What is a gate valve
A gate valve is a valve whose opening and closing member (disc) moves perpendicular to the flow direction (channel axis) of the medium. The disc is the opening and closing member of a gate valve, and its movement is perpendicular to the flow direction. A gate valve can only be fully opened or closed and cannot be adjusted or throttled. A gate valve seals through contact between the valve seat and the disc. The sealing surface is typically welded with metal materials such as 1Cr13, STL6, or stainless steel to increase wear resistance.
What is the function of the gate valve
1. Isolation and Connection: Used for isolating main pipelines or equipment during maintenance. For example, gate valves larger than DN300 account for over 60% of all oil pipelines (according to a 2022 report by the American Petroleum Institute).
2. Flow Control (Limited): Suitable only for non-precise flow control scenarios. Prolonged partial opening can easily lead to vibration and wear of the gate disc.
3. Safety Protection: Combined with a bypass system, emergency shutoff can be achieved. Nuclear power gate valves must meet the 1500 lb pressure rating of ASME B16.34.
4. Bidirectional Flow Control: The symmetrical design of wedge-type gate valves allows bidirectional flow, while globe valves are typically used unidirectionally.
5. Energy Saving and Consumption Reduction: Pressure loss in the fully open state is almost zero, making it suitable for reducing pumping energy consumption in long-distance pipelines.
