Valves

A: Valves
By: Anton Dooley
A valve is a mechanical device that regulates the flow of fluids (either gases, fluidised solids, slurries or liquids) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are used in a myriad of industrial, military, commercial, and residential applications. There are many different types of valves:
Ball valve, which is good for on/off control;
Butterfly valve, particularly in large pipes;
Gate valve, mainly for on/off control;
Globe valve, which is good for regulating flow;
check valve or Non-return valve, allows the fluid to pass in one direction only;
A pressure relief valve or safety valve operates automatically at a set differential pressure to correct a potentially dangerous situation, typically over-pressure.
High purity valves, are flow control devices that meet the industry criteria for purity of materials and design.