You might also see valves classified by function instead of design.
Common functional designations and their common design types include:
While valves might be a small part of your piping process or system in terms of space, they&#;re often a substantial portion of the design and build budget. They also have a significant impact on long-term costs and overall system performance.
Choosing a proper valve size is essential to both optimizing costs and ensuring safe, accurate, and reliable operation.
The first thing to consider is the overall size of the valve -- both in terms of physical dimensions and in terms of internal size and flow rates (CV).
Choosing a valve that does not fit properly in the space required could result in added costs. Choosing a valve which does not provide the ideal flow rate can lead to inaccurate flow control at the least and complete system failure at worst.
For example, if your valve is too small, it could cause reduced flow downstream while creating back-pressure upstream. If the valve is too large, you&#;ll find that flow control is drastically reduced the further you move from fully open or fully closed.
When choosing the proper size, be sure to consider both the connector diameter and the overall flow rate of the valve compared to your needs. Some valves offer excellent flow while others constrict flow and increase pressure.
This means sometimes you must install a larger valve to adjust for flow than the adapter diameter alone might imply.
With sizing and design out of the way, it&#;s also important to consider valve end connections.
Common Valve End Types. Source: Unified AlloysWhile the most obvious implication here is choosing an end connection compatible with your piping, there are also functional characteristics to common end types that might make one valve more suited to your needs than another.
Common valve connections and ends include:
Depending on your intended use, the materials with which your valves are made might be a critical aspect in ensuring safe operation and reducing maintenance and replacement costs over the life of your operation.
Stainless steel valves are excellent options in a range of processing environments, including those involving corrosive media (such as chemicals, saltwater, and acids), environments with strict sanitation standards (such as food and beverage manufacturing and pharmaceuticals), and processes involving high pressure or high temperatures.
However, if you are processing solvents, fuels, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), choosing a valve material from a non-sparking material -- such as brass, bronze, copper, or even plastic -- is often a better option. In addition to selecting the correct body material, internal (wetted) trim parts should be evaluated for chemical compatibility as well. If your valve contains elastomers, they should also be evaluated for their chemical compatibility as well as pressure and temperature limitations.
Depending on your intended usage, you might find that valves must adhere to particular standards to meet regulatory requirements for safety, sanitation, or other concerns.
While there are too many standard organizations and potential regulations to cover in detail, common general standard organizations include:
There are also industry-specific standards to consider.
Major standards organizations by industry include:
Choosing the right valve for your project might seem complex. However, by starting with general characteristics -- such as valve design, valve size and actuation method -- you can quickly limit your options to determine the best valves for your needs.
Whether you&#;re designing a new processing system or looking to make upgrades to or maintain an existing system, Unified Alloys&#; selection of valves and fittings can help you find the ideal solution for your application and usage environment. As a leading provider of stainless steel alloys, valves, flanges, and more, our experts have helped industries across Canada and North America for more than 4 decades. Need assistance or have a question? Contact us for personalized help.
Kinvalve Gate Valve, also known as a sluice valve, is designed to serve as an isolation valve, as well as a linear motion on-off or shut-off valve. Kinvalve Gate Valve features a simple design that can quickly and reliably isolate or allow the flow of fluids, gases, or fumes.
At Kinvalve, the gate valve is a bi-directional valve, which means that you can use either port as an inlet or outlet. When operating the gate valve, the stem is performed by a rotation of either clockwise to close (CTC) or clockwise to open (CTO) motion.
Kinvalve gate valve is a multi-turn valve; it needs time of multiple cycles operation of the threaded stem from opening to closing. The slow operation also prevents water hammer effects on your downstream equipment.
Kinvalve gate valves are suitable for many services including potable water, wastewater, neutral fluids as well as gas.
A water gate valve can be used for temperature between -20 and +70 °C, maximum velocity of about 5 m/s flow and up to 16 bar differential pressure, while a gas gate valve is for temperature between -20 and +60 °C, maximum velocity of about 20 m/s flow and up to 16 bar differential pressure.
