The Disadvantages Of Ball Valves For Industrial Purposes

12-17-21

ball valve disadvantages

Does your production line come to halt because of ball valves related issues? Ball valves are essential industrial products that most companies must use in some capacity. They’re commonly used in industrial settings to control the flow of fuel, oil, and other liquids throughout a facility.

However, the ball valve advantages and disadvantages vary when using them for this purpose. This article highlights common ball valve disadvantages that you should know.

1) Leaking Details

The classic mechanism behind a ball valve is the perfect way for steam to leak. This is through the ball valves themselves or through pitting on their surface where rust has gotten underneath.

One solution would be using more rigid alloy steel, stainless steel, or even tungsten carbide alloys. Yet, most manufacturers have kept costs down by reducing metal thickness, which can give further problems. Ball valves have seats that need replacing after a certain amount of time. Factors such as temperature and corrosion make these materials disintegrate and crack hence becoming less effective.

This way, they may not close properly, making your system susceptible to leaks. If you’ve been a victim of this, why not try our Everlasting valves? They are tougher, durable, and more durable.

2) Precision Details

The size of the ball valves is important and must open and close quickly. Otherwise, your system loses heat and doesn’t shut off properly. This way, you could end up losing a lot of water or steam if this happens.

Manufacturers now have to make sure that there are no burrs on the balls. The valve has to be re-sized and tested before it can go into production.

But why go to all the trouble while Everlasting Valve Company can customize your ball valves to fit your plant equipment?

3) Pitting and Corrosion Details

Ball valves rust quickly due to being exposed directly to water and acidic substance. Thus, they corrode more easily compared with other types of valves. Again, they can fail at any given moment.

This corrosion can lead to pitting and cause leaks. This is not always the case, yet it’s a factor that should be considered when buying valves.
One way to reduce leakage most times is using materials such as stainless steel.

However, these steels have a lower melting point.

The material properties of the valves change, and the tolerance has to be increased to prevent melting while in operation. This doesn’t mean that manufacturers cannot use stainless steel.

Whether or not you’re making a bulk purchase, deal with a manufacturer that uses the best materials for the ball valves. Corrosion can be a nightmare to plant operators, and you don’t want your equipment stalling now and then.

4) Leaking Hinges Details

Another common problem with ball valves is leaks at their hinges, whether it is a rubber to ring or a metal to metal seal. The ball valves work less efficiently and could shorten their lifespan by reducing the material’s fatigue resistance.

5) Leaking Fluid Details

If fluids are allowed to leak out, they can cause safety issues in some cases and reduce the overall efficiency of the ball valves. This could pose serious problems within specific industries.

It makes them less cost-effective than other types of valves like gate valves or butterfly valves.

6) Friction Details

If ball valves are not lubricated, they’ll wear out. Remember, friction can reduce material endurance. As such, ball valves could fail at any moment, which can be dangerous for operators. It can also reduce its lifespan.

Although ball valves are quick and inexpensive, there are many disadvantages to using them in industrial uses. Due to these issues, they have been replaced by other types of valves, including butterfly or gate valves.

However, some industries still use them, but most prefer the more efficient options currently offered by manufacturers today.

7) Noisy

One of the significant disadvantages of using ball valves for industrial purposes is that they’re very noisy. Several things can cause this noise. They include loose parts, worn bearings, and corrosion build-up on the valve stem.

Sometimes the only way to fix this problem is to replace the entire valve or buy a new one. If you choose to replace the whole thing, it’ll not be cheap. You’ll have to purchase an entirely new plant control system with all its peripherals.

8) Not Accurate

Another major disadvantage of ball valves for industrial purposes is their inaccuracy when taking pressure readings during operation. While traditional stop check valves are much more accurate, ball valves are often used in industrial settings because they are cheaper and easier to maintain.

If you need to know the pressure readings during operations for proper plant flow and control, ball valves may not be your best option. The accurate pressure reading is a critical system component in manufacturing plants.

9) Does Not Accommodate Low Flow

Ball valves are not accommodative when it comes to low-flow scenarios. If your plant experiences a low flow situation, the media liquid cannot traverse through the internal liquid channels within the valve head and body.

You must shut down the system when this happens until everything gets restored to normal operating conditions with ample plant liquid available again.

No one needs to stop production because of a ball valve. Our ball valves are calibrated with precision and are guaranteed to offer enough flow.

10) Inconvenient to Repair

Repairing and servicing industrial ball valves can be incredibly inconvenient because of several equipment parts. For instance, ball valves need to be dismantled and disassembled to get at the stem assembly.

This is not always convenient or possible, depending on the current situation.
It may also be easier for plant personnel to replace the entire system with an entirely new plant control system.

It should be designed specifically around stop check valves that can provide much more flexibility.

Tired of Ball Valve Disadvantages and Need a Better Solution?

Are you a plant manager who’s tired of ball valve disadvantages and need a better experience? At Everlasting Valve CO., our valves are designed to be more reliable by having a simple yet effective design.

We use superior and reliable materials that are not susceptible to corrosion or breakages. Call us today for all types of valves.

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