Types of Industrial Valves and their Maintenance procedures

‘Global Industrial Valves Market by Product Type, By Application, By Region, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2012 – 2022’ predicts that the market for industrial valves will reach $77 billion by 2022. Due to their use in a variety of commercial construction projects, automation projects, and other applications, it is projected that demand for industrial valves will increase in the upcoming years. Due to technological advancements, increased industrialization and the expansion of existing facilities have stoked demand and accelerated industry growth.

Insights about Industrial Valves:

There are diverse types of industrial valves, including diaphragm valves, ball valves, globe valves, butterfly valves, check valves and gate valves. These valves conduct a variety of tasks using diverse operating principles.
In 2014, the revenue share for ball valves, which are used for flow control and whenever a tight shut-off is necessary, was above 19%.
Due to their widespread application in the automation and oil & gas industries, butterfly valves have experienced a significant increase in demand in recent years.
In the upcoming years, check valves will have sturdy growth with a CAGR of above 7%. By preventing the process flow from returning to the system, these unidirectional valves guard against equipment damage and system disruption.

Types of Industrial Valves – Applications, Advantages, and Disadvantages

Industrial valves are instruments for controlling the flow of liquids, gases, and slurries. These valves can be used to regulate the flow of liquids or gases. This can be accomplished by opening, closing, and partially obstructing pipes and other channels.

Types of Industrial Valves include:

• Gate Valves
• Globe Valves
• Ball Valves
• Butterfly Valves
• Check Valves

Gate Valves

Gate Valves are intended to function as isolation valves. These valves aid in controlling the flow of liquid through pipes. These valves are attached to pipelines to initiate or halt the flow of water or any other liquid. Gate valves serve a variety of functions and are typically seen in homes and commercial buildings. These valves are made from various materials such as stainless steel, cast iron, alloy steel, forged steel, etc.

Water flow is stopped or started using gate valves. Gate valve operation involves lifting a circular or rectangular gate out of the fluid flow. When the gate valves are open, there is nothing to block the flow because the pipeline diameter and gate opening are the same. This bore diameter can be used to calculate the valve size.

Advantages

• Gate valves have extremely low friction loss.
• they can be used both ways in the circuit.
• they provide laminar flow with minimal pressure loss.
• they help to save energy and lower total cost of ownership
• and they have a low pressure drop when completely opened and tight sealing.

Disadvantages

• Gate valves are slow to open and close
• They create vibrations
• Leakages in gate valves occur in systems where high-temperature variations occur sporadically due to the load in pipe at the valve end.
• Gate valve seating surface operation, maintenance, and repair is complicated.

Applications:

• Gate valves are suitable to use in elevated temperature and pressure conditions.
• They are used for on-off applications

Globe Valves

Globe Valves are one of the most common types of valves used in a variety of applications. These valves, like gate valves, use linear motion to throttle flow. They regulate the flow through a pipeline by the position of a moveable disc (or plug) in reference to the stationary ring seat. The primary benefit of a globe valve is that it does not leak as much as other valves.

A baffle, which is normally parallel to the length of the pipe, separates the interior of the pipe to form a globe valve. Their spherical bodies, which feature an internal baffle dividing the two halves, gave rise to their name. It has a usually spherical body with a moving disk-like element and a fixed ring seat.

Advantages

• Globe valves throttling, the full-closing characteristic is good.
• The opening-closing time is shorter.
• Body ring seating surface process is easier.
• They can be used as stop-check valves.
• They contain positive shut-off

Disadvantages

• Pressure loss is higher
• To close under high pressure, globe valves require a larger amount of force or an actuator with a large torque.

Applications:

Global valves are used primarily for throttling purposes. They may be considered as general-purpose flow control valves that are used for high-temperature applications.

Ball Valves

The flow of substances from one opening to the next is controlled by ball valves, as the name implies, by using a ball as the valve’s main component. These valves control the passage of gas or liquid by allowing the hole to be completely closed, partially open, or open. Because they can provide greater sealing, ball valves are the best option for use with gases. Because they can withstand pressures of up to 700 bars and temperatures of up to 200 °C, and because their sizes typically range from 0.5 cm to 30 cm, they are particularly adaptable. They have a straightforward structure, making them simple to use and maintain.

They are built with unique features that only allow the 90-degree rotation needed to open and close ball valves. Because they provide dependable and airtight sealing while in the closed position, these valves are a well-known industrial option.

Advantages

• They contain a compact and low-maintenance design that requires no lubrication.
• They are cost-effective among all the valves
• The biggest advantage of ball valves is that they have poor throttling characteristics that can cause the seat of a ball valve to easily erode.
• They provide leak-proof service.
• They open and close quickly.
• Ball valves have multi-way design flexibility.

Disadvantages

• Ball valves are not suitable for permanent throttling.
• In residual fluids, the particles in the fluid collide with the surfaces and stick to them. This may cause leakage, abrasion, and other problems.

Applications:

•  Ball Valves are used for flow and pressure control and shut off for corrosive fluids, slurries, normal liquid, and gases.
• They are used in the oil and natural gas industry, but also find a place in several manufacturing sectors, chemical storage, and even residential uses.

