Your Premier Manufacturer of Brass Ball Valve

The major features of brass ball valve include:

• Good heat conductor
• Withstand pressure of up to 3000 psi
• Corrosion-resistant – except for a long-term exposure to chlorine.
• Withstand temperature of up to 204.4°C
• Relatively cheap compared to other ball valve options
• Shaping and formation is less expensive and also easier

The major use of brass ball valves is in pipelines carrying gas or water.

Ultimately, its purpose is to act as a barrier between the two pipe sections.

To attain this purpose, the brass ball valve ought to be leakproof.

Any leakages are disastrous and render the brass ball valve useless.

Also, the valve has high impermeability, to the extent that not even moisture can sneak in or out.

This is also a plus to help the valve fully perform its role.

Brass ball valves have broad applications since their preference rate is gradually rising.

However, their use is limited to less corrosive environments.

Some of the uses of brass ball valves including employing them in:

• Water wells
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
• Commercial and residential plumbing
• Conveyance of Natural and LP Gas
• Compressed Air

As you can realize, these are municipal and light industrial applications.

This is due to the soft nature of brass which limits it from performing heavy functions like those of stainless steel.

The main advantages of brass Ball Valve include:

Easy Installation

There are various purposes for brass ball valves.

Consequently, getting the materials you will need when sealing them will be a walk in the park.

Also, the light or soft nature of brass makes their ball valves easy to handle.

This implies that transporting them and subsequently installing them will be easy.

Non-Leaded Option

In the past, you could not use brass ball valves in the food, drinking water, and beverage industry.

However, with the advent of non-leaded brass, the narrative has changed.

It is now possible to use a brass ball valve in almost all low-corrosive environments.

Additionally, you can opt for leaded brass if you are in the non-food industry.

Corrosion Resistant

Compared to bronze, brass ball valves offer a higher degree of corrosion resistance.

Durable

You will be able to use brass ball valves for a long period provided they are dealing with less corrosive fluids.

Below is a short description of the main parts of the brass ball valve:

Body or Shell

This is the framework of any ball valve.

It is an essential part as it holds all the other units together.

Additionally, it protects the other components from the external environment.

Lastly, it acts as the pressure boundary.

This prevents the pressure and volume of the fluid from causing damage to the other units.

Bonnet

Located in the vent of the ball valve’s body, the bonnet acts as a covering to the vent.

Similar to the shell, it also doubles up as a pressure boundary.

Importantly, the bonnet holds in place the stem and the ball.

To achieve this purpose, it is screwed and bolted to the body.

Rotating Ball

From the name, a ball has to be among the parts of the brass ball valve.

When you rotate the handle, you are actually rotating the ball.

The ball allows the liquid or gas to either flow or not flow freely.

To perform its role, the ball has a bore that permits fluid flow.

Disk

The disk is the third pressure boundary after the body and the bonnet.

It can either permit or prohibit fluid flow, thanks to its pressure retention capability.

Seat

It is a doughnut-shaped interface that shows the location of the disk.

You can also refer to it as a seal ring.

During the manufacture, you can forge or weld the seat within the body.

Together with the disk, the seat greatly impacts the performance of the ball valve.

Stem

It has a rectangular part at the point it comes into contact with the ball.

When you turn the stem, you will force it to enlarge, consequently rotating the ball for fluid flow.

The stem is essential in positioning the disk through welded joints.

Additionally, it joins the disk to the actuator.

Trim

Together, the disk, seat, stem, and sleeves form what is known as the Trim.

An important role of the trim is to facilitate the smooth performance of the ball valve.

This leads to efficient fluid flow control.

Actuator

You probably know what it is.

The actuator is responsible for operating the stem and the disk.

It can come in the design of a handwheel, lever, motor, pneumatic operator, solenoid, or hydraulic arm.

The common type of actuator is the handwheel.

To open a ball valve using a handwheel actuator, you only need to rotate it to, often, 45 degrees from the origin.

Brass Ball Valve Parts

When you turn the brass ball valve on and off, the rotary ball rubs against the other parts of the valve.

