Forged steel three-way ball valve is a high-performance valve made of forged steel with three fluid channels. It achieves switching, diversion, or merging of media flow by rotating the ball. It is widely used in industrial fields such as petroleum, chemical, power, and metallurgy that require high pressure, high temperature, or high reliability fluid control.
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Forged Three-Way Ball Valve Technical parameters
Caliber: DN15 ~ DN250
Design and manufacturing: API608,API6D
Face-to-face dimensions: ASME B16.10,API6D
Connection forms: Flange, Wafer
Pressure test: API598,API6D
Pressure temperature level: ≤250℃
Pressure: PN16~PN40
Forged steel three-way ball valve Structural Composition
The main components of a forged steel three-way ball valve (such as the valve body, valve cover, valve stem, and ball) are all machined from forged steel. Forged steel undergoes a high-temperature forging process to create a uniform and dense internal structure, avoiding defects such as sand holes, cracks, and air holes that may occur in cast steel parts, significantly improving the valve's sealing performance and structural strength. Its core structure includes:
Ball: The surface is machined with three channels, each connecting to one of three pipes.
Seat: Forms a sealing surface with the ball, ensuring no leakage when closed.
Valve Stem: Connects the ball to the transmission mechanism (such as a handwheel or electric actuator), driving the ball to rotate.
Sealing Components: Includes the valve seat seal ring and valve stem packing, preventing media leakage.
Classification and Flow Channel Form of Forged Steel Three-Way Ball Valves
Based on the different ball channel structures, imported forged steel three-way ball valves can be classified into the following types:
L-type Three-Way Ball Valve:
The ball has an L-shaped flow channel, connecting two perpendicularly intersecting pipes (such as horizontal and vertical directions).
Suitable for switching media flow direction, but cannot simultaneously connect a third pipeline.
Typical applications: Branch pipelines in heating systems, single-path switching in chemical processes.
T-type three-way ball valve:
The ball has a T-shaped flow channel, allowing simultaneous connection of three pipelines or disconnection of one.
Suitable for media diversion, merging, or flow direction switching.
Typical applications: Multi-branch control in oil and gas, multi-feed in reactors.
Y-type three-way ball valve:
The ball's flow channel angle is 120° or 135°, installed in a Y-shaped pipeline.
Suitable for smooth switching of media flow direction, reducing pressure loss.
Typical applications: Clean pipelines in the pharmaceutical industry, multi-directional flow diversion in food processing.
Working principle of forged steel three-way ball valve:
The forged steel three-way ball valve achieves valve opening, closing, and flow direction control by rotating the ball:
Opening process:
Rotate the handwheel counterclockwise (or start the electric actuator), the valve stem drives the ball away from the valve seat.
The guide pin within the valve stem's spiral groove causes the ball to rotate without friction until it reaches the fully open position.
At this point, the ball's passage is aligned with the pipeline, allowing free flow of the medium.
Closing process:
Rotate the handwheel clockwise; the valve stem pushes the ball to contact the valve seat.
The guide pin within the valve stem's spiral groove causes the ball to rotate 90°, disengaging from the valve seat and continuing to rotate until it reaches the closed position.
The angular flat surface at the bottom of the valve stem mechanically weaves the ball, ensuring a tight seal.
Forged Three-Way Ball Valve factory
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