Valves are the main control components used to transport fluids. It is mainly used to control the open and close circuit, flow direction, flow rate, and temperature adjustment pipe accessories in fluid applications. It has the functions of regulating, cutting off, transferring and preventing backflow or overflow. The main purpose of the valve is to control various types and flow of fluids, such as mud, gas, oil and liquid.
In the market, there are many different types of valves for different purposes and fluids. According to the function of the valve, it can be divided into the ball valve, butterfly valve, check valve, diaphragm valve, gate valve, globe valve, and so on.
Types of valves
1. Ball Valve
The ball valve is a valve in which the ball rotates around the centerline of the valve body to achieve opening and closing. Ball valves are widely used in the regulation of flow in pipelines. Mainly used to cut off, distribute and change the direction of fluid flow. It is used to cut off the fluid and change the distribution of the fluid or for applications that require quick opening and closing. The main advantages of the ball valve are small size, simple structure, convenient operation, fast opening and closing, and good sealing. Two-ways ball valve and three-ways ball valve are a new type of valve that has been widely used in recent years. In addition to these two types of ball valves, there are floating ball valves, trunnion ball valves, side entry ball valve, top entry ball valves, full port ball valve, and reduced port ball valve.
2. Butterfly Valve
The butterfly valve is a kind of throttle valve that rotates around its valve shaft to achieve opening and closing. Butterfly valves are usually used for cutting off and throttling and are mainly used in drainage piping systems. Since the butterfly valve has no self-locking ability, we need to install a worm gear reducer on the valve stem to position the butterfly plate and pause at any position. Most industrial butterfly valves are made of carbon steel and have high-temperature resistance. They are mainly used in the flue duct application of gas pipes. With the progress of industrial technology, people have put forward different requirements for the structure and performance of butterfly valves. Therefore, it is necessary to make reasonable choices according to the working conditions, types, materials, and connection forms when designing and selecting. The type of butterfly valve can be divided into butt welded end type, flanged type, lug type, wafer type, zero offsets, double offset, and triple offset.
3. Check Valve
A check valve is a valve which opening and closing parts are circular discs and rely on its weight and fluid pressure to generate actions to block the backflow of fluid and keep the fluid flowing in one direction. It only allows fluid to flow in one direction and prevents flow in the opposite direction. Check valves can be mainly divided into swing check valves and lift check valves. The swing check valve is mainly rotated by the center of gravity, while the lift check valve is moved along the axis. Normally, this kind of valve works automatically. The valve flap will open under the pressure of fluid flowing in the same direction. But when the fluid flows in the opposite direction, the flow will be cut off under the pressure of the fluid and the weight of the valve flap. The types of check valves are usually divided into swing check valves, lift check valves, butterfly check valves, and stop check valves.
4. Diaphragm Valve
Diaphragm valves are mainly cut-off valves, which use flexible diaphragms as the purpose of opening and closing flow channels. The advantages of the diaphragm valve are simple structure, good sealing, low fluid resistance, and good corrosion resistance. Suitable for conveying low temperature and low-pressure fluids. The diaphragm is usually made of rubber, plastic, elastic, corrosion-resistant, and impermeable materials. The diaphragm of the diaphragm valve can completely isolate the fluid, so it is suitable for sanitary applications, such as the pharmaceutical industry, the food industry, and the cosmetics manufacturing industry. Diaphragm valves are usually made of materials such as plastic, ceramic, metal, or fiberglass.
5. Gate Valve
The gate valve can only be fully opened or fully closed, and cannot be used for regulation and throttling. The gate valve is sealed by contact between the valve seat and the gate. The main advantage of the gate valve is that it allows fluid to flow in two directions. The internal fluid channel is straight, the fluid flows in a straight line, and the resistance is small. The sealing surface is made of stainless steel and hard alloy, so it has a long life and can be tightly sealed. There are different types of gate valves which include a wedge gate valve, knife gate valve, parallel slide gate valve, and pipeline slab gate valve.
6. Globe Valve
The globe valve has a ball inside it. There is a small hole in the middle of this ball. When the holes are aligned with the ends of the valve, fluid will begin to flow. If we rotate the ball 90 degrees and close the valve so that the hole is perpendicular to the end of the valve, it will block the flow. The advantage of a globe valve is that it can adjust the flow well. Mainly used in wastewater treatment systems and food processing industries. Besides, they are commonly used on hot and cold water coils, and larger models are usually used to control the flow into the cooler. Common types of globe valves are tee types, angle types, and wye types.
7. Pinch Valve
The pinch valve mainly uses pneumatic, electric, manual, or hydraulic driving methods to squeeze the casing to achieve the function of switching or adjusting. The sleeve of the pinch valve has corrosion resistance, wear-resistance, and high-pressure resistance. It is mainly used to control the flow of fluid in the pipeline. Using this kind of valve will make the fluid move in a straight line. The pinch valve can be used to treat slurries or liquids with a large number of suspended particles.
8. Plug Valve
The plug valve is a plunger-shaped rotary valve. If we want to open or close the flow, we can rotate the valve plug to connect or separate the hole on the valve body. Its valve plug has a cylindrical or conical plug shape, and the rotation of the plug is used to control the flow. It is most suitable as a cut-off and connection medium and a shunt, but it can also be used for throttling depending on the applicable properties and erosion resistance of the sealing surface. Most of them are used in wastewater treatment systems and chemical engineering operations.
Valves are usually made of many medium materials, including alloy steel, aluminum bronze, brass, bronze, carbon steel, copper, stainless steel, etc. Send your inquiry to MecHero right now to get your valve at your nearest hardware shop. If you’ve any questions about valve, please contact us at +6011-7000 7687 or my.mechero@gmail.com.