This act of rubbing can result in static electricity if the materials rubbing against each other are not similar.

Therefore, the antistatic ball valve design helps in reducing the amount of static energy produced when using the valve.

Static electricity may be extremely dangerous if you are using the brass ball valve in pipes with flammable fluids.

Hence, the antistatic design is mostly useful in the oil, gas, and chemical industries.

Also, most power plants and industries prefer the antistatic design.

The comparison between brass ball valve vs. steel ball valve can be in terms of:

Price

Stainless steel ball valves are more expensive than brass ball valves.

You can attribute this to the rather costly property of stainless steel.

Composition

Stainless steel is an iron alloy mixed with nickel and chromium, whereas brass is a copper alloy.

Working Conditions

As opposed to brass, stainless steel can withstand high temperatures and is also durable.

As a result, you can use stainless steel ball valves in high-temperature and pressure environments.

In terms of corrosion resistance, stainless steel carries the day.

Stainless steel 316, which contains nickel and molybdenum, finds extensive application in the marine environment and is resistant to chlorides.

FDA Approval

FDA approval determines whether it is permissible to use a ball valve in the food industry.

You can only use brass ball valves certified as lead-free in the food industry.

On the other hand, stainless steel ball valves have the FDA’s approval for use in the food industry.

Welding

Brass ball valves are easy to weld as compared to steel ball valves.

This is because of the high machinability level of brass.

The material used in making most brass ball valves is UNS C3600.

It has a metric tensile strength of 338 – 469 MPa, and an imperial tensile strength of 49000 – 68000 psi.

Brass ball valves have various uses.

Thus, there may exist various failures depending on the fluid passing through them or the environment you are using them.

A common failure of brass ball valves occurs when you have not “exercised” the valve for a long period.

Exercise means turning the valve on and off.

It is advisable that you open and close the valve annually, just to be on the safe side.

Another failure may arise from “overdoing it”, you should not exceed the limit when turning the valve handle.

A more than a quarter turn of the valve handle may result in the failure of the brass ball valve.

Also, note that you do not open all brass valves in the same direction.

Forcing the valve handle in the wrong direction may cause damage to the ball valve.

If you meet resistance when turning on the valve, do check the directional arrows on the handle for guidance.

In the industrial and partly domestic sector, the brass ball valves can fail due to corrosion.

You should not pass highly corrosive fluids through the valve.

Lastly, failure mostly results in brass ball valves used in boilers due to extremely high temperatures and pressure.

You can best answer questions revolving around the lifespan of a brass ball in terms of price and purpose.

Normally, brass ball valves used in industries tend to last longer.

This is because they are made to be durable, making them costly.

On the other hand, brass ball valves used domestically are cheap and have a DIY fix.

Also, such valves are not of very high quality.

Consequently, they easily get damaged and require regular replacement.

Yes, you can repair the brass ball valve by yourself.

Below are some basic steps on how to repair ball valves:

1. First, turn off the fluid supply. You would not want the fluid to splash all over you. Also, this will help you save on the bill.
2. After turning off the supply, drain the excess fluid left. You should then dry the valve with a piece of cloth.
3. Next, you can use an adjustable wrench to remove the handle. Removing the handle will ease the process of disassembling the ball valve for subsequent repair.
4. In an orderly manner, disassemble the ball valve. Ensure you have all the parts together for easy assembling when you are done.
5. You will then inspect the ball valve to diagnose the problem. The common parts that need frequent repair include the double stem O-rings, handle, rotary ball, and joint end additional O-rings.
6. A proper inspection will help point out where the problem is. Majorly, you will find some cracks or wear and tear that might have made the ball valve dysfunctional.
7. You now know where the problem is. All you left to do is repair the damaged parts and assemble back the ball valve.
8. Lastly, test if you have solved the problem. If not, you can repeat the whole process for confirmation or just replace the entire brass ball valve.

Opening a brass ball valve, similar to any other ball valve, is an easy and straightforward activity.

All you need to do is just make a quarter turn of the valve handle.

