Valves are devices for piping applications that control the flow of liquid. They can control the flow of gas, air, steam and water. They come in many forms and shapes with different types and uses.
Parallel-slide or slide gate
These valves are used for general purpose applications where a high degree of accuracy is not required. You need to buy gate valves of this type for low-pressure applications and applications where the gate valve is subjected to a high degree of vibration.
Parallel-slide gates can be mounted on top or bottom, either horizontally or vertically, depending on the application. The sliding parallel moving parts that open and close the flow path between two ports have an effortless design, making them easy to manufacture and maintain.
Sluice gate
The sluice gate is also called a swing check valve, which means that when it’s open, liquid flows through freely; when it’s closed, no fluid can pass through. This makes them perfect for applications where you want to control water discharges or prevent backflow into your system.
Knife gate
This type of gate valve has a metal plate with a hole. The hole is covered by another metal plate, held in place by a metal strip attached to the valve body.
There are two main types of knife gate valves: globe and butterfly. The difference between these two types lies in where they have their openings; globes have an opening at one end, while butterflies have openings at both ends (hence the name).
Isolation or stop gate
These valves separate equipment from the line, system or process. The most common example is when a repair technician needs to isolate equipment before replacing a failed component without affecting other parts of the process.
Lubricated plug valve
These valves are used in pipelines for flow control and pressure control. They can also be used for temperature control, but these valves are generally not appropriate for this purpose. Lubricated plug valves also control the level of liquids in tanks and vessels. In all cases, these valves block the flow of liquid when they are open or closed.
The lubrication in lubricated plug valves comes from a thin film on their surfaces that reduces friction between the moving parts inside them so that they can operate smoothly over long periods with minor wear or friction damage to other components within the valve body itself -such as seals.
Tilting disc check valves
Tilting disc check valves are used to flow water, gas, steam and other fluids. It is also used to prevent backflow of fluids. It is used to construct water supply systems, water treatment plants and sewerage systems.
Swing check valve
This type of gate valve can be used in applications where liquid flow should be in one direction only, and it prevents reverse flow or the backflow into the system. Swing check valves are often used on systems where higher pressure exists on one side than the other to avoid reverse flow caused by this difference in pressure.
Non-return valves (one-way flow)
These valves prevent the backflow of water, sewage, or waste in water and wastewater applications. They can be made of plastic and metal and come in various shapes and sizes. You can primarily buy gate valves of this type when there is no need for maintenance access to the pipe upstream or downstream from the valve.