The fireproof ball valve is a specially designed industrial valve. On the basis of the ordinary ball valve, a fireproof structure is added to ensure that even if the soft seal (such as polytetrafluoroethylene) burns in the event of a fire, the metal sealing structure can maintain the effective cutoff of the medium to prevent leakage or explosion accidents. Its main purpose is to provide a safety barrier in a high temperature environment and is suitable for pipeline systems with flammable and explosive media.
- Core features
The design of the fireproof ball valve incorporates multiple safety mechanisms:
Fireproof structure : It adopts a double sealing system (soft seal plus metal seal). When the soft seal melts in a fire, the hard seal (such as the metal contact formed by the ball and the valve seat) automatically takes over to maintain the sealing performance.
Anti-static function (optional): Some models integrate conductive springs (set between the ball and the valve stem, and between the valve stem and the valve body) to promptly guide away static electricity and avoid igniting flammable media.
Operation optimization : The fixed ball design reduces friction torque and is easy to operate; the high platform structure supports the installation of standardized actuators (such as electric and pneumatic).
Safety Additional Features: Includes automatic pressure relief mechanism (automatically releases when the pressure in the valve cavity rises abnormally), and bidirectional sealing design (no need to consider the flow direction of the medium during installation).
- Application Areas
Fireproof ball valves are widely used in high-risk industries, including:
Oil, natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas distribution systems.
Pipelines involving flammable media (such as coal gas and hydrogen) in chemical, metallurgical, and electric power industries.
These applications emphasize their key role in protecting the safety of life and property.
- Difference from ordinary ball valves
The core difference between fireproof ball valves and ordinary ball valves lies in their safety redundancy: ordinary ball valves rely on a single soft seal, which is prone to failure in a fire; while fireproof ball valves use metal hard seals and fireproof designs to ensure reliability under extreme conditions. In addition, the anti-static feature is specifically designed for flammable environments, while ordinary ball valves are mainly used for non-hazardous media (such as water and air).
