Our ball valves are designed to meet the requirements of the process industries with improved process safety and efficiency. Our proven technology in design, materials and coatings enhance process reliability in the most demanding shut-off and control applications. For control applications our ball valves provide famous Q-trim™ technology for noise attenuation and cavitation prevention. A wide range of product certifications include fugitive emission, fire-safe and SIL 3.
The right control valve selection is based on an understanding of the industry, process and application it will be used in. Their role is to ensure accurate, repeatable and reliable long-lasting flow control performance. We at Valmet understand the conditions under which industrial valves must perform, and help our customers select the right valve for the job.
Our ball valve offering includes trunnion mounted ball valves, top entry ball valves, seat supported ball valves, high-pressure ball valves, pocket feeder valves and full bore ball valves. We offer a range of materials and coating ranging from valves utilizing metal-to-metal seat technology to ceramic balls and PFA coated ball valves.
Ball valves are used in various process industry applications. The most typical solutions are in on-off and ESD applications, but high-performance ball valves are also widely used in control applications. In this article, the author explains by means of a hydrocracker example how challenging correct valve sizing and valve selection in control applications can be.
Seemingly minor details can make a major difference in unplanned costs. Valves are small, yet essential part of mining industry processes, and if problems with the valves should occur, it can lead to unplanned downtime and the equivalent losses in output.
Erosion can be stopped: Many of the problems associated with erosion in valves can be controlled with proper selection and sizing, whilst alternative materials of construction can be a solution for more severe applications.
Safety and sustainability
All Technuton ball valves are engineered, built and tested to be both safe and sustainable. They ensure the lowest possible emissions in accordance with certified fire safety according to API 607. Our ball valves are also SIL 3 certified. Features such as the anti-blowout stem featured in many valves further improve safety.
World-class noise and cavitation reduction
Technuton is well known for its industry-leading noise attenuation and cavitation eliminating technologies. Our Q-trim™ and Q2-trim™ anti-cavitation and noise attenuation technologies continue to set the standard in industrial applications. They are a feature that can help your ball valve outperform others in control applications and extend suitability into increasingly demanding heavy duty applications.
What is a ball valve?
Ball valves are durable, performing well after extended operating cycles, even in fouling and dirty applications, under high differential pressures. Reliable, tight closing after long periods of staying unoperated is one of ball valves advantages in shutoff applications. As the name suggests, a ball-shaped trim is used to control the flow of media. An open ball valve acts like a piece of pipe, creating little to no interference to passing through flow. When the ball is rotated clockwise at 90°, the valve is completely shut. The bore of the ball and its high inherent capacity (Cv) can be utilized also to control high fluid volumes with small energy losses. Ball bore can also be equipped with noise and cavitation dampening trims without sacrificing flow capacity in control service.
Depending on the industrial process, application and flow media, different types of ball valves are available, ranging from metal-seated ball valves to soft-seated ball valves in both automated and manual variants. Different constructions, coatings and noise and cavitation elimination solutions are available to ensure process suitability and lasting reliable performance.
