PFA lined ball valves use a PFA-made lining to control fluid flow with advantages of strong chemical resistance and mechanical durability. They are ideal valves for chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, and petroleum industries. Curious on their structure, functionality, benefits, maintenance and uses? Let’s explore.
Ball valve sealing controls fluid flow following a 90 degree movement axis. And this gives it a second name: the quarter turn valve. Ball valves contain a ball whose movement controls opening/closing. This ball has a hole/passageway drilled through it which allows fluid flow.
When the ball valve is closed, the external hinge is perpendicular to the fluid flow. In this position, the passageway in the ball is not facing the fluid. To open the flow, the valve must be rotated by 90 degrees. And in turn this rotates the ball which then faces the fluid allowing it to flow through.
Ball valves that are lined with PFA/PTFE layers have no difference in functionality. Instead, these layers mostly add corrosion resistance benefits.
Most FDA compliant valves found in industrial operations come with PFA lining benefits. Some of these benefits are:
PFA Lining | PTFE Lining |
Offer greater flexibility, but lower flex life | Offer lower flexibility, but higher flex life |
Absorbs more water | More resistant to water containing fluids |
Offers high temperature resistance | Better temperature resistance than PFA |
Low friction coefficient | Lower friction coefficient than PFA |
Taking good care of PFA lined ball valves can prolong use. Here are tips to follow:
PFA lined ball valves are often used for the following operations:
PFA lined ball valves are used to control flow of fluids in industrial operations. These contain a ball with a passageway which allows fluid to pass through when open. The PFA lining gives the valve high temperature resistance and greater chemical compatibility.
Some of the PFA lining benefits are that it gives ball valves higher pressure and temperature resistance. It also produces less friction when in contact with fluids. PFA Lining also makes ball valves more corrosion resistant.
Resources:
What is a fluorine-lined valve? How to extend the service life of it? (tanghaivalve.com)
The properties, benefits & uses of PFA – Adtech
What is a Ball Valve? Anatomy and Function | Superlok Blog | Mako (superlokworld.com)
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