If you are in the food or beverage processing business, you have to meet strict standards of hygiene every day. It takes specialized equipment to process your products safely and effectively. This is where ball valves like Alfa Laval valves play a major role in the industry. Here is more on the importance of the ball valve today.
What is a Ball Valve?
Take a drain or piping system and place a rubber ball inside (the same size as the diameter of the pipe). This forms an effective seal to prevent flow. This is the basic principle behind a ball valve. However, these valves (like ones you find from Alfa Laval Valves) contain a ball with a hole in the middle. When the valve turns one direction, the hole allows liquid to flow through. By turning the ball (with a mechanism) 90 degrees, the hole disappears, and the flow stops. When you turn it part way, you can control the flow rate. Although the design is simple, it is highly effective.
Benefits
Because ball valves are simple, they are affordable and a cost-effective option for many companies. Simple valves are easy to maintain, and they have few moving parts. A ball valve is very durable and long-lasting, and you do not have to worry about frequent breakdowns causing expensive downtime or waste. Properly fitted ball valves offer no restrictive flow, and high pressure does not affect their efficiency.
Applications
Ball valves like Alfa Laval valves see use in many smaller applications today. They are most effective in sizes of six-inch diameter or less. They can easily seal liquids, gases, or air pressure lines. For slurry type materials, ball valves are not as effective and not commonly used for throttling applications. Sitting for long periods may cause sticking, so applications with frequent use are the most common.
