Introduction
Valves can be used at different industries such as oil and gas, water treatment industries and manufacturing industries to facilitate the regulated flow of media. Knowledge of the types of valve available, valve design and its application can go along way in enhancing the performance and safety of the system. Whether you are working with a huge piping system or a small process, the right valve selection helps to achieve the right fluid flow with the least pressure drop. In this article, the author will discuss the most common valve types, their functions, and how to select the right one.
Further, the specific aspects on which valves act and how they work, in addition to various actuation methodologies’ advantages, and why some sorts of valves are most appropriate for specific operations can also be explored. Have you ever asked yourself how many types of valve there are or which one is suitable for your project? You are in the right place!
What Are Valves?
Valves are at their core devices that regulate, direct or control the flow of fluids (gases, liquids or slurries) by opening, closing or partially obstructing passageways in a valve body. They come in a range of different types of valves, each tailored for specific tasks and applications. Certain systems require precise flow control and valves are needed to trap this.
Valves serve to start or stop flow, change flow direction or pressure, and keep flow from backflow (reverse flow). Some are for high pressure applications, others for low pressure. There is a valve for your needs whether you need to control the flow direction or maintain a stable flow rate. Vincer, a leading valve manufacturer, provides a wide range of solutions for high quality valves to meet your industry needs.
Valve Opening Methods: Manual, Actuated, and Automatic Valves Explained
Valves are categorized by the way they are operated and this depends on the degree of control desired. In this article, we will discuss manual, actuated, and automatic valves, their types, working, advantages, and disadvantages.
Manual Valves
These are valves that are-controlled by human hand using a handle wheel or a lever. The fluid flow is regulated by the act of the user either opening or closing the valve by rotating it. These valves are relatively cheap, uncomplicated and do not require frequent adjustments, thus making them suitable for use in systems that do not need frequent control. However, they can be less effective in applications that require quick or accurate control because the system is manually operated.
Actuated Valves
These valves are powered by an external source of energy including electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic. These are more accurate and can be operated remotely and that makes them ideal in systems that need flow control automation or complexity. The main benefit is their fast reaction to system changes and stability in difficult conditions. The disadvantage is that they are usually costly and need frequent servicing because of the other parts, such as the actuators.
For high-quality actuated valves, Vincer is a trusted manufacturer known for delivering durable and reliable solutions tailored to industrial needs. Their advanced valve technology ensures efficient performance, even in the most demanding environments.
Automatic Valves
Valves which adapt themselves without the need for manual control or any other means include those which respond to pressure variation or fluid flow. They find their application in pressure relief and safety systems where they open or close depending on the system pressure. Even though they offer the best level of accuracy and automation, such systems can be complex to set up and can be expensive in terms of acquisition and servicing.
All the valve types are unique and suitable for different applications based on the requirements you have, including ease of use, accuracy, or automation.
Here’s a summarized table of the three valve opening methods, making it easier to understand their working principles, advantages, and disadvantages:
| Valve Type | Working Principle | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Manual Valves | Operated by hand, using a handle, wheel, or lever. | Simple, cost-effective, easy to maintain. | Requires human intervention, less precise. |
| Actuated Valves | Uses external power (electricity, hydraulics, pneumatics) to operate. | Provides precise control, can be automated and remote-controlled. | Higher cost, more maintenance required. |
| Automatic Valves | Adjusts automatically based on system conditions (pressure, flow, etc.). | Highest level of automation, responds to system changes automatically. | Expensive installation, complex setup, higher maintenance. |
Valves in Action: How Actuation and Operation Mechanisms Impact Performance
The performance and reliability of the system are directly affected by the choice of valve actuation. Gate valves and ball valves are easy to operate and maintain, but less responsive in fast changing environments. For example, a gate valve raises or drops the gate to stop or start the flow of fluid, with a pressure drop depending upon degree of opening. Actuated valves have better control and are remotely operated with more accurate adjustment.
Quick operation with a quarter turn is provided by valves designed for rotary motion, such as butterfly valves and plug valves. In large scale systems where minimizing energy loss and rapid flow adjustment are important, this type of rotary motion valve is efficient. Operators with a sound understanding of how the valve’s actuation mechanism will affect the overall system are able to make the choice of the best valve for the job.
