Ball Valve

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Overview

Ball valves are commonly used in the gas industry for controlling the flow of gases. They are a type of quarter-turn valve that uses a spherical ball with a hole through its center to regulate the flow of gas. Here is an overview of ball valves in the gas industry:

There are four general types of ball valves: full port, standard port, reduced port, and v port. A full port ball valve has an oversized ball so that the hole in the ball is the same size as the pipeline resulting in lower friction loss. Flow is unrestricted, but the valve is larger.

Ball valve is a shut off valve that controls the flow of a liquid or gas by means of a rotary ball having a bore. By rotating the ball, a quarter turn (90 degrees) around its axis, the medium can flow through or is blocked

Types of Ball Valves

Full Bore (Full Port): These ball valves have a bore diameter that matches the pipe’s inner diameter, providing minimal flow restriction when fully open.

Reduced Bore (Reduced Port): In these valves, the bore diameter is smaller than the pipe’s inner diameter, causing some flow restriction when fully open.

Gas Distribution

Ball valves are commonly used in gas distribution systems to control the flow of natural gas, propane, and other gases.

Gas Processing Plants

They are used in processing plants for tasks like isolating equipment, controlling gas flow, and emergency shutdowns.

Pipeline Systems

Ball valves are used in pipelines for on/off control and maintenance purposes.

Storage Tanks

They are used to control the filling and emptying of gas storage tanks.

Specifications

Working Pressure	Up to 6000 psig (413 bar)
Temperature	–40 to 250°F (–40 to 121°C)
Flow Coefficient	2.5 to 40
Body Materials	316/316L stainless steel, alloys 6-Moly, 2507, 625, 825, and C-276
Seat Materials	PEEK
End Connections
Size	3/8 to 1 in.; 12 to 25 mm
Configurations	On-off