Experts have estimated that about 30 to 40 percent of the American food supply is wasted. You should want your business to avoid being a part of this number. One way to do this is to lessen spillage by equipping your factory with the proper industrial valves.
How can you know which valves are right for your particular machines? The best way to do this is to find information about the many types of industrial valves. Read on to get started with this learning process.
Gate Valve
A gate valve comprises a disk-shaped gate that sits within a point where two pipes meet. Mechanisms raise and lower the gate to stop and start the flow of material. It is possible for a gate valve to slow or quicken the rate of flow, but experts do not recommend doing this, as it wears out the gate quickly.
It is, however, excellent for pipes with larger diameters and situations where the material flows in both directions. They also work well for all kinds of mediums such as liquid and steam. Most often, they’re used for wastewater or for water as a whole.
Butterfly Valve
A butterfly valve also often comprises a gate. The main difference between it and the gate valve is how it moves. The gate of a butterfly valve rotates via the turning of a handle rather than rising or falling.
This type of industrial valve works well in most of the same situations as the gate valve. The main difference is that there’s a smaller pressure drop within the pipes.
Globe Valve
The pipe portion of a globe valve comprises upper and lower portions. In the middle of these is a plug that raises or lowers to control the rate of flow.
Along with being great in a wide variety of applications, industrial valve repair is easy. The parts don’t wear down easily, and when they do, they’re easy to replace.
They’re often used in regulatory applications such as fuel or systems, cooling water systems, and so on. As they rarely leak, they’re great in situations where leaking is a concern. However, they’re not very effective in high-pressure situations.
Smart Industrial Valves
Along with differences in shape, there are also differences in how operators control valves. Traditionally, most valves got turned by hand. Now, there are many smart applications available that can turn valves on and off as needed.
You can read this guide for more information on these industrial valve products.
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As a final tip, remember to look at differences in valve materials along with types. Some materials are more durable and last longer in certain applications than others.