Ball Valve

Product Applications and Structural Features

Ball valves are widely used for fluid automatic control or regulation in industries such as natural gas, petroleum products, chemical industry, metallurgy, papermaking, electric power, mining, printing and dyeing, biopharmaceuticals, daily chemicals, food and beverages, water treatment, and air treatment. They are typically used together with automated pneumatic instruments.

Structural Features of Ball Valves

Pneumatic Actuator

The BRTV new AT series pneumatic actuator has obtained a national utility model patent (ZL200920175421.2). It is available in both double-acting and single-acting (spring return) types and adopts a rack-and-pinion transmission structure, providing safer and more reliable performance.
For large-diameter valves, BW series pneumatic actuators are used. These adopt a scotch-yoke transmission structure with reasonable design and large output torque, also available in double-acting and single-acting (spring return) types. For detailed parameters, please refer to the AT series, BW series, or AW series pneumatic actuator catalogs.

Electric Actuator

Electric actuators provide relatively stable output torque within a wide torque range and can overcome the unbalanced forces of the medium, enabling precise control of process parameters. When equipped with a servo amplifier, forward and reverse actions can be easily interchanged, and the valve position in case of signal loss can be conveniently set (hold position / fully open / fully closed). In case of failure, the actuator will remain in its original position.

Body Structure

According to different usage requirements and operating conditions, the valve body can be designed as cast structure, forged structure, or fully welded structure. Fully welded ball valves are mainly used for underground installations.

Packing Seal

Floating ball valves adopt a gland elastic sealing ring structure, which has obtained a national utility model patent (ZL200920270133.5), ensuring better sealing reliability and service life.
For low-pressure, ultra-low pressure, or vacuum conditions, soft sealing structures are used. Rubber and wear-resistant sealing structures ensure reliable long-term sealing performance.
For medium and high-temperature ball valves, seat materials can be made of PEEK or metal.
For fixed ball valves, small diameters generally adopt floating structures, while large diameters adopt trunnion-mounted structures. Ball sealing structures may also include front-and-rear double sealing structures.

Fire-Safe and Drainage Function

When the valve is in the closed position, the medium in the upstream and downstream cavities as well as the liquid accumulated in the valve body cavity can be discharged through the drainage device.

Automatic Pressure Relief Structure

When the cavity pressure rises abnormally and exceeds the rated pressure of the valve, the medium in the middle cavity can rely on its own thrust to push the valve seat and automatically release pressure, ensuring the safety of the valve body.

Fire-Safe Design

According to operating conditions and user requirements, ball valves can be designed with fire-safe structures. The fire-resistant design complies with API 6D and JB/T6899 standards. In the event of a fire where soft seals are damaged, the fire-safe structure can prevent a large amount of medium leakage and avoid further spread of fire.

Anti-Static Device

During valve operation, friction between the ball and the seat may generate static electricity that accumulates on the ball. To prevent static sparks, an anti-static device is installed on the valve to conduct the accumulated electric charge away from the ball.

Full Bore or Reduced Bore Structure

To meet different user requirements, Bernate ball valves are available in both full-bore and reduced-bore series.
The flow channel diameter of full-bore ball valves is consistent with the inner diameter of the pipeline, which facilitates pipeline cleaning. Reduced-bore ball valves are lighter in weight, and their valve port area is only about 1/7 of a globe valve with the same diameter, making the reduced-bore series widely applicable.