Exploring the 10 Most Common Types of Valve and Their Applications
Fluid flow across different industries is controlled by valves. In this article, we will look at the ten most common types of valves, their working principles, key components, materials, and specific industry applications. Before diving into the detailed explanation of the 10 different types of valves, the following table provides a quick overview of their key characteristics. If you’d like to explore more in-depth information about each valve, feel free to continue reading below.
| Valve Type | Size Range | Working Principle | Key Components | Materials | Fluid Media | Applications |
| Ball Valve | 0.5″ to 36″ | Rotating a ball with a hole to control flow | Ball, seat, stem, handle | Stainless steel, brass, PVC | Gases, liquids | Oil & gas, water treatment, chemical processing |
| Gate Valve | 2″ to 48″ | Raising/lowering a gate to start/stop flow | Gate, stem, body, handwheel | Cast iron, stainless steel | Water, oil, steam | Water distribution, oil & gas pipelines |
| Globe Valve | 0.5″ to 24″ | Moving a plug/disc perpendicular to flow | Disc, seat, stem, handwheel | Stainless steel, brass | Steam, cooling water, chemicals | Power plants, chemical processing, HVAC systems |
| Butterfly Valve | 2″ to 72″ | Rotating a disc to allow/restrict flow | Disc, stem, body, handle | Ductile iron, PVC, stainless steel | Water, air, slurry | HVAC, water systems, fire protection systems |
| Check Valve | 0.5″ to 36″ | Allowing flow in one direction, preventing backflow | Disc, spring, body, seat | Cast iron, stainless steel, brass | Liquids, gases | Water systems, pumps, chemical processing |
| Diaphragm Valve | 0.5″ to 12″ | Diaphragm presses against seat to control flow | Diaphragm, seat, actuator | Rubber, PTFE, stainless steel | Corrosive fluids, slurry | Pharmaceutical, food processing, chemical industry |
| Needle Valve | 0.125″ to 2″ | Moving a needle-shaped plunger to regulate flow | Needle, seat, stem, handle | Stainless steel, brass | Gases, liquids | Petrochemical, aerospace, lab research |
| Plug Valve | 0.5″ to 36″ | Rotating a plug with a hollow passage | Plug, stem, body, handle | Carbon steel, cast iron, stainless steel | Corrosive chemicals, gas | Chemical plants, oil & gas pipelines |
| Pinch Valve | 0.5″ to 48″ | Pinching a flexible tube to control flow | Tube, pinch mechanism, actuator | Rubber, elastomers, stainless steel | Slurry, abrasive fluids | Mining, wastewater treatment, pulp & paper industry |
| Relief/Safety Valve | 0.5″ to 24″ | Automatically opens at preset pressure | Spring, disc, seat, body | Stainless steel, brass | Steam, gases, liquids | Power generation, oil refineries, chemical plants |
Ball Valve
Ball valves are simple in design and reliable in operation, and are widely used. The valve is a spherical disc with a hole through the middle, and when aligned with the flow, allows media to pass through. The valve is fast acting, opening or closing fully with a quarter turn. Its major benefit is that it provides a full, unobstructed flow path, minimizing pressure drop.
Stainless steel, brass or PVC typically make up the ball valves because it dependent on the fluid being controlled. Typically used in oil and gas, water treatment and chemical processing industries these valves are commonly used. Ball valves are used in the oil and gas sector to isolate pipelines, control gas flow in refineries and in offshore drilling operations. They are also used in residential plumbing systems for water shut off applications.
Gate Valve
A gate valve is a valve that moves a metal gate up or down to either allow or stop the flow of fluid. Gate valves are unlike ball valves in that they are designed for applications where the valve must remain fully open or fully closed, and do not provide good throttling capabilities. They minimize pressure drops and also open fully straight, unobstructed flow.
In industries where large diameter pipelines are needed and the valve operation is infrequent, gate valves are commonly used, for example, in water distribution networks, wastewater treatment plants and oil and gas pipelines. Gate valves, for instance, help regulate water in waterworks, or they may be used to route drainage of stormwater from buildings. With cast iron and stainless steel, they have robust construction materials to handle high volume, low turbulence applications.
Globe Valve
Globe valves are valves intended for controlling the flow with precision. They have a spherical body and use a plug or disc that moves perpendicularly to the flow of fluid. Being internal structure creates a higher pressure drop but allows for better flow regulation making them good for throttling applications.
These valves are widely used in power generation, chemical processing and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems. Globe valves are used in the power industry to control steam flow in turbine operations and in chemical plants to control the flow of reactive chemicals to maintain safety and accuracy. Because they have stainless steel or cast iron constructions, they can operate at high temperatures and corrosive environments.
Butterfly Valve
The butterfly valve opens and shuts as its disc rotates on a shaft. This valve has a compact and lightweight design that makes it suitable for large diameter applications where space and weight are issues. The valve opens fully with a simple quarter turn, making for fast and easy operation.