Kinvalve gate valves are made of three major components: body, bonnet, and trim. The body is generally joined with your pipelines by the flanged or threaded end connection.
There are two typical gate valves classified utilizing the connections for your options, flanged gate valve, and threaded gate valve.
The bonnet contains movable parts, providing leakproof closure for the valve body. Depends on the gate valve bonnet design, there are kinds of gate valves with different bonnet structures in the market for your choice.
At Kinvalve, the commonest types for your selection are the screwed bonnet gate valve and bolted bonnet gate valve.
Kinvalve&#;s screwed bonnet gate valve is the simplest, offering a durable, pressure-tight seal for your bubble-tight required applications.
A bolted bonnet gate valve with a stronger, leak-proof bonnet joint ensures joint tight with a higher bolting torque. Body-guided disc eliminates side thrust and provides you longer disc, seat, and body life.
As a leading gate valve manufacturer, Kinvalve can provide customized seal and gland packing materials perfectly suitable for a vast range of conditions such as temperature, corrosion, erosion, and pressure.
Kinvalve gate valves feature smooth operation, reliable shut-off, durable, maximum safety, and longer lifespan.
In addition to traditional models with gland seals, Kinvalve&#;s product range also includes a backseat design for your need when it is absolutely important to prevent the medium from releasing into the ambient air via the stuffing box.
In a typical Kinvavle gate valve, the valve trim is comprised of the stem, the gate, the wedge or disc, and the seat rings.
As an expert gate valve supplier with over decades of years experience, Kinvalve can fabricate two kinds of gate valves according to the different stem structures, rising stem gate valve and non-rising stem gate valve.
In the case of the rising stem gate valve, the stem is fixed to the disc, and it moves up or down as the gate valve is opening and closing, providing a visual indication of valve position and making the stem lubrication possible.
A nut rotates around the threaded stem and moves along the stem up and down when the gate valve is operated. Kinvalve&#;s rising gate valve is suitable for your aboveground installation.
While in a typical non-rising stem gate valve, the stem is screwed in the gate and rotates with the wedge moving up and down inside the valve.
Kinvalve non-rising gate valve is good for limited space installation, just like underground applications.
Today, Kinvalve provides gate valves per global standards with the vary of pressure ratings and materials.
We believe that our extensive knowledge and experience in the manufacturing industry enable us to offer a perfect one-stop solution for your pipeline system. At the same time, we continuously develop quality gate valves to meet any of your specific requirements.
Please contact us for more information about our quality gate valves, we are here to help!
I know you&#;re looking for a high-quality gate valve.
Or, you would like to learn more about gate valves.
Whichever the case, this guide will answer all questions you have been asking about the gate valve.
Keep reading to learn more.
Gate valves are barriers that you can use to open the path of a fluid by lifting the barrier.
You can also use it to block the path of a fluid by lowering the barrier thus preventing flow.
Gate Valve
You can use the gate valve to either open or close the path of a fluid in a pipeline.
In a fully open situation, a gate valve is capable of providing full flow within the pipeline.
On the other hand, in a fully closed situation, the gate valve is capable of blocking fluid flow.
In other words, you will use the gate valve in either a fully opened or fully closed situation.
Gate Valve Fully Open or Closed Condition
Yes, you can use the gate valve with all media.
You will use the gate valve to control two types of media namely gas and liquid media.
Apart from that, you can also use it for slurries that have solid materials, powders, and granules entrained within.
In addition to that, you can also use the gate valve for vacuum services and cryogenic services.
In a nutshell, gate valves are suitable for different types of media inclusive of gases, liquid, and solid materials.
Parts of Gate Valve
The gate valve has different parts that perform different functions to enable the gate valve to work at its best.
You ought to know every part of the gate valve and its function for maintenance purposes.
Here are the main parts and functions of the gate valve.
