Gate valves tend to be less expensive than ball valves, but are more susceptible to corrosion. Over time, the internal stem that connects the knob to the gate becomes increasingly likely to fail. They are often used with larger pipe diameters of two inches and up.
Ball valves are more effective at forming a tight seal and have more reliability and longevity than gate valves, but tend to be more expensive. They are often used for shutoff and control applications.
Because ball valves can open and close immediately, they are more likely than gate valves to cause water hammer. When a valve is quickly closed on water moving at high pressure through pipes, it can cause shock waves through the plumbing that create a hammering sound. Under high enough pressure, water hammer can cause a pipe to weaken and break. For that reason, users are advised to turn the ball valve lever slowly to avoid water hammer.
Some areas require the use of gate valves placed before and after the water meter in certain systems.
Gate valves tend to be less expensive than ball valves, but are more susceptible to corrosion. Over time, the internal stem that connects the knob to the gate becomes increasingly likely to fail. They are often used with larger pipe diameters of two inches and up.
Ball valves are more effective at forming a tight seal and have more reliability and longevity than gate valves, but tend to be more expensive. They are often used for shutoff and control applications.
Because ball valves can open and close immediately, they are more likely than gate valves to cause water hammer. When a valve is quickly closed on water moving at high pressure through pipes, it can cause shock waves through the plumbing that create a hammering sound. Under high enough pressure, water hammer can cause a pipe to weaken and break. For that reason, users are advised to turn the ball valve lever slowly to avoid water hammer.
Some areas require the use of gate valves placed before and after the water meter in certain systems.
Both gate valves and ball valves are on/off valves that are available in various sizes and materials, as well as different temperature and pressure ratings. Although these types of valves can be used in similar environments, there are significant structural and operational differences between the two.
Read on to learn the differences and how to pick the right one for your application.
Gate valves are used to completely stop or start the flow of fluid through a pipeline by lifting or lowering a solid, rectangular gate. These valves consist of a valve body, seat, disc, spindle, gland and actuator.
Gate valves are not used to regulate flow — they are designed to be fully open or fully closed. These valves are slower than quarter-turn valves (like ball valves) because they require more than a 360° turn to change the position of the gate, whereas a ball valve requires only a 90° turn to cycle from open to closed or vice-versa. Because of this, gate valves may not be the best choice for applications that require frequent operation or fast cycle times. Gate valves are most commonly controlled by a manual handwheel, but electric and pneumatic actuation options are also available.
While a solid rectangular gate controls the flow of media through a gate valve, a ball valve relies on a pivoting ball to control the flow of liquid or gas. The ball has a bore (or hole) in it that the media passes through, and its position indicates whether the valve is open or closed.
Ball valves can be designed with multiple openings, also known as ports. Two-way ball valves have two ports and are used for basic on/off control. There are also multi-port valves that are used in applications that need to divert media in different directions or that may require more than one source of media.
Since ball valves only require a 90° turn to control the position of the ball, they are a faster option for on/off control than gate valves. Ball valves are available with manual or automated actuation.
As we mentioned, ball valves operate by rotating a ball 90° while gate valves are controlled by moving a gate up or down. Because of their design, ball valves can perform an almost immediate shutoff, whereas gate valves are not able to act as quickly. This makes ball valves a better choice for applications where fast cycle speed is desired.
The 90° operation of ball valves makes them faster to cycle, both manually and with an actuator. This is a benefit in most instances but can potentially cause water hammer in high-pressure applications. If the pressure is high enough, the pipe could weaken or even break, which is why users of manual ball valves should turn the levers slowly to avoid water hammer.
Gate Valve Uses Ball Valve Uses Shutoff and isolation service for:
Wastewater Plants
Power Plants
Mining
Process Plants
Large Water Supply Lines
Gate valves are commonly found in older home plumbing systems.
On/off control for specialized industries including:
Oil & Gas
Food & Beverage Equipment
Automotive
Vehicle Wash Systems
Power Processing
Pharmaceutical
Chemical Admixtures & Treatment
Irrigation & Water Treatment Equipment
Manufacturing Facilities
Ball valves are also found in newer home plumbing systems.
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