Working on plumbing by yourself is a tedious task, especially when it comes to taking decisions regarding the type of valves to use. There are various types of valves with varied applications that are hard to comprehend without an expert’s assistance.
Fret, not! We’re here to solve all your queries about ball valves through our years of expertise in the industry. In this article, we will be discussing the application and benefits of 3-piece ball valves.
What is a 3-piece ball valve?
To understand what a 3-piece ball valve is, you must first understand a ball valve’s meaning. To put it simply, a ball valve is a shut-off valve that is used to control the flow of any fluid in a pipe system by rotating a ball inside the valve that has a bore.
A ball valve comes in two or three pieces. A three-piece ball valve is made up of two end caps and a body. To connect to the pipe on either side, the end caps are soldered, threaded, or flanged.
Types of 3-piece ball valves
Just like other valves three-piece ball valves are also further subdivided into two types:
l-patterned 3-way valve
In this variation, the three ports are linked by a number of passageways that may be opened and closed to control fluid flow.
This type of valve directs the flow of liquid from two different streams to a single outlet or vice versa. They are often employed in situations where the flow direction must be changed or flow must be diverted to another location.
T-patterned 3-way valve
Here, two of the ports are linked together, while the third port is linked to the valve’s final port, giving it a t-shape.
This valve’s functionality is to permit the circulation of two distinct fluids in opposite directions while preventing their mixing. It is therefore used where two different fluids need to be managed independently, like water heaters.
Advantages
- Easy maintenance: Having three sections makes it simple to disassemble, service, and reassemble without having to make significant cuts in the pipe.
- Adaptability: Elastomers can be altered into three-piece ball valves to accommodate various process conditions, including varied temperatures, pressures, and flows.
- Cost-effective: Due to its relatively easy and accessible maintenance, 3-way ball valves have a long shelf life, making them more economical.
- Easy to weld: The ability to move the body with trim out of the way during welding, ensuring the internals remain intact, is another advantage.
- Multidirectional fluid flow control: As established above, 3-way ball valves are an excellent option to use if you need to control the flow of liquid in two directions.
- Works under high pressure: It is possible to use this kind of valve in high-pressure applications, and it is highly dependable.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a 3-piece ball valve has several advantages, it is durable, cost-effective, easy to use, and has a long shelf life but it is also important to buy these valves from a reliable supplier to get these advantages.
Obaid Masood has been supplying plumbing and sanitary fittings since 1992 and we have established ourselves as a reliable supplier due to our dedication to combining quality and value for money, and excellent customer service.