Floating Ball Valves
Floating ball valve is a form of quarter-turn valve which uses a hollow, perforated and pivoting ball (called a floating ball) to control flow through it.
The floating design utilizes natural line pressure to press and seal the ball against the downstream seat. The ball is suspended in the flowing medium (floating) held in position by the compression of the two seats against it.
It is open when the ball’s hole is in line with the flow and closed when it is pivoted 90-degrees by the valve handle. Floating ball valves are durable, performing well after many cycles, and reliable, close securely even after long periods of disuse.
These qualities make them an excellent choice for shut off applications, where they are often preferred to gates and globe valves. The valve’s ease of operation, repair, and versatility lend it to extensive industrial use.
Floating ball valve design is capable of bi-directional shut off.
As the size of the valve bore increases, the area subjected to the line pressure also increases. This has the effect of increasing the force acting on the ball.
There comes a critical point where it is no longer possible for the seats to support the ball and it is necessary consider a different design: floating ball valves are in general not intended for large size and high pressure applications. Floating ball valves are not suitable for throttling purposes.
