Flange Ball Valve

A segment ball valve is an oblique, V-shaped, and oftentimes double-acting device that contains internal components. The segment ball valve is constructed of rigid, hard, and thermoplastic-lined metallic materials. The segment exposes a flow path through a V-notch.  A segment ball valve is generally composed of a metal or PTFE seat. The choice of seat material depends on the medium to be pumped through the valve.  Segment ball valves can side entry or top entry. These valves use design technology and are popular in many industries. Their design makes them easy to clean, easy to install, and highly resistant to slurries. Choosing the right segment ball valve for your specific needs is essential, but you can also opt for manual actuators if you need the convenience of manual operation.  If you want to know more about a segment ball valve, continue reading this article.  What is Segment Ball Valve? It is a type of single-seated trunnion-mounted ball valve. This type of valve has the highest degree of adjustment performance among all types of ball valves. A segment ball valve has an adjustable ratio of 100:1. Its flow characteristics are equal, and the valve has a shearing effect between the V-shaped cut in the seat and the metal valve seat. It is ideal for fluids containing fibers or slurries. Many industries have used segment ball valves, including paper and pulp industries, petroleum refineries, petrochemical services, and more. These valves are known for their high reliability and durability, and they can be used to control the flow of various materials.  These valves are also used for a variety of other purposes. They are often used for high-pressure applications, and they are also lightweight and easy to install. For the best performance, segment ball valves have small, lightweight actuators that are usually powered by electricity or pneumatic air. How Does It Work? Segment ball valves are commonly used in water, food products, pharmaceuticals, and gas. A segment ball valve can use various types of actuators depending on its application. Some are manually powered, which can be a handy option if you do not have an electric source nearby. Manual actuators have a handle that the operator turns to move the ball. It consists of a V-shaped portion that houses its internal components. These components are made from rigid and hard materials. They are also made with thermoplastic-lined metallic materials. They also have seats, which provide sealing between the segmented ball and the body, and are useful in industries where harsh conditions can damage other types of valves. It is a quarter-turn valve that works like an eccentric plug valve. The driving shaft connects to one side of the ball, and the follower shaft connects to the other side. When the shaft rotates, the ball rotates and starts the flow along the v-notch. As the handle is moved in the opposite direction, the ball rotates again to stop the flow. 

When it comes to industrial valve selection, ball valves with flanged end connections offer a robust solution with some distinct benefits. While threaded and socket weld ends have their place, flanged ball valves rise above for many demanding services and critical applications.   The rugged flanged body design, easy maintenance, and versatility in materials/configurations make these valves a trusted choice across countless facilities. If you’re considering a new ball valve installation, it’s worth exploring if a flanged option is the optimal fit.   Flange Ball Valve – Key Benefits If you are wondering, “Are flange ball valves better?  ,” here are some of the key advantages that flanged ball valves can provide over alternative end connections: 1.Ability to Withstand Higher Pressures With their sturdy two-piece body construction, flanged ball valves can handle significantly higher pressure ratings compared to threaded units. The flanges create a blowout-proof design by containing forces within the rigid body assembly. Some flanged valves achieve pressure ratings above 5,800 psi for harsh, severe-duty applications. High-integrity pressure boundaries are critical for applications like oil/gas production, steam systems, chemical processing plants and more. Flanged connections provide the required safety margins. 2.Full Bore Design for Minimum Flow Restriction Flange end ball valve typically features a full-bore design where the inner ball cavity matches the pipe’s inner diameter.   This open area allows an unrestricted flow path when open with minimal pressure drop or flow resistance. Other end connection types may utilize reduced ports, venturi shapes or plugs which can impede flow and increase turbulence. The flanged full-bore configuration is ideal for slurries, high-volume utility services, and applications where head loss needs to be minimized. 3.Simplified Maintenance and Inline Removal Perhaps the biggest advantage of flanges is easy valve removal from the pipeline without hot-tapping or line breaks.   The bolted end connections enable quick disassembly for maintenance or replacement by simply unbolting the flanges. This eliminates the need for pipe cutting, threading, re-welding and other invasive & costly procedures. In-line maintainability is a major benefit for critical services, reducing costly downtime. Easy access also simplifies internal inspection, repacking, gasket replacement and part changeouts. 4.Ability to Handle Extreme Temps and Medias Flanged construction allows for a wide selection of valve body materials and trims to handle corrosive media and extreme temperatures. Options include carbon steel, stainless, high-nickel alloys, titanium and special metal/lining combinations. These robust metallurgy choices provide excellent chemical resistance and enable flanged ball valves to operate reliably in the harshest refinery, chemical and slurry applications. The flanged design avoids potential weaknesses from threaded connections in these services. Conclusion While there are applications where threaded or socket weld connections are suitable, flanged ball valves provide undeniable advantages for many industrial uses.   Their pressure containment, flow characteristics, maintainability and material flexibility make them an excellent choice for critical services.