A Ball Valve is a type of quarter-turn valve that uses a hollow, perforated, and pivoting ball to control flow through it. The valve is open when the ball’s hole is aligned with the flow and closed when it is pivoted 90 degrees by the valve handle. The handle lies flat in alignment with the flow when open and is perpendicular to it when closed, providing easy visual confirmation of the valve’s status.
Ball Valves are durable, performing reliably even after many cycles, and they close securely even after long periods of disuse. These qualities make them an excellent choice for shutoff and control applications, often preferred over Gate and Globe Valves. However, they do not offer the fine control needed for throttling applications.