This is the part of the gate valve that connects to other parts of the pipeline through welded, flanged, and screwed connections.
It is also the part of the gate valve that holds all the other parts of the gate valve.
The bonnet contains the moving parts of the gate valve and connects to the body of the gate valve.
In most cases, all the moving parts are connected to the bonnet of the gate valve using bolts to ease maintenance.
This is the main type of disc that you will use in the gate valve and is admired due to its strength and simplicity.
You can, therefore, install a gate valve with solid wedges in any position and suitable for any type of fluid.
You can either have the body seats provided integrally with the gate valve body or in ring-type seats of construction.
Seat ring types of the gate valve can either e threaded into the right position or pressed into the right position.
You will use the stem of the gate valve to either raise or lower the gate when opening or closing.
There are two different principles namely the rising stem gate valve and the non-rising stem gate valve that you can use.
The gland is the part of the gate valve that compresses or retains the stem packing within a stuffing box.
You can either have the gland flange or gland follower which retains or holds down the gland within the staffing box.
You can either have the one or two-piece nut to engage the stem threads of the valve while transmitting torque.
It is capable of moving or transmitting force or torque from the operator to the stem of the gate valve.
The yoke will connect the bonnet or valve body with the actuating mechanism of the gate valve.
At the top of the yoke, you have stem nuts, yoke nuts, or yoke bushing with the valve stem passing through.
You will use the handwheel by turning it in the counterclockwise direction in a bid to retract the actuator stem.
Moving the handwheel in either clockwise or anticlockwise direction forces stem extension and retraction thus opening or closing the valve.
You will use the stud bolts to connects different parts of the gate valve thus providing great mechanical strength.
It is important to use the stud bolts because of the ease of opening and closing for maintenance.
The bonnet gasket is the non-moving seal between the bonnet and the body of the gate valve.
It helps in preventing unwanted leakage of the fluid that flows through the gate valve and pipeline.
The main function of the gate valve is to control the flow of different types of fluids by either opening or closing.
You will insert a rectangular wedge or gate into the path or pipeline of a flowing fluid.
It has a threaded stem connected to the actuator which can be a motor or a handwheel.
The actuator is then connected to the stem of the gate valve.
Since there are different types of stems, you will be able to see the rising stem by looking at the stem.
Here is a step-by-step process that you can follow to successfully operate the gate valve.
After successful installation of the gate valve within the pipeline, you can control it by turning the handwheel.
You can turn the handwheel in counterclockwise directions depending on if you want to open or close the gate.
With the help of the stem nut, the force that you will apply on the handwheel flows to the stem.
The force will then force the gate of the gate valve to rise upwards thus opening the pipeline.
On the other hand, turning the wheel in the opposite direction will still transfer the force to the stem.
In this case, it will force the stem to lower downwards thus closing the path of the fluid.
In controlling the flow of fluids, you can either use the gate valve or the ball valve.
In other words, both the gate valve and ball valve open or close to release or block fluid flow.
Despite the similarity in function, there are also some differences between the two types of valves.
Here is a comparison between the gate valve and the ball valve.
You will note that the gate valves open by lifting a rectangular or round gate out of the path of the fluid.
It will also close by lowering the rectangular or round gate into the path of the fluid.
It has a sealing surface that divides and separates the seats and the gates.
It is suitable for use when straight-line fluid flow under minimum restrictions is required.
Gate Valve Structure
Ball Valve Structure
The ball valve will work by turning the stem horizontally in either direction thus opening or closing the pipeline.
It is the reason why you can refer to a ball valve as a rotational valve because it just rotates.
Since all the ball valves are quarter-turn valves, they often act differently from the gate valve.
It has a hollow ball with proper perforations and pivots that help in controlling the flow path.
The valve is open when you turn the ball and the valve hole remains in line with the pipeline.
On the flip side, the valve is closed when you turn the ball valve to align itself with the pipe walls.
There are quite a several gate valves that you can use to perform the same function using different principles.