If the valve handle is in line with the pipe, it means the valve is open.

Also, most valve handles feature an arrow mark indicating the direction you can turn the handle to either close or open the valve.

Open and Closed Positions of Brass Ball Valve

Proper installation of a brass ball valve is key for the efficient functioning of the valve.

Before even installing the brass ball valve, ensure the following:

• The valves you intend to use are ideal for the fluid and will serve their purpose
• You have enough valves to efficiently subdivide the piping system
• You have the necessary tools and equipment
• The valve you intend to install can withstand the prevailing conditions including temperature and pressure.

With the above prerequisites in place, you can now use the below steps in the installation of brass ball valve:

1. Ensure that the pipe is clean. This is to help avoid obstruction or blockage to the valve. Moreover, the threads should also be clean.
2. Ascertain that there is the proper alignment of the connecting pipes to ensure good flow.
3. Check that the connecting pipes will perfectly fit into the valve. This will prevent any leakages or the need for extra seal materials.
4. Fix temporary supports to the pipes if they are none. This will help avoid any unnecessary strain on the valve.

This also applies when mounting the valve on air conditioners and hoses.

5. When fixing the valve, use PTFE tape to ensure tightness. However, the tube’s end should not be pressing directly on the thread’s head.
6. You should then add pipe clips on the two ends of the valve.
7. Use an adjustable or an open-ended spanner to screw the valve. Avoid the use of a vice or a monkey wrench.
8. Check that you do not overtighten the valve. This may lead to breakages or weakening of the valve’s case.

Generally, it is advisable that the tightening should be up to a torque of 30Nm

In summary, it is best to hire a professional when dealing with complex or industrial installations.

In a hydraulic system, you will always find ball valves depicted using a triangle.

The figure below shows the ball valve symbol in any hydraulic system.

The first, second, and third columns show the symbol, designation, and explanation respectively.

The dark triangle means that the valve is usually closed.

If the triangle was not shaded, it would imply that the valve normally remains open.

The circular symbol portrays a 3-way ball valve with two pipes at 90degrees.

Brass ball valve handles sit directly on top of the valve and may extend to the piping depending on its length.

The direction it should face depends on whether it is open or closed.

If the valve is open the handle will be in line with the pipe.

However, if it is closed, the handle will be perpendicular to the pipe.

The major disadvantage of the brass ball valve is in its sealing material, PTFE.

The sealing material has a low-temperature tolerance and you cannot use it for temperatures of up to 120degrees Celsius.

High temperatures will make the PTFE age faster thus causing leakages.

Additionally, compared to the globe valve (pneumatic or electric valve), brass ball valves have a poor regulating performance.

Lastly, you cannot use lead brass ball valves in the food industry.

As the names suggest, a brass ball valve uses a rotary ball to control flow.

Conversely, a brass gate valve uses a gate to perform a similar role.

With a brass ball valve, you will move the handle to 90 degrees open it and do vice versa to close it.

On the contrary, to open or close the brass gate valve, you will need to turn its handle at 360 degrees angle.

The diagram below will help give you a better understanding of the two valves.

Brass Ball Valve vs. Brass Gate Valve

The part labeled B in the two diagrams is the rotary ball for the brass ball valve and the gate for the brass gate valve.

Since you now have a better understanding of the two ball valve types, here is how they compare:

• The brass ball valve has a faster shut-off compared to the brass gate valve. The abrupt shut-off of brass ball valves is most likely to result to a water hammer, unlike the alternative.
• It is easier to visually check whether the valve is open or closed with the brass ball valve.
• Brass gate valve is relatively cheaper than a brass ball valve with similar specifications.
• Brass ball valve provides a tight seal over a long period of time, unlike the gate ball valve which is more prone to leakage.
• Due to the high probability of corrosion, brass gate valves are less durable.
• Because of the handle’s need for a 90degrees turn, the brass ball valve requires more installation space than the alternative.

In a nutshell, if you are looking for durability, the brass ball valve is the best option.

On the other, if you are looking for a cheap brass valve option, then a brass gate valve will do.

