The Characteristics and Uses of Bronze Ball Valves
Valves are ingenious devices that are mainly used to control the flow of gases, liquids and granular solids. A ball valve is one major type of valve. This simple valve device is very useful for shutoff applications in residential and commercial settings. This type of valve is typically found in hot and cold water system and compressed air systems. A ball valve belongs to the classification of quarter turn valves, similar to the butterfly valve and plug valve. Ball valves have different types and can be made of various materials like plastic, brass, cast iron and metal alloys. One of the more popular and durable types is a bronze ball valve, which is highly suitable when controlling the flow of liquid and gas.
Bronze ball valves are characterized by their spherical discs, known as balls, which usually have a round hole or port in the middle. The flowing action through the valve occurs when the port or hole is moved in line with both ends of the valve. A valve is closed and the flow is blocked when the hole becomes perpendicular to the valve’s ends. The flowing movement of the ball is attached to a locking handle or lever, which is actuated manually. The valve’s locking handle restricts the handle from rotating past 90 degrees.
The secret to the efficiency of a ball valve lies in its design. Such design allows the valve to work without the worry of side loads, evident in butterfly and flat valves. Ball valves observe modified equal percentage flow feature. This means that the flow of a ball valve is almost proportional to the rotation of the closure feature. This characteristic permits active controlling of media flow. A bronze ball valve can easily be repaired when slightly broken. Although such valve is highly effective in closing and opening the flow, it is not very ideal for the fine control required in some throttling applications.
Bronze ball valves are popular are due to their flexibility and easy operation. This valve classification is made of strong materials that can resist chemical corrosion even after a long period of time. A high quality bronze ball valve exhibits a great design that allows optimum flow and system efficiency. Aside from being fully capable of regulating high volume of substance flow under high pressure; this kind of ball valve is sturdy, dependable and long lasting. It is also usually less expensive than other valves and control devices.
Manufacturers usually create heavy duty bronze ball valves to be used in various industries, such as pharmaceutical, oil, and chemical. The best bronze ball valve models can support tremendous pressure, which can go all the way up to 10,000 psi. These ball valves can also tolerate extreme temperature. Bronze ball valves come in a wide range of sizes, from 1/4″ to 12″, and may have two or more ports. Two, three, four, and five ported valves are used for mixing and diverting applications. Each style has its own characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. Choosing the right one depends on a particular application. Some special versions of bronze ball valves become part of a major flow control system that makes use of electrical and pneumatic actuators.