Gate Valve vs Ball Valve – The valves in a functioning plumbing system are one of the most crucial parts. Valves control the flow of liquid by allowing it to start and stop, and they must operate adequately to avoid leaks and unwanted flow. While there are many other types of valves available, the ball valve and the gate valve are two of the most prevalent. The function of both ball and gate valves is essentially the same. Their structural characteristics, however, are noticeably different. Here is everything you need to know about these two types of valves.
What Is Gate Valve?The gate valve is the most prevalent valve for water supply systems. It is a linear-motion isolation valve with the ability to either stop or allow flow. These valves should not be used to regulate flow; they should be used to entirely open or completely close, as the partial opening will cause harm. The name “gate valve” comes from the closure part sliding into the flowing fluid to produce shut-off and therefore acting as a gate. Gate valves are used to isolate specific parts of the water supply network for maintenance, repair, and new installation operations, as well as to reroute water flow throughout the pipeline.
Gate valves are commonly used with larger pipe diameters, ranging from 2″ to the largest pipelines, because they are less complex to construct than other large-size valves. Gate valves are available in a variety of sizes, materials, temperature, and pressure ratings, as well as gate and bonnet designs, among other things. There are electric and pneumatic actuator gate valves available, however manual gate valves are more cost-effective due to their infrequent use.
A gate valve is among the most frequent valves in use today because of its simple design and ability to be used in a variety of low-pressure-drop applications. Gate valves are full-port valves by design. This indicates that the valve port is the same size as the connecting pipe’s inner diameter. A full-bore gate valve allows fluid to flow without being obstructed and without causing a pressure drop in the pipeline. This also enables the use of a cleaning pig to clean the pipe.
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What Is Ball Valve?Ball valves, as the name implies, use a rotatable ball with a bore to control the flow of liquid and gases from one opening to the next. The medium can flow through or be stopped by turning the ball a quarter turn (90 degrees) around its axis. These valves regulate the flow by permitting the opening to be open, blocked, or partially open. Ball valves are the best choice for use with gases since they have a stronger seal. They can withstand pressures of up to 700 bar and temperatures of up to 350°C, and their sizes typically range from 0.5 cm to 30 cm. Because they have a simple structure, they are simple to use and repair.
Ball valves are reliable, closing securely even after prolonged periods of rest, and durable, working well after many cycles. They have a higher resistance to contaminated media than most other valve types and ensure a good seal even when the medium is unclean. These characteristics make them a great choice for shutoff and control applications, where gates and globe valves are frequently chosen, but they lack the fine control of those alternatives in throttling applications.
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Gate Valve vs Ball Valve Working Mechanism
A gate valve employs a gate to control the medium flow. Gate is a solid disk that is connected to a stem, acting as a barrier. Gate valves are commonly operated by an actuator, e.g. handwheel. The actuator is connected to a valve stem and transmits rotational energy to it. This energy turns the threads of the valve stem into the gate when the gate valve is opened and vice versa when the gate valve is closed. Hence, the gate is moved upward or downward by this energy. Because it requires more than a 360° turn to fully open or close this valve, it is also known as a multi-turn valve. The valve is opened by lifting the gate out of the flow path. As the gate is lowered to its original position, the bore is sealed, and the valve is totally closed.
Click HEREThe relationship between the vertical movement of a gate valve and flow rate is nonlinear, with the biggest fluctuations occurring near shutoff. The comparably high velocity of the flow during partial opening causes gate and seat wear, as well as possible gate vibrations, lowering the valve’s service life when used to control flow.
Gate valves are typically positioned in locations of a pipeline where they will longer remain open or closed, as they require time to move between these two states. Motorized gate valves are utilized when the valve needs to be operated frequently or even remotely (i.e. equipped with an electric actuator).
A ball valve employs a rotary ball with a hole inside it to control the flow of media. The ball is attached to the valve stem. When the handle on the stem is turned, the ball rotates, opening or closing the valve. Because the handle only needs to be turned 90 degrees (quarter turn) to allow or stop the medium flow, this valve is also known as a quarter turn valve. In the case of manual operation, when the valve is open, the handle is flat in line with the flow, and when it is closed, it is perpendicular to it, allowing for easy visual confirmation of the valve’s status. The 1/4 turn in the closed position can be done in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.
General Features
The main difference between gate valves and ball valves is in their operation, which is discussed above in detail. Some other important differences between these two types of valves can be understood through their general features, which are addressed as follows:
The main advantages and disadvantages of gate valves can be listed as below:
Advantages of gate valvesDisadvantages of gate valves
While the major advantages and disadvantages of ball valves are as follows:
Advantages of ball valvesDisadvantages of ball valves
Ball valves and gate valves are both extensively utilized in residential and industrial applications. However, these two types have differences in their usage:
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