All Q&A Resources

Full Port valves have an internal opening that closely matches the pipe's inside diameter, where as, Standard Port valves have a smaller internal opening than the pipe, creating a flow restriction.

Seat wear is typically caused by a combination of mechanical friction, frequent cycling, throttling service, abrasive media, chemical attack, excessive temperature, pressure fluctuations, and improper installation or alignment.

Depending on the application, a seat may last anywhere from a few months to several decades. The most accurate answer is that butterfly valve seat life depends far more on operating conditions than on the valve's age.

A butterfly valve should generally be installed with the shaft in a horizontal position whenever practical. This orientation helps reduce seat wear, promotes more even disc loading, and can improve long-term performance in many applications.

While both involve moving fluid or gas out of a space, a purge port is generally used for a deliberate process function, whereas a vent hole is usually used for pressure management, safety, or leakage indication.‍

A pig device is a mechanical tool used in pipelines for various maintenance and operational purposes, such as cleaning, inspection, and product separation. The term "pig" is often believed to originate from the squealing noise that earlier models of these devices made as they moved through the pipeline, though some suggest that “PIG” is an acronym that stands for Pipeline Inspection Gauge.

A Severe or Critical Service Application refers to industrial, municipal, or commercial processes that involve extreme operating conditions that can compromise the safety, reliability, or efficiency of a system. These applications typically demand specialized equipment to withstand high levels of stress and perform under challenging conditions that may lie outside the range of typical products, test protocols and industry standards. - This can mean many things to many people, and one must take care to not simply throw money at a problem hoping it goes away.

A rotary actuator is a device that generates rotational motion to turn a shaft or mechanism, commonly used for quarter-turn valves like ball or butterfly valves. Think of a rotary actuator like a doorknob—when you turn it, it rotates around a central axis to open or close the door, just as a rotary actuator turns a valve stem or mechanism. A linear actuator is a device that produces straight-line motion to move a load along a single axis, often used for gate or globe valves requiring linear stem movement. A linear actuator is like a sliding drawer—when you pull or push it, the motion is straight and linear, just like moving a valve stem in or out to control flow.

A piggable valve is a type of valve that allows the free travel or passage of a device known as a pig. Pigs are mechanical tools inserted into a pipeline to perform tasks such as cleaning, inspection, or for separating media within a pipeline.

"WOG" stands for Water, Oil, and Gas, which is a rating that indicates the valve's maximum pressure handling capability for these three types of media. It is commonly expressed in terms of pounds per square inch (PSI) and is used to signify the valve's pressure tolerance under non-shock conditions.

Put simply, a throttling valve is not a type of valve, but rather, is an industry term that refers to how a valve is used. The term throttling valve refers to any valve that is operated in a way that partially restricts the flow of media (like a fluid, gas, or slurry) to control its rate or pressure. This contrasts with on/off valves, which are either fully open or fully closed and not typically used for regulating flow.

No, not all butterfly valves are bi-directional. Because bi-directional capability varies by valve design, it should never be assumed without verifying the manufacturer's documentation.

A valve class rating indicates the maximum allowable pressure that a valve can handle at a specific temperature. It's a standardized system used to ensure valves operate safely under different pressure and temperature conditions.