However, remember that cheap is expensive in the long run due to constant repairs.

No, you cannot use a brass ball valve to reduce water pressure but to control flow.

However, using a half-open valve, for example, can reduce the amount of fluid is discharged.

Note that, if you are looking to reduce water pressure, you should ask your plumber to help you install a pressure regulator.

Throttling is the process of regulating media flow through the opening and closing of a barrier such as a valve.

Throttling also involves regulating the pressure, temperature, and amount of fluid being passed in a pipe.

You can use brass ball valves for throttling, especially in the case of clean water.

Ultimately you will want value for your money when purchasing a brass ball valve.

Consequently, you will have to ensure you purchase the right brass ball valve for the job.

Below are some considerations that will help you purchase the correct brass ball valve:

• First, you should have the intended use of the brass ball valve at the back of your mind. Usage will guide you on whether to buy a specialized brass ball valve or just a normal one.

Also, you can opt for another type of valve if you will be using the valve for corrosive fluids.

• Another important factor to consider is the weight of the brass ball valve. The weight will determine the ease of installation.

Also, you will not have to provide support to the pipes when using a light brass ball valve.

• Also, measure the pressure under which the brass ball valve will be operating. As a result, you can then purchase a brass ball valve best suited for the prevailing pressure.
• Lastly, the brass ball valve should be the perfect fit.

Ensure that the ends of the brass ball valves fit perfectly to the openings of the pipes.

Despite bronze and brass having closely similar compositions, the two are not the same.

Brass is made up of copper and zinc, with copper forming a great part of it.

On the other hand, bronze also constitutes copper, but with some other additives.

In terms of price and quality, bronze carries the day.

It is both of high quality and also more expensive than brass.

Also, bronze has greater corrosion resistance and firmness than brass.

Therefore, when comparing brass ball valves to bronze ball valves, the differences will majorly come to play in their superiority.

Obviously, a bronze ball valve is better than a brass ball valve.

With regards to application, you can use the two ball valve types in less-corrosive marine and petrochemical industries.

Brass Ball Valve Type

Below are some tests that most ball valves are subjected to ensure quality:

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI): It involves subjection of ball valves to various standard tests after which you label those that pass the examination as ANSI Z21.15.
• Factory Mutual Globe (FM): This is an engineering assessment done by a US-based insurance company to ascertain that ball valves are of high standards.
• Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL): UL logo means that the brass ball valve has endured thrice the pressure stated on its body and the results are satisfactory.
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA): CSA tests valves according to both the US and Canadian standards. After which, their logo marked on the valve can either be a ‘US’, ‘C’, or both.

If it has both, it implies that the ball valve has undergone vigorous testing.

• Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC)/Canadian Uniform Plumbing Code (CUPC): It indicates that the ball valves have attained the sanitary conditions required and are safe.
• FDA

Additionally, the FDA requires brass ball valves to be lead-free for them to be used in the food industry.

Brass ball valves work by turning the handle to either open or close the valve.

A valve may either be two-way, three-way, or four-way.

The above-mentioned ways or ports determine the types of bores in the rotary balls.

For example, the three-way valve will either have a T-shaped or L-shaped bore.

These bore shapes affect the flow direction.

When you turn the handle in line with the pipe, the rotary ball rotates, opening the valve.

The liquid or gas then flows through the bore in the ball.

Conversely, when you turn the handle so that it is perpendicular to the pipe, the reverse happens.

There are various connection options for brass ball valves which include:

1. Welding

There are two forms of welding:

• Socket Welding

For you to socket weld a brass ball valve, it has to have a socket with an inner diameter slightly larger than the pipe’s external diameter.

This is because you have to insert the pipe into the socket before filling it with the welding material.

• But Welding

You employ this ball valve connection option when both the pipe and the brass ball valve are of equal diameters.

Commonly, you use it in connections that are 2 inches and below.

It entails cutting away the outer edge of both the pipe and valve to form a valley.

It is this valley that you fill with welding material.