Butterfly Valves

Although they have a restricted range of control, butterfly valves are made to control flow. By simply turning a handle 90 degrees, butterfly valves are readily opened and closed. When the valve is closed, a metal disc in the valve’s body is positioned perpendicular to the flow. The control of liquid flow is possible with intermediate rotations. Butterfly valves can be set up to function pneumatically, manually, or electrically.

They have a wide variety of uses, including fuel handling systems, power production, fire prevention, wastewater treatment, gas supply, chemical and oil industries, and water and wastewater delivery. Depending on the situation, these valves can be turned by handles, gears, or actuators.

Advantages

• Because of its high accuracy, butterfly valves are useful in industrial environments.
• They require little care and are highly dependable.
• They can control the flow.
• They can be inserted or removed without affecting the pipe system.

Disadvantages

• There are no tight shutoffs on butterfly valves.
• Even when fully expanded, a piece of the disc is always exposed to the flow. No matter the setting, this can cause a pressure switch across the valve.

Applications:

• Butterfly valves can be used in pharmaceutical, chemical, and food processing services.
• They are used for corrosive liquids at low temperature and pressure.

Check Valves

The term Non-Return Valve (NRV) is also used to refer to check valves. Only one direction of liquid flow is permitted, and media cannot flow backwards through them. Check valves are used to stop process flow from switching directions within a system, which could harm machinery or disrupt the process.
They are frequently seen safeguarding compressors in gas systems or pumps used in liquid applications where backflow could cause the pump or compressor to shut down. A check valve’s fundamental construction lessens line backflow.

They do not need human involvement or automation to work because of their simpler design. They rely on the fluid’s flow rate to open and close. Up until the valve is fully open, the higher the flow rate, the more open the valve will be.

Advantages

• Check valves prevent backflow.
• They can sustain pressure.
• Check valves serve as backup system

Disadvantages

• They cannot be used with pulsating systems
• Closing element may crash causing damage and excessive wear

Applications:

• Check valves are used in a variety of markets and applications as they contain uncomplicated design and versatile material options.
• They help to prevent backflow and maintain pressure.
• Check valves can be seen in industries such as refining, petrochemical, chemical, etc., oilfield production, water, steam, refining petroleum, and viscous fluids.
• They are also commonly found in waste-water management systems and in manufacturing.

Industrial Valves are available from manufacturers around the world at reasonable prices.

Comparison chart of different types of industrial valves
Valve Type	Applications	Advantages	Disadvantages
Gate Valve	1. High temperature and pressure conditions	1. Low friction loss	1. Cannot be opened/closed quickly
	2. On-off applications	2. Can be used in both directions	2. Cause vibrations
		Provide laminar flow	3. May leak in systems with irregular temperature changes
		3. Help save energy
		4. Low-pressure drop and tight sealing
Globe Valve	1. Throttling purposes	1. Good throttling and full-closing characteristics	1. Higher pressure loss
	2. High-temperature applications	2. Short opening-closing time	2. Require larger force or torque to close under high pressure
		3. Easier body ring seating surface process
		4. Can be used as stop-check valves Positive shut-off
Ball Valve	1. Flow and pressure control	1. Compact and low-maintenance design	1. Not suitable for permanent throttling
	2. Corrosive fluids, gases, and liquids	2. Cost-effective Leak-proof service	2. Particles in fluid can cause leakage and abrasion
		3. Quick opening and closing multi-way design flexibility
Butterfly Valve	Water supply, wastewater treatment, gas supply, chemical and oil industries	1. Accurate and reliable Low maintenance	1. No tight shutoffs
		2. Throttling capability Easy installation and removal without dislocation	2. Pressure drops across the valve, regardless of the setting
Check Valve	Pump and compressor protection	1. Prevent backflow	1. Not suitable for pulsating systems
		2. Sustain pressure; Serve as backup system	2. Closing element may cause damage and wear

Common Certificates of Industrial Valves Overview

Here are some common industrial valve-related certificates:

Certificate	Required Area	Issuing Agency/Organization
API 6D	Oil and gas industry	American Petroleum Institute
API 600	Bolted bonnet steel gate valves	American Petroleum Institute
API 607	Fire-safe ball valves	American Petroleum Institute
ASME B16.34	Valves for pressure-temperature ratings	American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASME Section VIII	Pressure vessels	American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ISO 9001	Quality management systems	International Organization for Standardization
ISO 14001	Environmental management systems	International Organization for Standardization
ISO 15848	Industrial valves for fugitive emissions	International Organization for Standardization
EN 1984	Industrial valves for general purposes	European Committee for Standardization
PED 2014/68/EU	Pressure equipment directive	European Committee for Standardization
CSA Z245.15	Steel valves for petroleum and natural gas industries	Canadian Standards Association
CSA B51	Boiler, pressure vessel, and pressure piping code	Canadian Standards Association
AS 1210	Pressure vessels	Standards Australia
AS 2683	Industrial valves – Copper alloy gate, globe, and non-return valves	Standards Australia