Summary of Valve Types:

VALVE TYPE CHARACTERISTICS

Globe valve  Suitable for regulating flow

 Tight shut-off

 Pressure drop when open

 Used for high pressure clean fluids

Needle valve  Suitable for regulating flow

 Fine control in small diameter piping

 Tight shut-off

 Used for clean fluids that have low flows

 High pressure drop when open

Ball valve  Not suitable for regulating flow except in
some specialized ball valves

 Tight shut-off

 Low pressure drop when open

 Used for gas, liquids or slurries

Butterfly valve  Suitable for regulating flow

 Not suitable for tight shut-off

 Low pressure drop when open

 Used for low line pressure and large pipe

line diameters

 Wide range of service: gas, liquids and slurries

Gate valve  Not suitable for flow regulation, only suitable

for on or off

 Tight shut-off

 Low pressure drop when open

Diaphragm valve  Suitable for on/off or narrow range

throttling control

 Tight shut-off

 Low pressure drop when open

 Used for corrosive fluids and slurries

Plug valve  Suitable for regulating flow

 Tight shut-off

 Quick opening

 High pressure drop when open

Non-return valve  Allow flow in one direction only

 Self closing

 Low pressure drop when open

 Not suitable for reciprocating pump discharge

Pressure relief valve  Opens at pre-determined pressure level