They are used in many industries including water distribution, HVAC systems and fire protection systems. Butterfly valves are in use in food and beverage industry to control flow of liquids in the production processes like milk or juice handling. Frequently used materials are ductile iron, stainless steel and PVC, depending on the application. Being capable of taking low pressure, the valve is ideal for bulk handling but might not be tight enough shut off in higher pressure environments.
Check Valve (Non return Valve)
Check valves, or non-return valves, are designed to allow fluid only in one direction to prevent unwanted reverse flow against equipment or to prevent disruption of system operation. The valve is operated automatically, opening the valve when the pressure of the incoming fluid is high and closing the valve when the pressure is reversed.
Check valves are extensively used in the oil and gas, water treatment, and chemical processing industries. They prevent backflow in pump systems in oil refineries, protecting expensive equipment. However, check valves in municipal water systems let dirty water out of the clean water stream but not back in. The check valves are made up of strong materials like cast iron, stainless steel, and brass which can stand up to tough chemicals and heavy duty practices.
Diaphragm Valve
Diaphragm valves are closed or partially blocked by pressing a flexible diaphragm against a seat, to control media flow. It is a good design for corrosive or abrasive fluid because the working parts are isolated by diaphragm that protects valve mechanism from damage.
Such valves are widely applied in pharmaceutical industry and food industry and chemical processing industry where the sterile environment is necessity. Diaphragm valves maintain the contamination free nature of fluids in pharmaceutical manufacturing, and in food production, these valves regulate the flow of liquids such as sauces or dairy products. They are constructed from rubber, PTFE, or other elastomers and are excellent for handling aggressive chemicals but not so good for high pressure applications.
Needle Valve
Needle valves are used in the control of fluids flow where there is need of a fine metering. They have a thin, pointed rod style plunger to facilitate higher degrees of control. This valve is usually employed in systems which demand that the flow of gas or liquid should be regulated to the extent that even slight fluctuations can influence the process.
Needle valves are mainly applied in the sectors such as petrochemicals, aerospace, and laboratory services. In the petrochemical industry, they control the flow of natural gas in pipes. In the lab, needle valves are employed to control the rate of flow of gases or liquids in tests. They are mostly constructed from stainless steel to suit high temperature and high pressure conditions.
Plug Valve
Plug valves are those valves in which the flow is controlled by a cylindrical or conical plug with a hole through it. When the plug is rotated, the valve either opens or closes, thus giving a quick and efficient way of controlling the flow. Plug valves are very simple in design, very strong and can pass a large amount of fluid with very little pressure loss.
These valves are commonly seen in chemical industries, petroleum and natural gas systems and even in water treatment plants. At chemical plants, plug valves manage the movement of corrosive chemicals. In the oil industry, they manage the movement of crude oils and natural gasses in pipelines. Plug type valves are made of carbon steel, cast iron or stainless steel to withstand tough conditions and services with abrasive fluids.
Pinch Valve
It works by pinching a flexible tube or sleeve to in order to control flow. In the case of the valve, when it is activated the sleeve is compressed to shut off the fluid. This design does not require any internal components in the fluid path and that is why pinch valves are suitable for use with abrasive or corrosive fluids.
These types of valves are well suited for use in industries like mining, pulp and paper and wastewater treatment. In the mining industry, pinch valves control slurry which are a mixture of water and fine particle. In wastewater treatment, they control the flow of sludge as well as other thick substances. The body of the valve is generally manufactured from stainless steel or plastic with the sleeve being produced from durable elastomers including rubber .
Relief and Safety Valve
Relief valves and safety valves are basically used to control the pressure of a system. Both relief valves are used to automatically let go of pressure when it hits a certain level, and safety valves serve as the ultimate protection for preventing system failures. Both valves are important in avoiding mishaps and damaging the equipment.
Such valves are widely used in power generation application, oil and gas industry, and chemical processing. These include pressure controls in power plants where steam pressure in boilers is regulated by relief valves and in oil refineries where pressure in gas pipelines is closely regulated to prevent dangerous pressure build up. Safety and relief valves are constructed from very durable materials such as stainless steel to allow for their use in high temperature and high pressure applications without breaking down.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of Valve
Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of different types of valves is crucial for selecting the right valve for your application. Below, we break down the key pros and cons of each valve type to help you make an informed decision.
Ball Valve
Advantages:
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It can be easily opened and closed with a quarter turn.
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It has a very good seal even when the pressure is high.
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Low pressure drop when fully open.
Disadvantages:
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Not suitable for rate limiting or flow control at the partial rate.
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Wears out easily when used frequently in the throttling positions.
Gate Valve
Advantages:
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Good flow rate when fully open due to absence of any obstruction to the fluid’s movement.
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Applicable for large diameter pipelines.
