A ball valve is a type of valve in which the opening and closing component (the ball) is driven by a valve stem and rotates around the valve's axis. It can also be used for the regulation and control of fluid flow; specifically, the hard-sealed V-type ball valve features strong shearing force between its V-shaped ball core and the hard-alloy-overlayed metal seat, making it particularly suitable for media containing fibers, fine solid particles, and similar substances. Furthermore, multi-way ball valves installed in pipelines offer flexible control over the merging, diversion, and directional switching of media flow, while also allowing for the closure of any single port to connect the remaining two. Generally, valves of this category should be installed horizontally within the pipeline system. Based on their actuation method, ball valves are classified into pneumatic ball valves, electric ball valves, and manual ball valves.
The ball valve first emerged in the 1950s. Driven by the rapid advancement of science and technology-along with continuous improvements in manufacturing processes and product structures-it has, within a mere 40 years, rapidly evolved into a major category of industrial valves. In industrialized Western nations, the utilization of ball valves continues to rise year after year.
In my country, ball valves are widely utilized across various sectors-including petroleum refining, long-distance pipelines, chemical engineering, papermaking, pharmaceuticals, water conservancy, electric power, municipal services, and steel manufacturing-occupying a pivotal position within the national economy. Characterized by a 90-degree rotational operation, the valve's closure element consists of a spherical body featuring a circular through-hole or channel aligned with its axis.
Within a pipeline system, ball valves primarily serve to cut off, distribute, or alter the direction of media flow. They require only a 90-degree rotation and minimal operating torque to achieve a tight, leak-proof closure. Ball valves are ideally suited for use as on/off or shut-off valves-a role particularly well-fulfilled by the V-type ball valve. When deploying electric valves, in addition to considering pipeline-specific parameters, special attention must be paid to the surrounding environmental conditions; since the electric actuator within an electric valve is an electromechanical device, its operational performance is significantly influenced by the environment in which it operates. Under normal circumstances, particular caution and consideration are required when utilizing electric ball valves and butterfly valves in the following specific environmental settings.
