Ball Valve

BallValve

A ball valve has a spherical disc, the part of the valvewhich controls the flow through it. The sphere has a hole, when is in line withboth ends of the valve, flow will occur. When the valve is closed, the hole isperpendicular to the ends and flow is blocked. A ball valve is a ballwith a hole allowing liquid flowing through it depending on its position.

Advantages of ball valves include good seal, little or no leaking at all when thevalve is fully closed and it will turn regardless of pressure. If the holethrough the valve is larger than the pipe inner diameter, the ball valve willoffer essentially no pressure drop or restriction when fully opened. Ballvalves are often used in high pressure liquid or gas lines, usually six inchesor less in diameter, where a complete cut off is important.