Introduction to Copper Ball Valves
The copper
ball valve has a spherical opening and closing component, which rotates 90 degrees around the axis of the valve stem to achieve opening and closing.
The working principle of copper
ball valves is based on their unique structural design. When the ball valve is in the closed state, the surface of the ball tightly adheres to the valve seat, preventing the medium from passing through. When it is necessary to open the ball valve, the rotation of the valve stem drives the ball to rotate 90 degrees, aligning the through-hole on the ball with the pipeline, which can allow the medium to pass smoothly through the ball valve.
During the closing process, the rotation of the sphere gradually separates its surface from the valve seat, reducing friction between the sealing surfaces and lowering the operating torque. Meanwhile, the surface of the sphere is usually treated with special techniques to improve its sealing performance and wear resistance.
The main material of copper ball valves is copper alloy.
Common copper alloys include:
1. Brass: composed of copper and zinc, it has good mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and processability.
2. Bronze: It usually contains elements such as copper, tin, aluminum, etc. It has high strength and wear resistance.
In addition, in order to improve the performance and service life of copper ball valves, other elements such as lead and nickel may also be added. During the manufacturing process, components such as valve stems, spheres, and valve seats may use copper alloys with different composition ratios to meet different usage requirements.
In terms of sealing materials, rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), etc. may be used to ensure good sealing effect.
The main features of copper ball valves include the following aspects.
1. Low fluid resistance: its resistance coefficient is equal to that of a pipe segment of the same length.
2. Simple structure, small size and light weight. It is easy to install and maintain.
3. Good sealing performance: currently, plastic is widely used as the sealing surface material for ball valves, which has good sealing performance. Vacuum ball valves have also been widely used in vacuum systems.
4. Easy to operate: it opens and closes quickly, and only needs to be rotated 90 degrees from fully open to fully closed, making it convenient for remote control.
5. Wide application range: the diameter can be used from a few millimeters to one meter. It can be applied from high vacuum to high pressure. It is not limited by the installation direction, and the flow direction of the medium can be arbitrary.
6. Easy maintenance: ball valves have a simple structure, and the sealing rings are generally movable, making disassembly and replacement more convenient.
7. When fully open or fully closed, the sealing surfaces of the ball and valve seat are isolated from the medium, and the passage of the medium will not cause erosion of the valve-sealing surface.
The valve body of a copper ball valve can be integral or modular. Its main component is an alloy composed of copper and zinc.
In terms of models, there are multiple standards and specifications for copper ball valves. Common standards include the standard number for copper ball valves, which is GB/T 15185-1994. The standard number for industrial brass ball valves is NF/E 29-354-2003. The quality grading standard number for ball valve products is JC/T 783-2004. The standard number for glass fiber reinforced modified phenolic brass ball valves is JB/T 8861-2004, etc.
The operating temperature and pressure range of copper ball valves are affected by various factors, including material quality, manufacturing process, sealing materials, etc.
Generally speaking, the operating temperature range of common copper ball valves is usually between -29 ℃ and 200 ℃. However, in some special cases, copper ball valves that have been specially processed and designed can have a higher upper temperature limit for use.
As for pressure, the nominal pressure range of copper ball valves can usually range from PN10 to PN40. PN10 is roughly equivalent to 1.0MPa (about 10kg pressure), while PN40 is equivalent to 4.0MPa (about 40kg pressure).
It should be noted that in practical applications, in order to ensure the safe and reliable operation of copper ball valves, appropriate specifications and models of copper ball valves should be selected according to specific working conditions, such as medium characteristics, temperature changes, pressure fluctuations, etc., and installed, used, and maintained strictly in accordance with product manuals and relevant standards.
Copper ball valves have a wide range of application scenarios as follows.
1. Home water supply system
It can be used to control the flow of hot and cold water.
2. Air conditioning and refrigeration system: it is suitable for controlling the flow of refrigerant.
3. Industrial fluid control system: it is used for controlling various fluids in industries such as chemical, petroleum, and natural gas.
4. Ocean engineering: its excellent corrosion resistance enables it to be used in marine environments.
5. Construction field: such as heating, ventilation and other systems. When selecting copper ball valves, it is necessary to consider factors such as the properties of the medium, working pressure, and temperature to ensure that the ball valve can operate safely and reliably.
At the same time, during installation and use, it is also necessary to operate and maintain according to relevant specifications.
