Installation Basics for Ball Valves

Three piece industrial ball valve, manually operated
Image courtesy of Duravalve, Inc.

Ball valves are characterized by their closure mechanism. Most often, a ball valve has a spherically shaped fabrication (ball) that is inserted in the fluid flow path. The ball has an opening through its center, often circular in cross section and matching the diameter and shape of the connected pipe. The ball is contained within the body of the valve and rotated around its central axis by torque applied to the stem. The stem, which extends through a seal to the exterior of the valve body, can be manually or automatically controlled via several methods.

During valve operation, the ball is rotated through a ninety degree arc from a fully closed to fully open position. When fully closed, the opening in the ball faces the sidewalls of the valve body and is cut off from the fluid by seals that secure the ball in place and prevent fluid flow around the ball. As the valve stem is rotated toward the open position, the cross sectional area of the opening is increasingly exposed to the fluid flow path until the open area through the ball is aligned with the flow path in the fully open position.

Here are some general installation and removal guidelines for ball valves.

• Verify whether the valve is unidirectional or bidirectional. If valve function is limited to a single direction, make sure the inlet and outlet ports are properly oriented to the piping system flow direction.
• Adequate access for handle movement, along with an operator's hand, should be confirmed prior to installing the valve.
• Ball valves will function in any orientation.
• If automated with an actuator, maintain sufficient clearance around the valve and actuator to provide adequate maintenance access.
• Keep the installation area free of debris and dirt. Protect any valve parts that are removed or are awaiting installation. Avoid introducing any foreign matter, dirt or debris into the valve.
• Valves may have any of a number of connection methods, including threaded, flanged, or socket weld. Disassembly of the valve may be appropriate when installing some types, especially socket weld. Care should be taken to avoid any damage to the ball surface, seals, or sealing surfaces. Scratches and nicks can produce leakage when the valve is reassembled.
• If disassembling a currently installed valve, verify that the piping system is not under pressure prior to starting. Cycle the valve through open and closed positions a couple times to relieve any pressure that may be retained in the valve body.
• Follow all manufacturer recommendations for applied torque on any fasteners.
• When a ball valve is disassembled, for any reason, it may be a good time to replace seats.
• Leak check final installation. Tighten packing gland nut to eliminate leaks at the stem.

These are general recommendations. In every instance, a review of the valve manufacturer's specific instructions prior to starting installation or service is good practice. Share your fluid control challenges with industrial valve specialists. Leverage your own knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

Automatic Self Cleaning Strainer for Fluid Processing

An automatic self-cleaning strainer is suitable for many
applications and reduces manual maintenance.

Strainers and other filtration equipment reduce the burden of targeted unwanted solids in a fluid system. Potentially damaging particulate material is trapped and held for removal from the system. Keeping fluid systems clean helps to maintain long term design performance and potentially extends the operating life of pumps, valves, and other mechanical devices in the system.

Strainers generally consist of a heavy duty housing and a contained screen with controlled opening size designed to disallow the passage of particles exceeding a targeted size. Trapped particulates remain on the screen, or within a shape created by the screen such as a basket (see basket strainer). The continuing collection of solids will eventually impede the free flow of the process fluid, so the strainer must be emptied or cleaned periodically. The frequency of cleaning is a function of the solids content of the incoming fluid and may not necessarily be a regular interval. A simple strainer, to be cleaned, requires temporary shutdown of the flow or bypass of process fluid around the strainer assembly. A duplex strainer consists of twin strainers, usually housed in a common assembly, with a diverter valve that allows the inlet flow to be directed to one of the strainers while closing off the other from the system. This allows for cleaning of one of the strainers while the other is in active service, maintaining continuous fluid flow.

A third solution provides the continuous operation of a duplex strainer, but without the need for manual cleaning. 

An automatic self-cleaning strainer, such as the MCS 500 from Eaton provides uninterrupted operation without a duplex configuration or regular manual cleaning. It's form is essentially a housed strainer with a built-in scraper blade that moves along the inlet surface of the strainer media, moving accumulated solids to a collection chamber at the bottom of the pressure housing. Automatic controls regulate the operation of the scraper and discharge valve on the purge chamber that removes the collected solids from the system. The automatic self-cleaning strainer provides a cost effective time saving solution for the filtration of compatible fluids.

More detail for the MCS 500 is provided below. Share your fluid filtration requirements and challenges with fluid processing specialists. Leverage your own process knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

Automatic Self-Cleaning Strainer for Process Fluids from MSJacobs-Cali

Installing a Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Meter

Ultrasonic flow meter with clamp on sensor
Courtesy Flexim

Ultrasonic flow meters are utilized throughout the fluid processing industries, as well as for compressed air and energy monitoring. The non-invasive nature of the sensor installation couples with sufficient accuracy and low maintenance requirements to give this technology a competitive edge for many applications.

Producing consistently accurate results with an ultrasonic flow meter depends heavily on a proper installation. Flexim, a globally recognized leader in the manufacture of ultrasonic flow meters, provides us with a video that steps through the installation process, with recommendations and guidance along the way.

Flexim manufactures a full range of ultrasonic flow measurement equipment and instruments for industrial and commercial applications. Share your flow measurement challenges with process measurement experts, combining your process knowledge with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

MS Jacobs & Associates Offers Line of Corrosion Resistant Industrial Fluid Handling Process Control Equipment

TKS/TKP/TKM Series PVC + PP Paddle Wheel Flow Meters

Courtesy Icon Process Controls Ltd.

MS Jacobs & Associates now represents ICON Process Controls in Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia. ICON specializes in corrosion resistant industrial fluid handling process control equipment, offering industry the most complete line of all plastic instrumentation products supported by the largest inventory in North America. Markets include Municipal and Industrial Water & Waste-Water Treatment, Bulk Chemicals, Steel Processing, Metal Finishing, Chemical Dosing Skids, and Food & Beverage.

The company's products complement and expand MS Jacobs' already extensive array of process measurement and control instruments and equipment. The ICON line includes devices for measuring and controlling flow, level, pressure, and temperature. Their unique all plastic construction makes the ICON equipment and instruments particularly well suited to the harshest industrial environments.

For information about the complete line of corrosion resistant industrial fluid handling process control equipment from ICON, reach out to the process control experts at MS Jacobs. Share you process control challenges and combine your process knowledge with their product application expertise to formulate the best solutions.