What is the difference between wedge gate valve and pressure reducing valve?
Wedge gate valves and pressure reducing valves are two different types of valves, their main difference lies in design and function.
Structure and operating principle:
Wedge gate valve: this type of valve has a wedge-shaped gate, which is forced to close the gate through the up and down movement of the valve stem, thus plugging the pipeline. This makes the seal between the gate and the seat tighter and is suitable for applications requiring a high degree of sealing.
Pressure Reducing Valve: A pressure reducing valve is designed to reduce the pressure within a pipeline. It reduces pressure by increasing the local resistance of the fluid through an internal throttling element. Pressure reducing valves allow the outlet pressure to be adjusted as required to ensure that the back-end equipment or system operates at a stable low pressure.
Main uses:
Wedge gate valve: commonly used to open and close the pipeline, suitable for media that do not need to adjust the pressure or flow, such as sewage, coal slurry, etc..
Pressure reducing valve: mainly used in systems that need to maintain a stable lower pressure, such as boiler systems in the steam pressure reduction, or high-rise buildings in the water supply system to maintain a stable water pressure.
Fluid characteristics:
Wedge Gate Valves: During opening and closing, the sealing surface between the gate and seat may be affected by particles in the medium, resulting in wear or damage.
Pressure reducing valve: when the fluid passes through the pressure reducing valve, through its internal throttling effect, it can effectively control the flow rate and pressure, and reduce the hydrodynamic impact.
To summarise, wedge gate valves are mainly used for switching control of pipelines, while pressure reducing valves are mainly used to regulate system pressure.