Butterfly Valve or Ball Valve : Which one is Better?

Butterfly Valve

There are many types and sizes of valves available. In general, a valve is simply a device that allows the flow of liquids or gases to be opened or closed. As an example of a valve we use on a daily basis, consider a kitchen faucet. Here, we will discuss a particular type of ball valve and Butterfly Valve.

What is a Butterfly Valve?

The Butterfly valves have a quarter-turn design that allows a quick shut-off, making them cost-effective. The butterfly valve consists of a metal disc positioned in the center of the pipe with a rod that runs through the disc to an actuator on the outside of the valve. Usually, it is shaped like a gearbox, while the handwheel is connected to the stem. A rotating actuator rotates the disc parallel or perpendicular to the flow.  Upon rotating the disc a quarter turn, the valve is fully opened or closed, stopping, regulating, or starting the flow. With low pressures, they are suitable for handling large volumes of liquids and gases.

 

Butterfly Valve Types

There are several types of butterfly valves available, including those with short, circular bodies, discs, metal-to-metal or soft seats, top and bottom shaft bearings, and stuffing boxes. Depending on the application, each valve design differs.  An example is the wafer type, which fits between two flanges. An alternative type of valve is the lug wafer type, which has bolts that pass through the valve casing and hold the wafer between two flanges. There are many moving parts in these valves, which allow any fluid to flow freely. The low maintenance costs make them a better choice than gate, globe, plug, and ball valves.

Butterfly Valve Drawing

The various center disc alignment provides various dimension types of butterfly valves. The center-aligned disc calls the eccentric butterfly valve while the double offset and triple offset butterfly valve are also achieved by sliding and adjusting the center disc with a connected center rod.

 

Benefits of Butterfly Valve

It is best suited for slurry applications and is useful for different fluids. This valve has the advantage of being compressed, so it does not require a lot of space, unlike other valves. It is lightly weighted, not heavy or bulky. Handling is quick and opening and closing do not take a lot of time. This product is available in different sizes, from very small to very large. The product also features a low-pressure drop, but a high-pressure recovery.

The Actuarial Method

As a butterfly valve, you can choose between manual operation by handles and gears or automatic operation by electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic actuators. Manual actuation can run with either a lever or a gear and are easy to operate and inexpensive. The Butterfly Valve Manufacturers in India produce valves that are characterized by their handlebars, which can be open, partially closed, or completely closed. As the gears are designed for bigger valves, they increase torque, but they decrease speed when opening and closing the valve.

Self-locking and position-indicating, these gears have a large torque range. Considering that you can use automatic actuation in any remote location, it is the most reliable. A failure of the actuator will result in an open setup (it stays open if the actuator fails) or a failure of the closed setup (it stays closed if the actuator fails). Among these types is the electric motor sitting on the stem. Another method is pneumatic, which compresses the air in order to open or close it. There is also the hydraulic system that uses hydraulic pressure to move a piston or diaphragm to open or close the valve.

What is a Ball Valve?

Also known as a quarter-turn valve, a ball valve has a pivoting ball drilled through the middle that controls the flow. As long as the hole is align with the flow direction, it allows fluids and gases to pass through. By turning the ball 90 degrees, the flow is completely close. The handle acts as a visual indicator of the valve’s status in either case. It’s open if the handle is parallel to the valve. Conversely, a perpendicular handle closes the valve.

This type of valve is extremely robust and is great for applications with a simple on/off action. Despite their durability, they will continue to work consistently after prolonged use. Furthermore, they have excellent reliability and remain closed even after long periods of inactivity. It is also possible to control flow rate by opening and closing the valve partially to various degrees. As a result, they have many advantages over gate and globe valves in shutoff and control applications. However, Ball Valves Manufacturers in India offer a wide range of ball valves. Including single-piece body, two-piece body, and three-piece design ball valves with 3 way, 4 way, and 5-way ball valves.

Ball Valve Design

The ball vales come with various end connections like flange end connections and screwed end connections. Their end connection needs to match the pipeline to fit. Otherwise, they can’t fit into the pipe, and possible leakage. The ball valves come into various types.

Pneumatic 3 Pc Design Floating Ball Valve

The one-piece ball valve consists of a body and ends fabricated from one piece of material. As a result of its design, the one-piece ball valve is significantly less likely to leak. This type of valve has a smaller port size than the inner diameter of the pipe that it connects to. Because of seals and trim are insert through the end connections. In contrast, two-piece ball valves are the composition of two pieces that are join by bolts or thread assembly.

One-piece valves typically consist of a body and one end connection. The second piece contains the second end connection and secures the trim into the valve. One body and two end cap separate three-piece ball valves. Three-piece valves have a body that can remove from the end caps, unlike the other two types. Because they construct in this way, three-piece ball valves are much easier to clean and service.

Butterfly Valve versus Ball Valve

In comparison to ball valves, butterfly valves are cheaper, easier to install, and require a smaller installation footprint. A butterfly valve doesn’t have a complicated design, so it has fewer moving parts, which makes it easier to repair and less expensive to produce. In spite of this, butterfly valve discs can’t be clean due to their position and location. Ball valves are more suitable for small, high-pressure applications since they do not put too much pressure on the system.

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