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Advantages of Using Ball Valves in Industrial Applications

They are budget-friendly as compared to other valves.
They come with a low-maintenance and compact design that doesn’t need lubrication.
Ball valves are made using durable and corrosion resistant materials, which increases their life span.
They aren’t prone to leakages.
They are flexible since they come in multi-way designs.
Ball valves close and open quickly.

Disadvantages of Using Ball Valves in Industrial Applications

They aren’t ideal for irreversible throttling.
In case of residual fluids, the particles in the fluid collide with the valves’ surfaces, them to stick on the surfaces, causing abrasion, leakage, and other issues.

Factors to Consider When Buying Ball Valves

• Media Passing Through the Ball Valves

Specific control systems and applications are suitable for certain liquids. There are some ball valve systems that are tasked for the smooth flow of chemicals in enormous industries. Others handle water flowing from reservoirs and dams, directing it to various hydroelectric plants. Some special ball valves are manufactured to prevent radioactive wastes from leaking.

Consider the media that is to be circulated in the ball valve: is it a liquid or a gas media? Is this media a food product, chemically neutral, a medical fluid, or corrosive, requiring extraordinary hygiene conditions?

All these factors are helpful in choosing the materials used in the manufacture of the ball valves that will suit your needs. Additionally, it ensures the safety of the people working with the ball valves and the connecting systems.

• Working Pressure

Ball valves are designed to handle great liquid pressures. It’s important to determine the pressure range that flows through the ball valves; this helps you to choose the right valve that can comfortably handle this pressure.

• Temperature Range Flowing through the Ball Valves/ Materials Used

Ball valves are used in handling cold and hot fluids. It’s essential to determine the coldness or hotness of these fluids that flow the ball valves. It’s particularly helpful in choosing the particular make of the ball valve to purchase. Valves are made using different manufacturing materials such as PVC, stainless steel, and ceramic. Each of these materials is suitable for different temperatures.

For efficiency and safety, the manufacturing materials must be compatible with pressure and temperature ratings, and the chemical constitution of the liquid or gas that flows through your ball valve. You must also consider the soft sealing materials used in the valves. One of the most common is P.T.F.E; it’s a chemically inert material that’s used for sealing the valves and it’s compatible with almost all media types.

• The Volume of the Fluid Flowing through the Valve

Different ball valves can manage different volumes of liquids flowing through them. It’s essential to determine the fluid volume that will flow through the ball valve to choose the correct size that can handle the volume comfortably.

• Cost

After considering the 4 factors – Fluid volume, fluid type, temperature, and working pressure, you must consider the cost of the ball valve. The cost of ball valves is associated with the materials used in their manufacture and their sizes. Also the valve’s brand affects the cost. There are several companies that manufacture ball valves and many of them have websites where you can view the prices online before making your decision.

• Uses

Before choosing a ball valve, it’s important to be sure about its uses. Do you intend to use it stop the flow of a fluid or regulate its flow? Different ball valves have different uses, which makes it important to be sure of their intended uses before making your purchase.Ball valves come with different configurations; this makes it important to have a clear understanding of the work at hand to ensure that the ball valve you buy is an excellent fit for the job at hand.

• Operating System

Consider the ball valve’s operating system; is the valve powered automatically or operated manually? If it’s a manual ball valve, you must be on-site to operate it, whereas in automatically powered valves, you can operate them manually.

• Installation Cost

Choosing the best ball valve to be incorporated in your flow systems is also determined by the installation cost. This factor is directly connected with the required workforce in the valve’s installation process and any other related components. The cost of installing the ball valve also depends on whether the required workforce will be within the company (internal)  or from other installers (external).

Also, it’s important to consider how the ball valve will be incorporated into your system and the kind of installation and assembly to be used. Will it need to be bolted through the flanges, screwed in, or welded?

• How will the Ball Valve be powered?

Ball valves can be operated by powering them using different methods. It’s important to determine which method is most convenient for you. Some of these methods include:

• Manually operated ball valves have levers and handles and are most suitable for off/on applications that are controlled by the operator. Since these ball valves must be operated manually, they aren’t suitable for use in high-cycle applications.
• Air-filled ball valves are ideal for applications that can access compressed air or/and need high durability and quick cycle times.
• Electric ball valves are ideal for applications with slower cycle speeds and time or those that can’t access compressed air. They are also referred as motorized ball valves.
• Hydraulic ball valves are similar to the air-filled ones. However, liquids can’t be compresses since they provide extra torque output. Hydraulic valves are more expensive and may need several additional components for them to function properly.