Blog Details

Ball valve and gate valve are two kinds common industry valves. Its used a lot in pipe system. It will help you to choose which one is suit for you your business know its characteristics and application scenarios.

1.Character and Operational principle

Ball Valve

Character: Ball valve made up with a ball. When the ball rotates 90 degrees, the valve switches from an open state to a closed state.

Operational principle: Through switch the ball controls the fluid. When the holes of the ball are aligned with the axis of the pipeline, fluid passes through; When the ball rotates 90 degrees and the hole is perpendicular to the pipeline axis, the fluid is blocked.

Gate Valve

• Character: The gate valve is composed of a wedge-shaped or parallel gate disc. When the gate disc moves up and down along the valve seat, the valve switches from the open state to the closed state.
• Operational principle: Control the flow of fluid through the lifting disc. When the disc is fully lifted, fluid passes through; When the disc descends, the fluid is blocked.

2. Application

Ball Valve

• Use for quickly open and close
• Use for fluid, gas and water
• Widely used in industries such as oil, natural gas, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Gate Valve

• Suitable for situations that require complete opening or closing, not suitable for flow regulation.
• Its commonly used in pipeline systems for liquids (including high viscosity liquids) and gases.
• Widely used in industries such as water treatment, electricity, petrochemicals, and metallurgy.

3. Advantages and disadvantages

Ball Valve

• Quickly open and close, easy operate
• Low fluid resistance and good sealing performance.
• Wear resistance and long service life.

Disadvantage

• Not suit for long time control fluid
• Price high

Gate Valve

• Low resistance, suitable for long-term opening.
• The sealing surface is less susceptible to medium erosion and friction, and has a long service life.
• The structure is simple and the price is relatively low.

Disadvantage

• Slow open and close, hard to operate
• Not suitable for flow regulation.
• Easy to generate water hammer effect (especially during rapid closure)

4.Maintenance and use

Ball Valve

• Less maintenance is required, but regular inspection of seals is required.
• In high temperature and high pressure environments, it is necessary to choose appropriate materials for ball valves.

Gate Valve

• Regular inspection and lubrication of the operating mechanism are required.
• In low temperature or corrosive environments, it is necessary to choose appropriate materials and sealing forms.

General

Ball valve and gate valve both have advantages and disadvantage. Based on your requirements choose which one you need. If a valve with fast opening and closing and good sealing performance is needed, ball valve is a better choice; If a valve with low resistance and suitable for long-term opening is needed, a gate valve is more suitable.