You might be familiar with stainless steel ball valves if you have worked with any kind of fluid processing system. These ball valves are basically quarter-turn valves that are often made with full-bore designs. This means it will completely stop the flow when closed and won’t hinder the flow when opened.
These types of valves are great where flow rate and pressure are important to the application. That is the reason why they are made from stainless steel as it is one of the strongest and most resilient materials out there. Furthermore, it can even handle top-notch pressure and temperature resistances.
There are many applications of stainless steel ball valves that you can read in this article below. However, if you want to order industrial-size stainless steel ball valves then just visit Addy-Addy.com. Apart from that, they are one of the largest electrical wholesalers online in Australia.
Why Stainless Steel?
The reason why stainless steel ball valves are vastly used is that it is a fantastic material and is tougher than cast iron, ductile iron, brass, and copper when it comes to copper rating and temperature tolerance. Stainless steel has all the similar qualities to carbon steel but beats it because stainless steel is corrosion resistant whereas carbon steel is not.
The only drawback of stainless steel is the price. But when you think about high-pressure tolerance, temperature limits, and corrosion resistance, stainless steel is value for money.
However, not all stainless steel is not created equal. There are many grades of stainless steel and the most common are 304 and 316. These number represents the chemical makeup of the material that is made from 50% iron and 10% chromium, regarding grade. More chromium in the mix, the higher the corrosion resistance. Your home faucet is made from 304 stainless steel as it resists corrosion fairly well due to the addition of nickel in the mix.
On the other hand, stainless steel ball valves are made from 316 stainless steel which is better equipped with harsh environments. The 316 stainless steel consists of a higher level of nickel and a substance called molybdenum. Both substances work with chromium to make the alloy more resistant to chlorides which are found in marine environments.
Uses of Stainless Steel Ball Valves
Petroleum Refining
The process of refining crude oil into usable outputs is a very complicated process. Here stainless steel ball valves play a very crucial role as crude petroleum can contain water, carbon dioxide, sulfur, and another different kind of microorganisms. All these make crude petroleum a very corrosive substance. It will slowly break down metal over time and that is the reason for using stainless steel valves and pipes in petroleum refineries.
Seawater Environments
Some applications also take place in or near seawater like desalination. These types of environment are not only harmful but are corrosive to all types of materials as it involves saltwater which affects the metals most of all. In such types of applications, many would prefer to use plastic ball valves that may have better resistance to water and harsh chemicals but the problem is, plastic valves lack the ability to perform under high pressures and extreme temperatures.
This is where the stainless steel ball valves come to the rescue, such valves have the ability to withstand intense conditions with ease. And with the proper maintenance, a stainless ball valve can have a long lifespan around seawater.
Brewing Systems
The last application where stainless steel ball valves are used the most is the brewery. They are usually located on the kettle and allow the user to control the liquid flow during transfers. The reason breweries use stainless steel valves is that they come in direct contact with wort which is the liquid that is extracted during the mashing process. Wort is a corrosive liquid that can wear down valves made of iron. Instead, plastic valves can be used but they cannot handle the temperatures encountered in brewing. Thus stainless steel is the best option available.
Wrapping Up
So, if you are the owner of a brewery or own a petroleum refinery, don’t forget to get stainless steel valves from Addy-Addy as they are one of the largest suppliers of stainless steel ball valves in Australia.
