Valves
Ball, gate, butterfly, check and control valves for water, process fluids, compressed air and steam. Bought by contractors, water and wastewater plants, food and chemical processors, and factory maintenance.
Three numbers specify a valve and they are asked in this order: size, pressure class and body material. Size is the line's DN or nominal bore, not the valve's face-to-face length. Pressure class — ANSI/ASME 150, 300 and upward, or PN ratings in metric systems — must cover the maximum the line can see including surge, not the normal working pressure. Body and trim material follow the medium and temperature.
Actuation comes last, and treating it as a first decision is a common and expensive mistake. An actuator is sized from the torque the valve needs at its worst-case differential pressure, so the valve has to be chosen before the actuator can be specified. Choosing the actuator first usually produces one that cannot close the valve against full line pressure.
We list DN size, pressure class, body material, trim, end connection and, for isolation duty, whether the valve is rated for bidirectional shutoff. Sourced to order — send line size, pressure, medium and temperature.
Lines in this category
- Ball valves
- Gate valves
- Butterfly valves
- Check valves (swing and wafer)
- Globe and control valves
- Pressure relief and safety valves
- Solenoid valves
- Actuators, pneumatic and electric
- Strainers
Products
We source this line to order
We do not hold this category in stock, and we would rather say so than list parts we cannot ship. Send a part list, a specification or a photograph and we will quote it with a lead time — this is a line we supply regularly to order.
How to choose
Size, pressure class, body material — in that order, and confirm the pressure class against surge rather than steady-state. Then the function: a ball valve is for isolation and opens fast, a globe valve throttles without eroding its seat, a butterfly valve is compact and cheap at large diameters but obstructs the bore permanently. Then the seat material against the medium and temperature, which is usually what fails first. Actuation is specified last, sized from the valve's own torque at its worst differential.
Frequently asked
Ball valve or gate valve?
Ball for isolation you operate often — a quarter turn, positive shutoff, no seat wear from throttling. Gate where you need a full unobstructed bore and the valve stays open for months at a time. Neither should be used to regulate flow; that scores the seat and ruins the shutoff.
What pressure class do I need?
Cover the maximum the line can see, including pump shutoff head and surge from fast-closing valves, not the normal working pressure. Surge is what bursts bodies rated on steady-state numbers.
Can you supply valves with actuators fitted and tested?
Yes. Send the valve duty and the worst-case differential pressure so the actuator can be sized on torque; also state the air supply pressure or the control voltage, and whether you need fail-open or fail-closed.