How does a ball valve work?

How does a ball valve work?

A ball valve controls flow with a hollow sphere that has a bore through its center. Turning the handle a quarter turn aligns the bore with the pipeline — fluid flows freely. Rotate it 90° and the solid side blocks the flow with a tight seal.

 

  • Open or closed in one second. One lever rotation does it all: handle parallel to the pipe = open, perpendicular = closed.
  • Leak-free even after years of inactivity. Ring seats (typically PTFE) ensure a tight seal under high pressure and after long idle periods.
  • Built for on/off, not throttling. In the fully open position, the bore matches the pipe diameter — zero pressure drop, maximum efficiency.
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