2. Soldering

It is similar to socket welding in that, the pipe fits loosely into the valve’s ending.

You can fill it with soldering material.

Consequently, you then heat the valve bore until the solder material melts and joins the pipe to the valve.

3. Flanged

The flange is a collar or ring with holes for bolts, which is you either weld or screw at a pipe/tube opening.

The welding or screwing allows the attachment of other objects to it.

The two main flange options include:

• ANSI Flange (Lugged style and Wafer Style)
• Tri-Clamp

The diagrams below will help you understand the various parts of threads as we explore the various threading options for ball valves:

Ball Valve Thread

National Pipe Thread Tapered (NPT)

This is a common tapered thread based on US standards.

Unlike the straight treads found in bolts, tapered thread tends to pull tight thus ensuring a tight seal.

The flank angle of NPT is 60degrees and you determine the NPT by the ASME/ANSI standard B1.20.1.

Further, you can specify it in terms of the inches and initials, for example, 2″ NPT.

British Standard Pipe Taper Threads (BSPT)

The major difference between BSPT and NPT is the angle from the root to the crest.

BSPT thread angles are 55degrees.

Also, you can either determine BSPT threads by either ISO 7 or EN 10226-1.

For its specification, the letter R precedes the inches, as in R 2″.

British Standard Parallel Pipe Threads (BSPP)

Unlike the previous tapered threads, BSPP does not lock tightly.

Consequently, you will need to use a soft seal to ensure it is airtight.

You determine the BSPP threads by both ISO 228-1:2000 and ISO 228-2:1987.

Their specification is similar to BSPT with the only difference being the use of initial ‘G’, as in G 1″.

Brass ball valves mostly range from 1 inch to 4 inches depending on your piping need.

All ball valves ought to be clearly marked on the body.

Alternatively, you can fix a plate on the body and label it.

The common markings you will see on the brass ball valve include:

Quality Assurance Markings

These labels include:

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z21.15.)
• Factory Mutual Globe (FM).
• Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL logo).
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA label).
• Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC)/Canadian Uniform Plumbing Code (CUPC).
• Water, Oil, and Gas (WOG) or Cold Working Pressure (CWP) that shows the pressure rating of the brass ball valve.
• Working Steam Pressure (WSP) marking
• Lead-Free (LF) Marking
• Manufacturing code and manufacture identification
• Size of ball valve

You can gauge the wall thickness of a brass ball valve in terms of the pressure it can handle.

Typically, most brass ball valves have a pressure threshold of 2.0 MPa.

As for the material requirement, here is the material you use in the construction of brass/bronze ball valves:

• Body: Bronze (CAC401) or Brass (C3771)
• Stem: Stainless Steel or K Metal (C3531)
• Ball: Brass or Stainless Steel

Full Port Brass Ball Valve

Mostly, the manufacture of brass ball valves is from the UNS C36000 machining brass.

For a better understanding, let’s look at some of the typical characteristics of UNS C36000 brass.

Chemical Composition

The table below highlights the composition of UNS C36000 brass in terms of percentage.

 Mechanical Properties

These properties of UNS C36000 brass are instrumental in gauging how easy and fast the manufacturing of brass ball valves is.

Also, they demonstrate the reason why the UNS C36000 is ideal for manufacturing ball valves.

The fact that UNS C36000 free cutting brass has machinability of 100 makes it the best material for manufacturing ball valves.

Physical Properties

These are the general characteristics of the UNS C36000 brass as outlined below.

Thermal Properties

The thermal properties of the UNS C36000 brass are tabulated below.

In addition to the mentioned properties, other features of UNS 36000 brass are:

• Median hot working capacity
• Poor cold working ability
• High forging temperature ranging from 705 to 788 degrees Celsius

You can also use these forms of brass as alternatives to UNS C36000 free cutting brass are:

• SAE J463
• SAE J461
• ASTM B1

As you can see, there are many factors you should consider when choosing brass ball valves.

The best part, this guide has explored some of the fundamental aspects you need to know.

In case you have any questions about the brass ball valve, contact D&R Metal experts now.