Valves contribute a very important function to any piping system in the oil and gas industry. Valves help in controlling the movement of materials to and from machinery and equipment. Just like the regular checking of temperature in a workplace with Siemens Sensors, valves are essential in many different kinds of functions and applications. Valves that are commonly used in the oil and gas industry have to work with liquids, gasses, viscous materials, and corrosive mediums.
Some of the industries may have different kinds of valves installed in their systems, each valve in the system performing a different function. Valves in oil and gas factories are mainly used to start and stop the flow of materials in the piping system. Some industrial valves can also be used to control the flow depending on the pressure and velocity needs. Today we will feature a list of different types of valves used in the oil and gas industry along with their function.
1. Ball Valves
Ball valves are valves that have a quarter turn and act so fast. They use a rotating ball to help in the transfer of media flow through a piping system. They also have a tight shut-off feature, which boosts their popularity and gaining significance in a good number of industries. They are commonly used in oil and gas industries, petrochemicals, power industry, pipelines, and generally any application that requires fluid shut-off.
Ball valves come in a number of different varieties and have different add-ons as well, which can be exciting to take in. Also, since ball valves are majorly used for on and off applications, some types of ball valves have become useful for control applications. All of these factors make it challenging to pick which ball valve type is ideal for your application. Some are also used in home faucets to regulate the flow of water for use in toilets and even kitchens.
2. Check valves
A check valve is also christened as a one-way valve, clack valve, and also known as a non-return valve (NRV). It is one of the most commonly used valves in a good number of industrial applications. The main role of a check valve is to prevent the flow of materials from going back into the system.
The primary merit of a check valve is that its operations are self-automated. Self-automated means that if a plant or loses power, a check valve will continue with its operation. The mechanism of this valve protects other equipment, contamination, and other potential problems on the upstream line from damage.
Check valves should be installed professionally but if they are not installed well, pipes, pumps, and other equipment may become damaged. Fluids may also find their way into areas where they should not be. This could lead to contamination and affect the overall integrity of the process medium. Be sure to check out imi norgren as well.
A check valve relies on the flow process in order to function. As the material flow goes through the process line in the right direction, the disc opens. The disc of a check valve can be a flap or ball, this will depend on the design of the valve. Meanwhile, when the flow reverses or decreases, the check valve will automatically shut down the flow.
3. Butterfly valves
Butterfly valves are turned quarterly in rotational motion to control the flow, start, and stop the fluid flow. They limit the flow by being half-open, or they can shut off the flow entirely. Butterfly valves are ideal for shutting off and throttling processes.
Butterfly valves are customed to regulate the flow rate of a fluid. The type of fluid through the pipes depends on what materials butterfly valves are made of. These fluids can be chemically neutral, pharmaceutical, or even corrosive fluids. Butterfly valves have a sealing system that is perfect and suitable for heating circuits
4. Globe Valves
A globe valve is a type of valve with a linear motion commonly used to start, stop, and control media flow. While most of the industrial valves are named after the shape of their discs, a globe valve got its name for its spherical body. Most of the modern globe valves do not have spherical bodies but they are still classified as globe valves since they have a similar internal mechanism similar to that of a traditional globe valve.
5. Control Valves
Control Valves are also known as modulating valves, a control valve is a device that uses power to control media flow or pressure rate in a system. It controls the flow at various levels from minimum flow to full capacity. A control valve functions by following a signal from the control center.
A control valve is connected to an actuator that can alter the position of the closing mechanism of the valve. It controls media flow via a motion of its disc according to the opening(s) within its body. The valve disc is attached to a stem, which is connected to an actuator.
Conclusion
This article can be your starting point when you start looking for the best valve to fit in your oil or gas industry. Secondly, in order for these valves to serve you for a longer time, you need to have a proper maintenance routine on them. You schedule appointments with experts to inspect them regularly and check on their condition.