Valves make a crucial component of any piping system, making them part and parcel of the oil and gas industry. They are useful in controlling flow rates, protecting or isolating equipment, and directing the crude oil refining process. Valves are used to regulate the flow of the material depending on the velocity and pressure requirements. A single factory can use different valves at any given time as they perform different functions. Let us look at some common types of valves used in the oil and gas industry.
Ball Valves
A ball valve is a quarter rotational valve that allows for a quick turn-on and turn-off operation. It uses a ball-shaped disk to control the flow. When the center part of the disc aligns with the pipe, the valve is open, and the medium flows through, but the alignment shifts and the flow stops when you turn it. Ball valves come in handy to regulate the proper flow, and they are prevalent in the industry as they are good at tightly sealing.
Expanding Gate Valves
Expanding gate valves come in handy to start or stop a flow where there is a straight-line flow of the medium, for instance, through a pipeline. The valve is characterized by a gate that shifts up and down to either open or close the valve. Typically an expanding gate valve, also known as a WKM Pow-R-Seal Valve, should be fully open or fully closed. They are handy in starting or stopping the flow of a medium such as oil and gas, but cannot be used in regulation and throttling applications. However, they can work with high temperature and high-pressure applications.
Butterfly Valves
A butterfly valve is a quarter rotational motion valve used to start, stop, or regulate a medium's flow. It features a gearbox, and the handwheel by gear connects to the stem. The stems differentiate the disk into two parts that look like butterfly wings. The user initiates a 90degree rotation of the valve handle to open or close it. Butterfly valves are light in weight, easy, and quick to use. In addition to that, they also come in big sizes and can handle low-pressure drop and high-pressure recovery.
Breather Valves
Breather valves are useful for tank protection and are also known as vacuum relief valves. They prevent excessive pressure or vacuum build-up that can damage the storage vessel. Weighted pallets are used to control pressure and vacuum protection levels and can be mixed to reach the required settings.
Globe Valves
Globe valves are linear motion valves for starting, stopping, or regulating flow. They are mainly used in turbine lube oil systems and transporting fuel oil systems. The globe valve is one of the most popular valves globally as it is regularly used for throttling and isolation services. They are common because they have a sufficient shut-off ability and are available in angle and tee wye patterns, and it is easy to machine the valve seats. However, they may perform dismally when high pressure drops and require greater forces under the seat to shut off the valve.
More valves are used in the oil and gas industry, and the above are just some of the basic types.
