The use of a shut off valve is essential in any type of system. It allows for a specific flow of media through a system to be on or off through a simple valve design. The different option in shut off valves will make them more suited to specific applications than others.
Uses and Factors
A shut off valve can be used for any type of media from liquids to gases or slurries and semi-solids. The valve can be easily manipulated to allow or full on or off through the system or to provide for general flow control. While the valve can be used for throttling or regulation, it is not as precise as other types of valves, which has to be considered if this is to be the valve’s main function.
There are several factors to consider when comparing shut off valves. Of course, the size of the valve will be directly related to the size of the inlet and outlet pipes. Other considerations to include will focus on the pressure in the lines, the temperature and the potentially corrosive nature of the media through the system.
Typically, most of these shut off valves will be made of a non-corrosive or corrosion resistant material. This can be stainless steel, brass or aluminum as well as a variety of other alloys. In some applications, a variety of more exotic alloys can be used to address concerns with extreme temperatures, pressures or the need for high purity types of applications.
Ball valves, which use a ball to control the flow of the media through the valve are most commonly used, but gate valves and globe valves are also common. In specialized types of applications, particularly for smaller valve sizes, needle valves may also be a very practical and effective choice.