Due to the high number of gate valves available, you can easily classify them into three main groups for proper identification.
Here are the three main types or classifications of the gate valve.
You can classify the gate valve according to the type of disk that is within the gate valve.
The three main types of gate valves in this category are:
You can also classify the gate valves according to the type of body bonnet joint.
Here are the four main types of gate valves that you can classify under the type of body bonnet joint.
You may also classify the gate valves according to the types of stem movements available.
Here are the two main types of gate valves that you can have according to the type of stem movement.
Typically, you will use cast iron, ductile iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel to construct different types of gate valves.
Apart from that, you may also use gunmetals, alloy steels, as well as forged steels to make the gate valves.
In other words, most of the gate valves are made of different types of metal materials.
Since the gate valves work under a considerable amount of pressure, you should consider using metal materials.
These metal materials are strong enough to withstand high fluid pressure, light in weight, and corrosion-resistant.
Gate Valve Symbol
Valve symbols are the planning diagrams and documentation that outline the process systems of the gate valves.
Without proper information about the valve symbols, you may not have a proper understanding of the system.
Typically, the processing system for the gate valves involves opening or cutting off the flow of fluids through a pipe.
They come complete with wheel handles that you will operate by turning to operate the metal disk.
You can identify it with the symbol that looks like a bow tie with double straight lines crossing one another.
The two vertical lines symbolize a connection to the ends that creates an enclosed shape.
The marking that you will see on the gate valves provide details about standards that the gate valves are tested.
Apart from that, the markings will also provide more details about the kind of application that the gate valve works best.
Some of the markings that you may notice on the gate valve are:
There are quite a several benefits that you will enjoy when using the gate valves.
Here are some of the advantages that you will identify when using the gate valves.
BSTV Product Page
You will experience very little to no pressure drop when using the gate valves.
The pressure for operating the gate valves remains constant and does not change throughout the operation period.
You can also use the gate valves or operate them in any direction.
In other words, most of the gate valves are bidirectional and can be used in any direction.
You can use the gate valves in both high pressure as well as high-temperature applications.
On top of that, the damages from high temperature and pressure are very low thus increasing ease of maintenance.
Despite the numerous advantages of using the gate valve, it also has its fair share of limitations.
Here are some of the disadvantages that you will experience when using the gate valve.
You cannot use the gate valves to control the flow of the fluids that go through the pipeline system.
It is most suitable for opening the full flow of fluids or completely blocking the flow of the fluids.
You will also experience the sluggish nature of the gate valve in most of the operations.
Closing and opening of the gate valves will take time thus forcing you to time it in advance.
You must open the gate valve fully or close it fully to eliminate the possibility of too much noise.
When opened or closed partially, the gate valves usually vibrate thus making too much noise.
You may also experience a little bit of difficulty during the repair process of some parts of the gate valve.
Repairs such as grinding and lapping may prove to be very difficult due to a limit in access.
You will need the bonnet on the gate valve to protect the internal parts of the gate valve.
It is attached to the body of the gate valve by screwing it in or bolting it to the body thus making it leakproof.
Different types of bonnet designs perform differently in varying applications.
Here are the main types of bonnet designs that you can use on different applications.
This is the simplest design of bonnets that you can construct with small size valves and durable leak-proof seals.
This is a special type of bonnet that you will hold in place using the union nut sitting on the lower edge of the bonnet.
The nut creates a leak-proof seal that will not deteriorate through frequent bonnet removal.
It is best for applications that require continuous maintenance and inspection.
You will use bolted bonnets to seal larger valves that are used within high-pressure applications.
It has the body and the bonnet bolted and flanged together to form a leak-proof system.
You will use the pressure seal bonnets for high-pressure applications as it uses internal pressure to create proper seals.
They have downward-facing cups inside the valve body that are forced outwards when the internal pressure increases.
Gate valve closing member design is another name for the gate which is available in different technologies and designs.
You will use the gate valve closing member designs to effectively seal the gate valves in different applications.
