 10% stroke has a rangeability of 10:1.
The higher the rangeability, the less sensitive the closing element is when it is near closed and more sensitive when the valve is open. It enables the valve to control a broader range of flow rates.
Notably, the highest rangeability in ball valves is in the v-notched ball valves, 200:1.
The ball valve size is usually indicated on the body, usually in nominal diameter (DN) or inches. For example, DN20 is equivalent to 34 inches.
There are two main common types of ball valve handles:
- Lockable Handle – That can be locked using a padlock or any other locking equipment.
- Ball valve Handwheels – These are circular handles, similar to steering wheels.
For standard valves with manual handles, you will know if it is opened when the handle is in line with the pipe. If the handle is at a right angle, it means the ball valve is closed.
Spring actuated or spring-loaded ball valves use a spring to open and close the ball valve.
A spring-loaded valve also has either an electric or a pneumatic actuator to hold the valve in place once closed or opened.
Usually, spring-actuated ball valves are used as a fail-safe mechanism and for energy conservation.
Commonly, ball valves will fail due to:
- Damaged seals
- Presence of debris in the valves
- Poor fixing of the ball valves
- Passing media that corrodes the valve
- Failure to occasionally maintain the ball valve
An essential role of the valves seats is to provide a seal, thus making the valve leak-proof. Valve seat materials can either be fluoropolymers or metals.
The material you will choose for the valve seat will depend on:
- Operating conditions, i.e., pressure and temperature.
- Desired operating torque
- The fluid being passed on the valve
You can choose from the below primary materials:
- Carbon
- Metals
- Polyether ether ketone (PEEK)
- PTFE
- Carbon fiber filled PTFE
- Acetal
- Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW)
These types of ball valves have soft seats made from thermoplastic materials such as PTFE. They offer a tight seal and are compatible with most chemicals.
However, soft seats can break down when the fluids being passed are abrasive or dirty.
Soft Seated Ball Valve
Unlike soft seats, metal seats can withstand high temperatures and adverse conditions. They can resist abrasive fluids, severe shock and flashing, and corrosion, among other states.
Also, they can be hardened by applying coatings such as chromium carbide, spray coating, tungsten carbide, etc.
Metal Seated Ball Valve
Below are some of the important quality certification s ball valves ought to have:
- National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) certification – For electrically actuated ball valves.
- ANSI/ASME certification – This prescribes the pressure and temperature ratings for various flanged ball valves.
- National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certification – Indicates if the ball valve is suitable for use in the food and beverage industry.
The lining or coating in the lined ball valves is non-reactive. As such, the lining protects the valve from exposure to corrosive fluids.
Also, it prevents any contamination of the fluid by the ball valve’s body material.
Lastly, it improves the flow by reducing any friction.
The specifications for the various ball valves vary. Outlined below are some of such specifications:
- For Flanged ball valves – The specifications include ANSI/ASME B16.5 and DIN 1092-1/ISO7005 standards.
- For NPT threaded ball valves – Specifications are defined by ANSI/ASME standard B1.20.1
- For BSPP threaded ball valves– Specifications are defined by 1S0 228-1:2000
Water hammer occurs when fluid flow is abruptly disrupted leading to excessive pressure build-up. Excessive pressure can result to damage or even bursting of the system.
To prevent water hammer, you can do the following:
- Install a water hammer arrestor to absorb the excess pressure and reduce the shock impact.
- Install a pressure regulator before the valve to check the pressure
- Increase the diameter before the valve to reduce pressure.
The valve positioner is equipment designed to improve the valve’s sensitivity and precision. It is commonly used in ball valves with electric actuators.
Simply put, a valve positioner amplifies electrical or pneumatic signals by adding its pressure to the signal.
Valve positioners can be pre-installed in a ball valve by the manufacturer. Alternatively, you can buy it separately.
If the valve positioner comes separately, it comes with a braided connection or a mounting kit for installing it.
The prices of ball valves vary depending on:
- Valve’s material
- Size
- Actuation
- Type of ball valve