Ball Valve vs Gate Valve – What is the

difference between ball valve and gate

valve?
Choosing the correct valve can be the difference between making or breaking your system. There is
such a wide variety of valve types in today’s market that sourcing the most ideal valve for your
application can be difficult. In this article, PIF looks at the difference between ball valves and gate
valves and ask leading industrial valve suppliers, BM Engineering Supplies, ‘are ball valves better
than gate valves?’

The main difference between ball valves and gate

valves
Before asking the question ‘are ball valves better than gate valves’, we need to determine what
the key differences are between the two. The first thing to bear in mind is they both essentially
serve the same function, hence why they are so closely comparable.

The main difference between ball valves and gate valves are structural qualities and how they
are marked. While gate valves open by lifting a round or rectangular gate out of the path of the
fluid, ball valves have a stem and a ball that turn horizontally. This is why ball valves are often
referred to as a rotational valve.

Gate valves feature a sealing surface dividing the gate and the seats. As such, they are often
used when a straight-line flow of fluid and minimum restriction is required. Because ball valves
are a form of quarter-turn valve, they act differently. They use a hollow ball which is both
perforated and pivoted to control flow. The valve is open when the ball’s hole is in line with the
flow. It closes when pivoted to 90 degrees by the valve handle, which lies flat, and level with the
flow when open and perpendicular when closed. This makes it easy to visually confirm the
valve’s status.

Are ball valves better than gate valves?

To settle the ball valve vs gate valve debate, we opened up the discussion to leading Scottish
industrial valve distributors, BM Engineering Supplies, who stock both valves types. They stated
that the benefit of a ball valve vs a gate valve is that they seal much tighter, therefore making
them better at avoiding leakage than gate valves. This is due to their 100% shut off
characteristics. In addition, they are also easier to use than gate valves, offering both lower rates
of failure and greater longevity.
The durability of ball valves makes them an ideal choice for shutoff applications. They perform
consistently well after many cycles, as well as boasting reliability and the ability to close securely
even after long periods without use. For these reasons, they are often preferred over gate and
globe valves.

Source: Ball Valve vs Gate Valve | Are Ball Valves Be er than Gate Valves? (processindustryforum.com)