Types of ball valves？A ball valve is a type of isolation valve and is the most commonly used valve in industry due to its excellent operating characteristics. Ball valves can be welded, threaded, and flanged, and are available in a variety of sizes, materials, temperatures, pressures, and tight shutoffs.
Body construction and assembly access are separate selection dimensions. One-piece, two-piece and three-piece describe body construction; side-entry and top-entry describe assembly access. The following list gives examples of these arrangements.
● One piece ball valve
● Side entry: Two-piece ball valve
● Side entry: three-piece ball valve
● Top entry ball valve
By ball support arrangement, ball valves fall into the following two categories.
● floating ball valve
● Trunnion ball valve
Bore size, ball geometry and the number of ports are separate selection dimensions. Full-bore and reduced-bore describe the bore arrangement; segmented-ball describes the ball configuration, while multi-port describes the flow-path arrangement.
● Full bore ball valve
● Reduced diameter ball valve
● Segmented ball valve
● Multi-port ball valve
On the basis of connection type, ball valves are divided into three types.
● Flanged ball valve
● Welded ball valve
● Threaded ball valve
For different valve body materials, ball valves are divided into:
❏ Brass ball valve
❏ Carbon steel ball valve
❏ Stainless steel ball valve
❏ PVC (polyvinyl chloride) ball valves
❏ PP (polypropylene) ball valves
❏ GFPP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene) Ball Valves
❏ PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) ball valves
❏ PE (polyethylene) ball valves
According to the different modes of operation, three types of ball valves are also made.
● Manual ball valve
● Pneumatic ball valve
● Electric ball valve
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I narrow down the ball-valve types listed here for my inquiry?
Start with the required flow function, piping connection and operating method, then provide the medium and pressure-temperature conditions. Ask for the specific body, bore and seat arrangement that meets those requirements rather than choosing from a type name alone.
Can a full-bore valve and a multi-port valve be specified as the same thing?
They describe different selection details. State the required bore and each required flow path separately and request a drawing showing the actual port arrangement and switching positions for the selected valve.
Can I assume every listed ball-valve material is available in every design?
Confirm the actual material options for the selected product series. This article lists general types and materials, not a guarantee that every combination is available or suitable for your service.