Why Are Valves Important?

Why Are Valves Important?

Most people probably don’t realize just how ubiquitous and indispensable valves are. Do you know how many valves you use every day? And how important they are for our everyday life? Probably not, since we usually take them for granted, except when they malfunction.

The basic concept of a valve

A valve is a fitting that regulates the flow of a fluid (be it gas or liquid) through a passageway. It does so by blocking, partially obstructing, or opening the passage. Their name comes from Latin, meaning to turn (fun fact, the automotive company VOLVO gets its name from the same Latin verb). The simplest form of a valve is the so-called check valve. It is also a very ancient design. It consists of a flap, hinged on one side, free on the other. What it does is it stops the flow of the fluid in one direction, while allowing it in the opposite direction.

Various types of valves are required in many industries in order to regulate the fluid flow within that system. Valves can be manually operated or they can have an actuator to change and control the valve opening. The actuator may be pneumatically, hydraulically, or electrically operated.

Valves are installed on equipment/piping to perform any of the following functions:

·         Isolation

·         Regulation

·         Non-Return

·         Special Purpose

There are many valve designs and types that satisfy one or more of the functions identified above.  Because of the diversity of the types of systems, fluids, and environments in which valves must operate, a vast array of valve types have been developed.

Commonly used valves

Examples of the common types are the Gate Valve, Globe Valve, Butterfly Valve, Ball Valve, Needle Valve, Check Valve, Plug Valve, Diaphragm Valve, and Safety/relief Valve and many more.

Each type of valve has been designed to meet specific needs. Some valves are capable of throttling flow, other valve types can only stop flow, others work well in corrosive systems, and others handle high pressure fluids. Each valve type has certain inherent advantages and disadvantages.

Materials/sizes/operation methods

We can discuss valves in terms of materials. They are usually made of metal, as they need to be durable, but they can be made of plastic or rubber if they are disposable. Again, in terms of size, they are usually on the smaller scale, ranging from 0.1 mm to about 60cm. There are, however, specialized valves that can vastly outsize that. Think about those huge gas line pipes. The valves controlling the flow in them are massive.

Application Areas:

Oil & Gas, Fertilizer, Chemical Industries, Construction, Water Treatment Plant, Manufacturing Plants, Marine Application, Power Sectors and more.

RAAH specializes in sourcing for Valves that are of high quality and industry accepted. RAAH team of expert engineers’ source from across the globe, compare quotes and offer the best possible lead time and price to our customers.

RAAH supports project procurement teams by sourcing for the valves they require across the globe. Our Engineers are trained to compare specs and ensure that they fit the requirements of the client. Offering a high quality of genuine valves, RAAH has been a valuable partner to many MNCs and Operators across the region.