Types of Valves

A quarter-turn valve that has a hollow rotary ball and is used for controlling the flow of gas and liquid. When the handle is in line with the pipe and the flow, it is fully open, and when the handle is perpendicular to the flow, it is closed. Therefore, understanding the status of this valve is easy for almost everyone. One of the most important things about this valve is that it is secure even after a long-time usage or not usage at all; it still works perfectly. Also, they are resistant to contaminated fluids and won’t get damaged easily. Although they are not designed for precise control of the flow, they are sometimes used as control valves. The ball valve has so many types itself, including Multi-port (that has two types of T and L inner shape and connects three pipes), threaded valves (standard), Hydraulic Valve (used mostly in industries due to resistance against high pressure and low temperature), Flanged Valve (used mostly in industries as they can withstand high pressures), and Vented ball valve (that is used for removing unwanted pressure on the valve).

It also goes by the name of the non-return valve, reflux valve, and one-way valve. Check valves are two ways valves. They are used in places where we want to prevent the backflow of liquid. They are usually small and inexpensive, but there are some big forms of them as well, which are usually installed in factories. Check Valves are produced in many types, including Check Ball Valve (that contains a ball moving back and forward by the fluid), Diaphragm Check Valve (that has a flexible rubber diaphragm normally closed), Swing Check Valve (with a movable disk moving up and down), and Clapper Valve (that is mostly used in firefighters’ pipes).

Also called the Sluice Valve, it is a very thin valve that is in the way of the big pipes carrying a fluid. Gate valves are one of the valves with the least amount of friction. They are usually used in only open and close statuses as they can not regulate or control the flow of the liquid and are used both underground and above the ground. The mechanism of Gate Valves are very easy as if you bring the lever up, it is open, and if the lever is down, it is closed. There are three different types of Gate Valves, and they differentiate in wedges, including Knife Gate Valve (used for viscous liquids), Parallel Gate Valve (with a flat gate), and Wedge Gate Valve.

Some people may confuse Globe Valves with Ball Valves as they are similar. But, unlike the Ball Valves, Globe Valves are used for regulating the flow of the fluid. They are mostly used in places that a pressure drop is needed or is not of concern. Globe Valves are designed in a way
that screwing the handle will either close the entrance or the exit of the valve. There are three types of Globe Valves, including Tee pattern globe valve that is shaped like a Z and has the most pressure drop, an Angle pattern globe valve that has a 90-degree shape, Wye pattern globe valve, which has a 45-degree shape and has the least pressure drop.

One of the most accurate Valves in this list is the Needle Valve. However, it is available mostly in small sizes and is used for low-rate fluids. The pressure drop is so much in this valve, but it controls and regulates the flow rate precisely. Needle Valve, as the name suggests, by spinning the handle, a tapered pin comes down to close the way of the fluid. Automatic Needle Valves are also available that are remotely controlled by pneumatic force.

The Pinch Valve structure has been designed in a way to create minimum friction for the fluid. This goal is accomplished when the valve is open as it looks like a normal pipe with that big hole designed for it. Pinch Valves function by closing the hole with the help of rubber; however, in the air-operated
Pinch Valves that use compressed air to shut the valve, it is a reinforced elasticized rubber. There are two types of Pinch Valves, integral (where the clamp is part of the main body) and separated clamp. They are mostly applied in places where we want to completely stop the flow, especially to prevent unwanted reactions. They are mostly used in medical and chemical industries due to their resistance against corrosive and aggressive materials and high pressure.

 You may have heard about this valve by the name of relief valves as they are used for releasing the excess pressure and gas from tanks and pipes such as water heater tanks. Pressure Valve has many types, and their role is mainly about protection and not control.
It is also used in oil and gas industries where it is needed to bring out exceeding burning gas into another pipeline. Many types of Relief Valves are produced, including Pressure Release Valve (PRV), which has a spring in its system; Relief Valve (RV) that is used for liquids; safety Valves (SV) used for bringing out gases, Safety Relief Valve (SRV) that can be utilized for both liquids and gases, and Pilot Operated Valve (POV) that is remotely controlled.

 Mostly used in oil and gas industries to control and regulate the flow of liquids. However, Choke Valves has many types, and one of them is non-regulatory Choke Valves which is used for killing the reservoir pressure along with controlling the production of the well. They are also used in engines and carburetors for regulating and modifying the air pressure for a better mixture of fuel and air