Valve Body: Usually made of stainless steel, such as 304 or 316 stainless steel as shown in the figure, which has good corrosion resistance and is suitable for working conditions with various corrosive media. The valve body is equipped with flange connection ports for easy connection to pipelines. This connection method is relatively convenient for installation and disassembly, and can ensure good sealing performance, being applicable to pipeline systems with different pressure ratings.
Ball: Generally made of high-strength stainless steel or cemented carbide, featuring high strength and wear resistance. The ball is provided with a through hole of a specific shape, commonly including L-shaped and T-shaped through holes, for achieving different medium flow direction controls.
Valve Seat: Common materials include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene (RPTFE), or metal. PTFE and RPTFE valve seats have excellent chemical stability and sealing performance, and can adapt to a variety of chemical media; metal valve seats are suitable for harsh working conditions with high temperature, high pressure, and containing particulate impurities, and can provide reliable sealing and a long service life.
Pneumatic Actuator: The component with alternating silver-gray and black colors at the top in the figure is a pneumatic actuator, which uses compressed air as the power source. Common types include double-acting actuators, which push the piston through two-way air supply to achieve the opening and closing actions of the valve; and single-acting (spring-return) actuators, which, when air fails, the spring will push the piston to make the valve automatically stay in a preset safe position (such as the closed state) to ensure system safety.
Working Principle
L-shaped Three-way Ball Valve: The L-shaped through hole on the ball connects two mutually perpendicular pipelines. The pneumatic actuator drives the ball to rotate 90°, realizing the switching of the medium flow direction, and is often used for the reversing control of the medium, such as switching the medium conveying path in the pipeline system.
T-shaped Three-way Ball Valve: The T-shaped through hole on the ball can connect three pipelines, and can realize the diversion or confluence of the medium. When the ball rotates, it can control the medium to flow from one pipeline to the other two pipelines, or merge the media in two pipelines into one pipeline. It is widely used in occasions that require flexible control of the medium flow direction and flow rate, such as the material mixing and distribution in the chemical production process.
Performance Features
High Sealing Performance: The sealing performance between the valve seat and the ball is excellent, which can effectively prevent medium leakage, and some products can reach the zero-leakage standard. Even under high pressure difference, it can maintain a good sealing effect, and is suitable for industries with extremely high sealing requirements, such as gas transmission and chemical fluid control.
Convenient Operation: The pneumatic actuator has a fast response speed, which can quickly realize the opening, closing or flow direction switching actions of the valve, and is convenient for automatic control. By adjusting the pressure and flow rate of the compressed air, precise adjustment of the valve can also be achieved.
Strong Flow Capacity: The through hole design of the ball makes the valve have a small flow resistance in the open state, and the medium can pass smoothly with small pressure loss, which is suitable for the conveying of large-flow media.
Wide Application Range: It can adapt to working conditions with different temperatures, pressures and media. The general working temperature range is -40ºC - 180ºC (depending on the material and sealing material), and the working pressure can reach PN16 - PN100 or even higher (specifically depending on the product specifications).
Application Fields
Chemical Industry: Used for controlling the diversion, confluence and reversing of various corrosive, flammable and explosive media. For example, in the material conveying system of chemical reaction kettles, it precisely controls the flow direction and mixing ratio of materials.
Oil and Gas Industry: In the processes of oil and gas extraction, transportation and treatment, it is used for controlling the flow direction and distribution of oil and gas, ensuring the smoothness and safety of the production process.
HVAC System: Regulates the flow direction of cold and hot water or air to realize the temperature control of different areas. For example, in the air-conditioning system of multiple areas, it controls the distribution of cold and hot water to meet the temperature requirements of different rooms.
Food and Pharmaceutical Industry: Uses materials that meet hygiene standards (such as 316L stainless steel, food-grade sealing materials) for fluid control in food and beverage production and pharmaceutical processes, ensuring product quality and safety.
Maintenance and Servicing
Regular Inspection: Check whether the air source pressure of the pneumatic actuator is normal, whether the sealing performance of the valve is good, and whether there is any leakage; check the lubrication condition of the valve stem, and supplement lubricant in time to ensure the flexible rotation of the valve.
Cleaning: Regularly clean the impurities and dirt inside and outside the valve to prevent impurities from entering between the valve seat and the ball and affecting the sealing performance. For working conditions with media containing particles, the cleaning work should be strengthened.
Pneumatic Actuator Maintenance: Check whether the seals of the actuator are aged or damaged, and replace them in time; check the working status of accessories such as solenoid valves and filters to ensure the quality of compressed air and the normal operation of the actuator.
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