What Are Different Ball Valve Parts?
Whether you are working with a liquid or gas system, such as the hydraulic systems used in aircraft and various industries, you will need a manner by which to stop, start, and control flow across the system. With a cylindrical design, a ball valve relies on a hollow, pivoting ball to mitigate flow. Low-maintenance and highly efficient at preserving pressure levels, ball valves are useful in a variety of applications. As such, if you are in the market for a ball valve for any of your systems, it is helpful to have a better understanding of their different parts, that of which will be covered in further detail in the following blog.
The main parts we will discuss include the body, bonnet, ball, actuator, trim, and packing of a ball valve assembly. The first of these, the body, functions as a housing for keeping all components of the ball valve together in one place. The shell may also offer additional protection from external elements and dangers. Regardless of your pressure valve’s shape or style, a housing or body is always necessary, serving as a pressure boundary for protecting internal components while preventing liquid volume and pressure from damaging ball valve parts.
At the opening of the valve’s body, you can locate the bonnet. This essential part also serves as a secondary pressure boundary, and it is generally manufactured from the same material used for the shell or body. This makes the valve more strong and firm, since the bonnet is bolted and screwed with the body in many cases. With a cap fastened to the body, the bonnet holds the valve and its stem in place and allows for compression adjustments of the packing.
Like its namesake, the ball is a spherical component with a flow path for fluids in the form of a hole or tunnel. With a connection point for a shaft, the ball allows for pivoting motions to stop and start flow. The ball sits within the trim parts which are used to allow basic motions the ball must carry out. The trim includes multiple elements: the disk, the seat, the stem, and the sleeves. The seat and disks act as a resting point for the ball and a seal between the ball and the body. Meanwhile, the stem may be turned to rotate the ball, and it is responsible for connecting the disk and actuator through welded joints. Between the valve stem and the bonnet, there is an open space that has potential for leaks. As such, a packing is used to create a seal from materials like flax or Teflon.
All parts of a ball valve should be made from reliable materials that can endure the specific working environments of their application. Diverse pressure and temperature ranges call for durable materials like stainless steel, brass, bronze, and more. Regardless of your specific part type needs, turn to an accredited distributor like NSN Orbit. Owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we offer access to over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find parts from suppliers we trust.
When you are in the market for top quality ball valve components and related part types, explore NSN Orbit’s expansive inventory at your leisure. With rapid lead times and competitive pricing, we are your trusted procurement partner. To receive a custom quote for your comparisons on any item(s) that pique your interest, simply fill out and submit a Request for Quote (RFQ) form with as much information as possible, and one of our expert team members will contact you with a response within 15 minutes or less! To learn more, you may reach us via phone or email at any time, 24/7x365!
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