Stainless steel floating ball valve is a critical control device widely used in industrial pipeline systems, primarily designed to start, stop, or regulate fluid flow by rotating the ball. This valve features a floating ball design, where the ball freely shifts under medium pressure to press tightly against the seat, ensuring a compact structure, reliable sealing, and easy operation.
Key Features
Floating Ball Mechanism: Automatically compensates for wear, maintaining sealing integrity.
Zero-Leakage Performance: PTFE or metal seats ensure ANSI/FCI 70-2 Class VI tightness.
Versatile Applications: Suitable for water, oil, steam, and corrosive media (e.g., in chemical, oil & gas, and water treatment systems).
Order specification
Type: Floating Ball Valve.
Body Material: SS316L.
Trim Material: SS316.
Seat: RPTFE.
Class: PN50.
Size: DN50.
Connection End: SW.
Structural Composition
Valve Body: Typically made of stainless steel materials such as 304, 304L, 316, or 316L.
304 stainless steel offers good corrosion resistance and machinability, suitable for general corrosive media.
316 stainless steel, with added molybdenum, provides enhanced corrosion resistance, making it ideal for marine environments or media containing chloride ions.
The valve body is designed with multiple connection types (e.g., flanged, threaded, welded) for easy integration into pipeline systems.
Ball: Also made of stainless steel, precision-machined and ground to ensure a low surface roughness and effective sealing with the seat. The ball floats under medium pressure, automatically centering itself to compensate for machining errors or wear.
Seat: Common materials include:
Non-metallic: PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), RPTFE (reinforced PTFE), PPL (polyphenylene). These offer excellent sealing and low friction, suitable for general conditions.
Metal: Stainless steel with hard alloy coatings, designed for high-temperature, high-pressure, or highly corrosive environments.
Stem: Typically made of 304 or 316 stainless steel, heat-treated for high strength and toughness. Sealing is achieved via:
Packing seal: Simple and cost-effective but requires periodic maintenance.
Bellows seal: Superior sealing performance and longer lifespan but at a higher cost.
Actuation: Options include manual, pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic operation.
Manual is suitable for small, low-pressure valves.
Pneumatic/electric/hydraulic enables remote control and automation, ideal for large, high-pressure, or frequently operated valves.
Working Principle
Similar to forged steel floating ball valves, the valve opens/closes by rotating the stem 90°.
Closed: The ball presses tightly against the seat under medium pressure, forming a seal.
Open: The ball rotates 90°, aligning the flow path for unobstructed fluid passage.