Types Of Automatic Ball Valves And Their Uses
When it comes to automatic ball valves, you have more than a single option. Like many other industrial machine components, there are plenty of variables to choose from. Some of the types of valves available include:
- Flanged, trunnion, threaded
- V-port ball valves
- Multi-port brass ball valves
- Multi-port steel ball valves (carbon or stainless)
- Full port brass or steel ball valves
- Stainless steel ball valves
- Tri-clamp ball valves
- PVC ball valves
Choosing the correct ball valve for your project depends on many factors.
Automatic Ball Valves And Materials
Let’s talk about what the ball valve is made of. Should you use a stainless steel ball valve, PVC ball valve, brass ball valve, or some other exotic alloy?
PVC doesn’t rust, but it can break.
For many industrial uses, stainless steel, bronze or another heavy metal alloy material might be the best advantage for your automated ball valves.
Steel is efficient, durable, corrosion-resistant, low maintenance, and cost effective, making it a material of choice for most uses. That is especially the case for plumbing cases where strong materials are necessary in order to cope with high water pressure and/or corrosive media.
However, many people resort to PVC because it’s inexpensive. The problem with PVC is it is often not cost effective as it can burst in extreme weather conditions.
The Ways And Means Of Ball Valves
Automated ball valves are used in many industries for many purposes. There is not one rule that determines when you should use a particular type of ball valve for every situation, but there are some generic rules you can follow.
For instance, if you are working with chemicals or situations where sanitation is important – such as in beer brewing – then you’ll need to use ball valves that are sanitary. The flow of liquid is very important. Stainless steel is a good choice in a lot of situations where sanitation is very important.
A three-way ball valve is useful when you have three ports that need to be connected through a single device. There are also four-way ball valves that can be of use under certain specific circumstances.
No matter which type of automatic ball valves you are using, you’ll want to make sure you use the right size, so get your measurements right.
Are Automatic Ball Valves Expensive?
Automatic ball valves are not expensive. You can usually find the right valve for just a few bucks, but price depends on materials and function of the valve. For industrial uses, you want to pay close attention to material make up of the valve and the quality of materials and craftsmanship. That holds true no matter which type of valve you need, from butterfly valve to ball valve.