There are two main types of gate valve closing members with several other varieties.
Here are the main types of gate valve closing members you can opt for.
Here, you will use a flat disc between two parallel seats of the gate valves.
The main types of parallel gate valve closing members are:
In this case, you will use a slightly inclined gate between the inclined seats.
The main types of wedge gate valve closing members are:
You can choose the gate valve by looking at the different wedges and disks.
Depending on the type of wedge used, you can have a wide range of gate valves.
The most common types of the disks of gate valves are:
This is the most common type of disk that many people choose to use due to its strength and simplicity.
This kind of valve is suitable for different types of liquids and you can install it in both positions.
It has a single-piece solid construction that is suitable for turbulent flows.
Wedge Gate Valve
This is a single-piece disc with one cut around the perimeter with the ability to correct mistakes in angles between seats.
The reductions usually vary in shape, size, and depth with little flexibility from the shallow cuts but great strengths.
Having wider, deeper cuts and cast-in recess will leave the little materials at the center thus allowing flexibility at low strength.
Wedge Gate Valve
You can also opt for the self-aligning and self-adjusting disk on both sides of the seat.
It has a two-piece construction that seats between tapered seats within the body of the valve.
You can use it to treat non-condensing liquids and gases at normal temperatures, especially in corrosive liquids.
Wedge Gate Valve
You should consider using the plain wedge or solid wedge gate valve due to its strength and simplicity.
Apart from that, it can either be of hollow or solid type construction depending on application specifications.
In addition to that, it is robust and simple at the same time with the allowance of installation in any position.
On top of that, you can use solid or plain wedges for almost all types of fluids and turbulent flows.
Under normal circumstances, you will have the gate valves under the reduced port.
Despite that, you can also have the gate valve under the full port.
Implying that, you have to specify the type of port that will work best for your application requirements.
In that case, you have to pay more to get the full port types of gate valve.
The stem is the part that connects the handwheel to the disk of the gate valve.
You will use the gate valve stem design to properly position the disk of the gate valve.
Depending on the threaded side, you can have any of the two designs of gate valves including:
This type of stem gate valve is connected to the gate which rises and drops together as the valve operates.
It provides a visual indication of the position of the valve thus increasing the possibility of steaming and greasing.
This stem gate valve is threaded into the gate thus rotating with the wedge lowering and rising within the valve.
You can rotate the wheel to operate the valve with the stem remain in position within the housing.
Metal seated gate valves were the first types of gate valves in the industry before the resilient seated gate valves.
To ensure tight closure, you must have a depression in the valve bottom of conical wedges and angular sealing devices.
The main problem is the fact that the metal seated gate valves are difficult to maintain with stubborn sand residues.
In the long run, the metal seated gate valve will eventually lose its tight grip after series of installations.
On the other hand, resilient seated gate valves came with the free passage of pebbles and sand with plain valve bottoms.
It is capable of managing the impurities better than the metal seated gate valve thus making it a better gate valve.
It does not lose the original grip despite the numerous installations after the servicing process.
No, you cannot use the gate for regulation or throttling of flow.
Generally, gate valves are unsuitable for regulation of flow or operations in partially open conditions.
It is also not suitable for pressure regulations thus prompting you to use the control or plug valve.
Here are some of the reasons why you may not use the gate valves for throttling or regulation of flow.
Gate Valve with Bypass
Having a gate valve with a bypass will help in relieving the seating load thus preserving the integrity of gate valves.
You will use the by-pass valves on the gate valves for the following reasons.
As soon as you have the gate valve in your possession, you can proceed with the installation process.
The installation of the gate valve is quite simple and goes through the following guidelines.
First, you have to determine the installation orientation of the gate valve.
You can install it under any orientation but it&#;s better to have it in a vertical orientation for ease of operation.
After that, you have to inspect the gate valve and make sure that it does not have any damages from transportation.
You must also make sure that all welding works are complete before the installation process begins.
