What is the difference between Bolted Construction Ball Valve and Welded Ball Valve?
June 21st, 2009 | 
Author:
Please specify the difference in detail and which one is better ?
The body of the valve can be either welded together or be held together with external bolts at each corner.
Posted in Ball Valves
One is bolted and one is welded… depends on how much torque it will be withstanding… i would personally go with welded.
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The body of the valve can be either welded together or be held together with external bolts at each corner.
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Bolted makes for easier installation, ie. no "fire watch" is needed. It also makes for easier maintenance, you can remove and replace with hand tools. If a design change occurs later, just swap it out. Welding/soldering can subject the valve to excessive heat thereby possibly damaging the sealing material used in the construction of the valve. To really complicate the answer it depends on the situation. Larger projects normally call for butterfly or gate valves, smaller projects have ball valves as a choice.
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Depending on size, in order to get the ball into the body of the valve, the body must be split. This split can be closed by welding or by a flange with bolts.
Small ball valves can be made from a sandwich of two ends with the ball and its housing in between. These type are always bolted.
There is really no best way to make a ball valve, but depending on its use or need for repair, one type may be more desirable. More information about the specific service, temperature and pressure as well as size is necessary to determine what might be best.
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