An Overview of the Function and Operation of Gate Valves
In valves with linear motion, a flat closing device glides into the discharge stream to accomplish shut-off. Gate valves (also called knife valves or slide valves) are a kind of linear motion valve. They are one of the most often seen valves. It would be best to buy gate valves and knife valves as they are instrumental in slurries because their “gates” may cut clear through the slurry, making them particularly useful. They are also employed in situations where viscous liquids are present, such as molasses, honey, cream heavy oils, light grease, varnish, and other non-flammable viscous liquids, among other things.
The Valve’s Operation
Gate valves are generally intended for use in on-off applications. They are most effective in systems when the valve is only required regularly. The valves are set up for full-area flow to prevent pressure loss while also enabling a pipe-cleaning pig to pass through. The relatively high velocity of the fluid gives disk and seat eventual leakage and wear if the valves control flow. It is because the majority of the flow change occurs near the shutdown.
Knife or gate valves are intended to reduce pressure loss across it when the valve is fully opened and to halt the fluid flow when the valve is fully closed, respectively. The direction of fluid flow remains constant, and the pipe diameter through which the process fluid travels is almost identical to the diameter of the process fluid. As a result, they tend to have a modest pressure decrease when they are completely opened.
Applications
It is used in various industrial applications, including the oil and gas sector, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, automotive, and marine industries. Non-rising stem gate valves are widespread aboard ships, in underground applications, and in other applications where vertical space is restricted because they take up no additional space. High temperature and high-pressure conditions and different challenging situations are suitable for the usage of gate valves. They are frequently seen in power plants, water treatment facilities, mining operations, and offshore applications.
Material Used in the Construction of the Valve
Gate valves are utilised in a broad range of applications and may come into touch with several media. When choosing a gate valve, the material used to manufacture the valve is an important consideration to avoid early valve failure or system delays. There are several significant factors to consider while selecting the appropriate valve material, and they are as follows:
- The composition of the medium that comes into touch with all wetted (exposed) areas is essential.
- Temperatures in the service area
- Operating pressures
- The effectiveness of a coating on a variety of materials
- Material availability and pricing are important considerations.
- The compatibility of the materials with the injected medium is essential.
- The length of time that the valve will be exposed to the media is also important.
Conclusion
For a broad range of applications, gate valves are frequently used. They are appropriate for installation in both above-ground and underground environments. Underground facilities need to choose the proper valve to avoid incurring excessive repair expenses. If you want to buy gate valves, remember that they are intended to operate in either a completely open or fully closed state. They are designed to be put in pipelines as isolating valves and should not be utilised as control or regulating valves whatsoever.
