The main difference between floating ball valves and fixed ball valves is their working principle, structure, application scenarios and performance characteristics. Here are the specific differences between them:
How it works:
The ball body of the floating ball valve can be slightly displaced under the pressure of the medium and fit snugly into the seat to achieve a seal. This design makes the floating ball valve small in size, light in weight, simple in structure and good in sealing, but all the working medium load borne by the ball is transmitted to the outlet sealing ring, so it is necessary to consider whether the sealing ring material can withstand the working load of the ball medium.
The ball body of the fixed ball valve is fixed and does not displace. After being pressured by the medium, the valve seat moves and fits snugly into the ball to achieve a seal. The bottom surface of the ball of the fixed ball valve has a fixed shaft to fix the part of the ball, so there is no displacement. This design makes the fixed ball valve suitable for high-pressure and large-diameter valves, with a small operating torque and a more reliable sealing effect.
Structural features:
The ball body of a floating ball valve does not have a fixed shaft and can float freely.
The ball body of a fixed ball valve has a fixed shaft and cannot be displaced.
Applicable Scenarios:
Floating ball valves are suitable for low and medium pressure and small diameters.
Fixed ball valves are suitable for high-pressure, large-diameter occasions, especially long-distance pipelines and general industrial pipelines, because of their good safety, harsh environmental resistance and stable sealing performance.
Performance characteristics:
The advantages of floating ball valves include small size, light weight, simple structure, fast opening and closing, and low flow resistance.
Fixed ball valves, on the other hand, are characterized by their high safety, long life, low operating torque and bi-directional sealing capability, and are usually installed horizontally.
The specific type of copper ball valve (floating or fixed) depends on its design and application. If a copper ball valve is designed to allow the ball to be displaced under the pressure of the medium to achieve a seal, then it is a floating ball valve; If it is designed so that the ball body is fixed and the seal is achieved by moving the seat, it is a fixed ball valve.
