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The Value Of Valves, Control Valves And Ball Valves
Although industry has changed out of all recognition over the past millennia, certain pieces of equipment have remained as central to the functioning of many industrial processes due to both their simplicity and applicability to a wide variety of industrial sectors. Valves, control valves and ball valves amongst them are pieces of equipment which today continue to perform their tasks, unseen and for the most part unappreciated. An example of valves which is truly unappreciated in our everyday lives are those valves, control valves and ball valves which make our lives easier in the smallest, hidden ways such as ball valves which can be found in various models of toilet cisterns and attic water tanks.
One of the beauties of valves, control valves and ball valves included is that they are tremendously hard wearing and can operate even after years of disuse. Valves are used in a variety of different industrial and commercial applications to control the flow of fluids or even gases. Without the humble valve many industrial processes could simply not take place. Even in your own home valves fulfil a variety of functions, such as controlling the water flow through pipes that connect to the taps that you use every day.
In the South African context one of our most beloved pastimes, that of enjoying a warm summers day with a gas braai to supply our food would not be possible without the valves that are fitted to gas cylinders and other gas appliances to regulate the flow of gas to burners. In the older gas cylinders the valves were controlled using a chuck or key which was turned to regulate gas flow, today the same function is built into most of the newer gas cylinders on the market, where the valve is an integral part of the design of the gas cylinder.
In industries as widely divergent as petroleum manufacture, sewerage treatment and mining valves are an integral part of the industrial process. These valves, control valves and ball valves amongst them can either be manually controlled are remotely controlled under the guidance of computerised systems or through human intervention to control the flow of gas or liquid.
Valves can also be controlled through changes in pressure, flow rates or even the temperature of the gas or liquid being transported through a piping system. These self regulating valves are in common use in a variety of different industries. Valves come in a variety of sizes that can range enormously from the very small which are used in the medical field to those exceeding five metres in diameter which are used in certain specialised industrial applications. Valves also are available in disposable types that can be found in the home in devices such as pump soap dispensers.
Most valves are designed to be airtight and leak free, however with wear and tear even the best valve, designed properly and constructed of the most hardwearing material can fail. In industrial applications, such as oil refining, mining or sewage treatment the failure of a single valve can have catastrophic consequences for the entire industrial process. It is therefore extremely important that users of valves make sure that the valve is certified for use in a particular application.
Many valves closely resemble each other but are designed with very different stress factors in mind. The safety and working order of a valve is dependent on the stresses that it encounters during daily use, such as variable temperatures and flow rates. It is therefore important to source valves from reputable suppliers who are up to date with the latest in valve technology.
If you would like to know more about valves, control valves and ball valves included contact us.
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