After that, you must make sure that there are no welding residues, misalignments, or warpage of the flange.
You have to be very careful when installing the gate valve spacing bolts and not damage the seats.
Adjust the face-to-face flanges to create enough space for spreading the piping open.
As soon as the pipes are centered, insert the bolts and tighten one at a time.
Finally, you will operate the gate valve several times to ensure that it is working well.
The main difference between the full port gate valve and the reduced port gate valve is the size.
Full port gate valves are greater in size in comparison to the reduced port gate valves.
Full port gate valves have a bore diameter similar to the internal diameter of the pipes.
On the other hand, reduced bore valves have smaller bore diameters than internal pipework diameters.
Gate Valve
The gate valve and the globe valve may perform more or less similar functions but they are not the same.
Apart from that, they may have similar bodies but the designs of every valve are unique with varying applications.
Here is a comparison between the gate valve and the globe valve.
You will use the gate valve to start and stop the flow of fluids through the pipeline but not to control the fluids.
They have gate faces instead of discs that are wedge or parallel shaped with non-rising and rising stems.
They have low-pressure drops and do not have resistance to the flow of fluids through the pipeline.
You will use the globe valves to start, stop, and regulate the flow within a pipeline.
It has a spherical disc and body which moves up and down from the seat thus giving great throttling ability.
It is also less likely to experience seat leakage in comparison to the gate valves.
Globe Valve
Another important factor to pay close attention to is the testing and quality standards of the gate valves.
Here are some of the main testing and quality standards that you have to pay close attention to.
You can purchase the gate valve for between 50 and 200 US dollars.
The price variation is a result of different types of gate valves in the market.
Apart from that, the prices vary due to the different sizes and materials for making the gate valve.
Well, the main factors that affect the service lifespan of the gate valve are corrosion and wear ate tear.
In other words, corrosion due to the continuous flow of fluids over the metal materials causes the valve to stick.
The valve can stick in the opening or closing position of the gate valve.
Apart from that, the service lifespan of the gate valve can be affected by wear and tear over time.
As time goes by, the gate valves are bound to wear out thus leading to a shorter life span.
There are many reasons why the gate valve may fail to perform the normal functions.
Here are the main reasons why the gate valve may fail to work.
You will definitely increase the service life of the gate valve through proper maintenance practices.
Here are some of the instructions to follow when maintaining the gate valves.
The main type of actuator that you can use with the gate valve is the electric actuators and linear actuator.
In automatic gate valves, you will employ electric actuators even though linear actuators are preferable.
Linear hydraulic actuators provide better and more specific control over piston movements.
Well, the pressure rating in gate valves is not constant but varies considerably depending on the application.
Implying that, you will have different pressure ratings depending on the application specifications.
High-pressure gate valves have very strong metallic materials that can withstand very high pressure.
One of the factors that determine the pressure ratings for the gate valves is temperature.
Depending on the type of application, you can determine the pressure by controlling the temperature.
High-temperature applications will definitely lead to very high pressure within the gate valves.
In such a case, you must have a gate valve with very strong materials to withstand high pressure and temperature.
No, gate valves cannot reduce pressure.
It is most suitable for carrying fluids that flow freely under pressure from one point to another.
Due to the free nature of flowing fluids, the gate valves barely reduce pressure.
You can tell that the gate valve is opened or closed by looking at the position of the height of the stem.
The long stems usually signify that the gate valve is open while short stems signify that the gate valve is closed.
You will use the AWWA operating formula to determine the number of turns it takes to open the gate valve.
Here you will look at the nominal valve size and then multiply it by three.
After that, you will add two or three to result to compensate for the turns of the operating nut.
For instance, in a 6-inch gate valve, you will have 6 by 3 which is 18 then 2 or 3.
Kinvalve has a range of gate valves depending on your unique specific needs and requirements.
We also support OEM businesses.
Contact us today for all your gate valve needs.
For more stainless steel gate valve supplierinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.