A ball valve is a valve with a spherical disc, the part of the valve which controls the flow through it. The sphere has a hole, or port, through the middle so that when the port is in line with both ends of the valve, flow will occur. Ball valves are durable and usually work to achieve perfect shutoff even after years of disuse. They are therefore an excellent choice for shutoff applications. They do not offer the fine control that may be necessary in throttling applications but are sometimes used for this purpose. Ball valves are used extensively in industrial applications because they are very versatile, supporting pressures up to 700 bars and temperatures up to 200°C. Sizes typically range from 0.5 cm to 30 cm. They are easy to repair and operate. The body of ball valves may be made of metal, plastic or metal with a ceramic center. The ball is often chrome plated to make it more durable. There are five general body styles of ball valves: single body, three piece body, split body, top entry, and welded. The difference is based on how the pieces of the valve—especially the casing that contains the ball itself—are manufactured and assembled. B2BManufactures.Com lists a variety of qualify Ball Valve made in China & Taiwan. Inquires are welcome from worldwide agents, importers, chain stores, distributors and wholesalers etc....
source: Wikipedia: the free encyclopedia