Plug valves are a critical component for the smooth functioning of hydraulics in any industry that utilizes hydraulic systems. Plug valves usually come in cylindrical or conical shapes, and they open or close by hand by turning them a quarter turn. In addition to on-off and diverting services, they offer basic moderate throttling as well.
Find out what plug valves are and how they work by reading on.
Plug valves: how do they work?
Plug valves feature a plug with an open passage inside the valve body. Quarter-turning the pipe creates an alignment with the hole, and this results in the hole opening up. In its open position, the valve sits across a pipe leading to a seal state when turning to a 90-degree angle.
There are many styles and port openings available for plug valves.
Two-Way Plug Valves: This design features a closure element in the middle (a plug and a sleeve), in addition to a straight-through, two-way service for opening and closing.
Three-Way Plug Valves: Valve assemblies with a third port are typically angled so that it sits opposite the inlet. By using these plug valves, you can divert or combine flow (entry from both inlets is funneling into one outlet) or divert or combine flow (entry from both inlets is channel into one outlet).
What is the purpose of a plug valve?
There are many different applications for plug valves in the commercial and light industrial sectors, including directional flow control, handling gas or liquid fuel, and regulating fluids with solid particles, such as slurries. Plug valves are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. In spite of their smooth design, easy in-line maintenance, leak-tight service, minimal resistance to flow, and unique multi-port design options, plug valves have to take place across a variety of sectors and systems.
Which types of plug valves are there?
Lubricated Plug Valves
This type of valve is ideal for dirty upstream applications, as it can handle corrosive and abrasive materials without clogging. It is imperative to reseal these plugs on a regular basis in order to maintain their optimal effectiveness.
Non-Lubricated Plug Valves
Plug valves that are not lubricated are used in settings that demand low maintenance. They include fully lined, sleeved, and lift-type plug valves.
Expandable Plug Valves
Valve components are the composition of multiple parts and their rotational motion helps to prevent wear and abrasion of seals. Their use is appropriate for applications where double isolation is not require to prevent product contamination.
Eccentric Plug Valves
These plug valves are suitable for applications that require a high seating force and little friction between the open and closed positions. Eccentric plug valves using in a wide range of flow control and isolation applications. Among these are sewage, sludge or slurries, air, and other services.
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Advantages and Disadvantages
Plug valves are compact and take up little space while offering the following advantages:
- Flow Regulation – Tight shutoff, quick opening, and low drop in pressure.
- Fire-safety and Durability – No real surface is exposed to the fluid of the lines, which significantly reduces their probability of corrosion or erosion.
- Versatility – Plug valves with high flow rates can also be used.
A few disadvantages of plug valves are:
- They cannot use for throttling.
- Due to high friction, they require more force for actuation.
- It is possible that they will cause galling.
- As a result of the tapered plug design, there is a smaller port.
Conclusion
Plug valves are an important piece of equipment in most industries. The most common type of plug valve is the two-way plug valve. A three-way plug valve is also a type of plug valve and is utilize when more than two lines need to control. Plug valves use in many different applications and industries, and it is important to know what they are for and how they work.