Disadvantages:
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Slow operation due to the gate’s full movement.
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Not for throttling; if only partially opened, the gate can be damaged.
Globe Valve
Advantages:
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Suitable for applications where a high degree of flow control is required and where throttling is an issue.
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It is also very effective in sealing well.
Disadvantages:
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Increased pressure drops due to the flow path.
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It is a more complicated design that needs more attention in terms of maintenance.
Butterfly Valve
Advantages:
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Compact and lightweight.
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Quarter turn operation enables quick opening and closing of the door.
Disadvantages:
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Disc stays in the flow path and only slightly increases the pressure drop across the flow path.
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Not suitable for high pressure applications.
Check Valve
Advantages:
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It has an automatic reverse flow prevention mechanism.
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It is a low-cost design with low maintenance requirements.
Disadvantages:
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May not be effective in low pressure systems.
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May cause a small pressure drop.
Diaphragm Valve
Advantages:
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Ideal for use with aggressive and erosive fluids.
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Removes fluid from the operating mechanism.
Disadvantages:
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It is not suitable for use in high pressure systems.
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Diaphragm can get spoiled with time.
Needle Valve
Advantages:
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Offers a very high level of flow control.
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Suitable for small diameter and low flow rate systems.
Disadvantages:
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Restricted to low-flow rates.
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Slow operation due to fine adjustments.
Plug Valve
Advantages:
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Simple and durable design.
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Quick quarter turn operation.
Disadvantages:
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Higher torque is needed for operation in larger sizes.
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Sealing surfaces can also deteriorate with time to an extent that they may need to be sealed again.
Pinch Valve
Advantages:
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Suitable for use with slurry and abrasive materials.
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No internal parts in the flow path, reducing clogging risk.
Disadvantages:
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Used only in low pressure systems.
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Sleeve may have to be replaced often because it gets worn out easily.
Relief and Safety Valve
Advantages:
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Critically important for pressure relief and system safety.
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Automatically releases excess pressure to prevent damage.
Disadvantages:
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Needs to be checked and maintained often in order to work effectively.
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It can be difficult to implement in large systems and may be expensive to install in such systems.
Valve Selection Guide: Choosing the Right Valve for Your Application
The key factors to consider when selecting a valve are when you want the best performance of your system. Here’s a breakdown of the most critical aspects:
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Fluid Type: A major factor is the nature of the fluid (liquid, gas, corrosive, abrasive). Diaphragm valves, for instance, are suited for corrosive or abrasive fluids whereas ball valves, are suitable for gases and clean liquids.
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Pressure and Temperature: Globe valves or ball valves are durable valves for high pressure and high temperature systems. Butterfly valves (or pinch valves) may be suitable if your environment is low pressure.
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Flow Control Requirements: Globe or needle valves are perfect if precision flow control is an issue. Gate valves and ball valves, among others, purposed to simple on-off control, it is fast and efficient operating.
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Valve Size and Space Constraints: Butterfly valves tend to be space saving in applications where space may be limited and can be used on large diameters. Plug valves, for example, may need more installation space.
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Material Compatibility: The material for the valve must be fit for the fluid and those environmental conditions. Corrosive fluids are handled better by stainless steel or brass valves, and PVC is good for water or non-corrosive environments.
When these points are taken into account, they will assist you in making the right choice for the correct valve to give the best overall performance in your particular application.
Valve Maintenance and Safety Considerations for Optimal System Performance
Valve maintenance as well as safety check is important to make sure that valves work correctly and also to increase their life span. First of all, one should try to check valves for wear, corrosion and leakage routinely, particularly at the valve seat and the seals. As for any mechanical component, seals wear out, which may cause fluid leakage and decrease in the unit’s performance. Correct lubrication of parts in contact, especially for actuated valves, assists in avoiding mechanical problems and smooth running of the process.
Safety is equally important. It should also be checked whether the relief and safety valves provide the required functions when pressure increases with the help of pressure surges. In high-pressure systems, valve failure can be catastrophic and that is why it is important to replace worn out parts as soon as possible. Also, one should ensure that he or she adheres to the recommended pressure and temperature conditions for the valve to ensure that the valve is not over worked and hence develop some fatal failures. When it comes to valve performance and system integrity to maintain, one has to be proactive with the maintenance and follow the right safety precautions.
Final Thoughts
Selecting the correct valve is critical to the effective control of fluid flow and overall system performance. It ranges from the identification of individual valve roles to the routine checking, all these aspects are crucial in the overall running. Vincer is a company that provides a great variety of high quality and long-lasting actuated valves suitable for industrial use. Please visit our product page to see the suitable valve for your system requirements.