Tips for Choosing the Right Valve

A valve is a mechanical device that controls the flow and pressure of a fluid in a hydraulic or air system. They are an important component of the piping system that transports liquids, gases, steam, slurries, etc.

There are many types of valves available, each with different characteristics, capacities, and uses. There are various operating methods available: manual, pneumatic, electric, etc.

How to choose valves?

Before selecting your valve, you need to determine what it will be used for. Will it be used to regulate the fluid or stop its flow?

Then it is necessary to verify the type of medium that will circulate in the system: is it a gas or a liquid? Is the medium corrosive, chemically neutral, a food product or medical liquid requiring special hygiene conditions?

When it comes to a valve operating system, it is important to know whether it is activated manually or automatically. In one case, someone has to be on site to operate the valve, while in another case the valve can be operated remotely, from a control station for example.

Finally, it is important to know how the valve will be integrated into the system and the type of assembly or fitting used, especially if it needs to be welded, bolted through flanges, or screwed.

Once you have determined these different elements, you can focus on the technical characteristics of your installation, particularly the flow and pressure that will allow you to determine your valve dimensions.

What are the main types of valves?

There are various types of valves that will be more or less adapted to your needs. If you want to stop the fluid circulation, we recommend that you choose a shut-off valve such as a ball valve, knife gate valve or gate valve.

If you want to control the fluid flow rate, it would be better to choose a control valve such as a needle valve, globe valve, piston valve or butterfly valve, all of which provide good throttling.