Tech articles

Flexible wedge gate valve and split wedge gate valve have inclined V-shaped seats just like a wedge. The Wedge gate valve is easily the most commonly used valve. This valve like stainless steel Y strainer might be installed in any position.

A gate valve operates by moving a wedge shaped disc obstructer along to open and close the flow path from the valve. This linear motion is provided by the threaded rising stem. They should just be used for on/off applications as throttling to have an extended stretch of time will damage their obstructer and seals. Use of a gate valve for throttling can be not very effective since most on the reduction of flow raises in the last 10% of closure.Solid Wedge: Solid Wedge Disks are commonly used due to simple and less costly design.

Flexible Wedge: A Flexible Wedge gate valve features a disk using a cut across the perimeter. A shallow cut gives less flexibility. A deeper cut provides more flexibility. Flexible Wedge gate valves tend to be used in steam systems. The flexible gate prevents the disc from binding into your seat once the lines are heated that may cause some distortion from the valve bodies

Split Wedge: Split Wedge gate valves are of ball and socket design. In a split wedge gate valve, both disk halves have outward resistant to the body seats by the spreader as soon as the disk may be fully lowered into its seating position.

The valve flow characteristics of gate valve could cause high velocity of flow to happen for longer duration as the opening or closing the valve on account of slow movement of wedge or gate. High velocities could potentially cause erosion of seat as well as the disc thereby decreasing the design life from the valve. This condition can also be referred to as “wire drawing” effect.

Gate valves are inclined to the solid wedge or disc getting stuck between your seats because of differential contraction between valve seats as well as the wedge during shutdown of high temperatures piping system. The piping system must be reheated with the disc to go smoothly again. This makes the gate valve unsuitable to use in piping systems be subject to high fluctuations in temperature. However, this concern can be overcome by making use of gate valve with flexible wedges.Solid wedge gate valves are understanding of thermal expansion loads or bending moments which may cause the wedge or disc to lock relating to the valve seats.