Valves come in numerous sizes and configurations and are used in thousands of applications across various industries. Likewise, there are various types of valves used in piping systems. These valves vary by operating mechanism/principle, function and design.
Most common valve types and applications
Ball valves: Ball Valves are quarter-turn valves that can be used for flow stoppage or flow modulation. They contain a horizontally hollowed-out sphere sitting tightly in the middle of the valve. When the valve is open, the hollow side aligns with the flow. The valve can also be placed in a partially open/closed position. Ball valves work well in high-pressure applications.
Butterfly valves: Butterfly valves contain a flat disk/flap that swivels sideways to allow, block or regulate flow. These valves are often used in power plants and wastewater plants as shut off or regulating valves. While they are cheaper and smaller than ball valves, they are not good for high-pressure applications.
Check valves: Check Valves allow the flow of media in one direction while preventing flow in the opposite direction. These valves typically have an inlet and an outlet port and operate using differential pressure. They are used to prevent reverse flow — a problematic phenomenon that can occur in piping systems, in which media flows in the wrong direction. This phenomenon can have profound implications such as problematic flow, contamination of the flowing media and damage to the piping system. There are various types of check valves, best suited to different applications.
Most common valve types and applications
Ball valves: Ball Valves are quarter-turn valves that can be used for flow stoppage or flow modulation. They contain a horizontally hollowed-out sphere sitting tightly in the middle of the valve. When the valve is open, the hollow side aligns with the flow. The valve can also be placed in a partially open/closed position. Ball valves work well in high-pressure applications.
Butterfly valves: Butterfly valves contain a flat disk/flap that swivels sideways to allow, block or regulate flow. These valves are often used in power plants and wastewater plants as shut off or regulating valves. While they are cheaper and smaller than ball valves, they are not good for high-pressure applications.
Check valves: Check Valves allow the flow of media in one direction while preventing flow in the opposite direction. These valves typically have an inlet and an outlet port and operate using differential pressure. They are used to prevent reverse flow — a problematic phenomenon that can occur in piping systems, in which media flows in the wrong direction. This phenomenon can have profound implications such as problematic flow, contamination of the flowing media and damage to the piping system. There are various types of check valves, best suited to different applications.
