Types of Valves Used in the Oil & Gas Industry

A valve is a type of pipeline accessories that is used to change the cross-section and flow direction, control the pressure, rate, volume and temperature of the transported media. They can turn on and off, control, modulate or isolate the flow.

Choosing the right valve type can improve system efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and enhance safety. 

1. Gate Valve

In the oil and gas industry, gate valves are a very common type of valve. It is mainly used to open or close the flow, but is not suitable for regulating flow rate. Gate valves provide a direct flow path, minimizing the resistance of fluid flow. Gate valves are common and important in petrochemical plants. They are widely used in applications such as raw material processing, product separation, and pipeline cutting. Gate valves control the opening and closing of the medium by lifting or lowering the gate plate. They have the characteristics of simple structure, good sealing performance, and low resistance, and are suitable for high-pressure, large-diameter, and high-temperature environments.

2. Ball Valve

Ball valve is a type of valve that can be quickly opened and closed, mainly used to cut off or regulate the flow of medium. The structural design of ball valves is simple, small in size, light in weight, easy to maintain, and has good sealing performance, making them a very important valve type in the petrochemical industry. They are widely used in key equipment such as pipeline transportation systems, tank inlet and outlet, and reactors. Ball valves control the on-off and flow of media by rotating the ball, which has the advantages of simple structure, reliable sealing, and flexible operation. They are suitable for high temperature, high pressure, and corrosive media.

3. Globe Valve

Globe valves are mainly used to regulate flow, and can also be used to open or close the flow of fluids. When the shut-off valve is closed, the sealing surface between the valve seat and valve disc is in close contact, which can effectively prevent medium leakage. Globe valve is one of the most common valves in petrochemical plants. They are widely used in key processes such as raw material transportation, product processing, and system maintenance. The shut-off valve controls the flow of the medium by opening and closing the valve, in order to cut off, regulate or allow the passage of the medium. Globe valves have good sealing performance, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and other characteristics to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the system.

4. Butterfly Valve

The main characteristics of butterfly valves are easy operation, and their structure and weight are relatively light. Butterfly valves are mainly used for regulating flow and as shut-off devices. Due to its simple structure and low manufacturing cost, butterfly valves have been widely used in the oil and gas industry.

5. Check Valve

Check valves are mainly used to prevent medium backflow. It relies on the flow pressure of the medium to automatically open and close, playing an important role in protecting the safety of equipment and pipeline systems.

In the process pipelines of the petroleum industry, check valves are often used to prevent backflow of media and water hammer phenomena. Check valves mainly include snap ring check valves, inclined plate check valves, semi spherical check valves, etc. Among them, the snap ring check valve has a long service life and good sealing performance.

6. Pressure Reducing Valve

The pressure reducing valve is used to regulate the pressure in the pipeline system to maintain it within the set safety range. When the pressure of the pipeline system exceeds the set value, the pressure reducing valve can automatically open and discharge some of the medium, thereby reducing the system pressure.

7. Regulating Valve

A regulating valve is a valve used to regulate the flow rate, pressure, and temperature of a medium. The commonly used regulating valves in the petroleum industry include angle regulating valves, butterfly regulating valves, throttling devices, flow meters, etc. Due to the particularity of the medium in the petroleum industry, it is also necessary to consider the high temperature, high pressure, corrosion resistance and other characteristics of the valve when using it.

Regulating valves play a crucial role in regulating flow and pressure in petrochemical plants. They are widely used in key equipment such as storage tanks, reactors, distillation towers, and pipelines. The regulating valve can be manually or automatically adjusted as needed to ensure that the flow, pressure, and temperature in the system remain within the specified range, optimize the production process, and improve process efficiency.

8. Safety Valve

A safety valve is a type of valve used to protect the safety of pipelines, containers, and equipment. It is generally required to start quickly and reliably, and discharge a large amount of medium. Common safety valves include pressure safety valves, vacuum safety valves, and discharge valves. In the petroleum industry, safety valves are commonly used in crude oil storage tanks, refining facilities, gas storage tanks, and other applications. Safety valves are important devices for protecting equipment and personnel safety in petrochemical plants.

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