3-way ball valves – features and advantages

3-way ball valves are a versatile solution for flow management in industrial piping systems. Used in sectors such as chemical, energy or water treatment, these ball valves allow redirecting, mixing or isolating the flow of liquids and gases.

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What Are 3-Way Ball Valves?

3-way ball valves are a versatile solution for managing flows in industrial piping systems. Widely used in industries such as chemical, energy, and water treatment, these ball valves allow for redirecting, mixing, or isolating the flow of liquids and gases.

These valves incorporate a perforated ball inside, with three ports (inlets/outlets). Through a rotational ball mechanism, they enable the flow of a fluid in different directions, configurations in L-shape or T-shape, making them essential tools for flexible flow management.

Features of FHT Valves 3-Way Ball Valves

FHT Valves&#; 3-way ball valves are made with high-quality materials and have a compact, robust design:

• High-Strength Materials: Stainless steel, bronze, and other materials offering excellent resistance to corrosion and wear.
• Custom Configuration Options: Adaptable to the specific needs of different industries and applications.
• Secure and Reliable Sealing: Minimizes leaks and ensures safe, efficient operation.

Advantages of 3-Way Ball Valves

These valves excel in maintaining safety and efficiency in industrial systems:

• Versatility: Quickly and safely change the direction or combination of flows.
• Space-Saving: Operates various flows in compact spaces.
• Ease of Maintenance: Simple structure facilitates disassembly and cleaning.
• Reliability and Durability: Built with resilient materials to withstand high pressures and temperatures.

Applications of 3-Way Ball Valves in Industry

3-way ball valves are used in situations requiring multiple pipelines for channeling liquids or diverting fluids in different directions.

• In the chemical industry, they mix and distribute chemicals in various manufacturing processes.
• In water treatment, they direct and combine flows in purification, filtration, or chemical dosing systems.
• In the energy and petroleum sector, these valves redirect oil and gas flows in refineries and platforms.
• They are also used in HVAC systems and other industrial processes requiring quick flow changes.

When selecting a 3-way ball valve, consider factors such as configuration type (L or T), material compatibility, system pressure and temperature, and maintenance requirements. FHT Valves provides expert guidance to choose the most suitable solution for any application, ensuring maximum system efficiency and reliability.

3-Way Ball Valves

What Types of 3-Way Ball Valves Are There?

There are two types of 3-way ball valves: L-Port and T-Port. An L-Port can send flow one way or the other or can shut it off completely. A T-Port will perform all the same flow tasks as an L-Port but cannot be shut off. In addition, the T-Port can mix flows by sending or receiving flow to/from both ways of the Tee. The "T" and "L" refer to the shape of the opening in the ball.

How a 3-Way Ball Valve Works

A 3-way ball valve works by turning the handle, which rotates a ball in the valve body, to align the cut-out channels in the ball with the inlets and outlets of the valve. The "L" shape cut-out of the ball on an L-port valve sends fluid through 90 degrees from one port to another. The "T" shape cut-out of the ball on a T-port valve can also send from one port to another, but can also be rotated so that the T aligns with the "T" shape of the valve and all three ports are mixed.

L-Port Valve

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T-Port Valve

Which Type of 3-Way Ball Valve Is Best?

The best type of 3-way ball valve for your application depends on whether you foresee a need to shut off all ports at any stage of operation or mix all three flows. If there is a requirement to close the valve completely, then you should choose an L-port. If there is a requirement to mix all three flows, then you should choose a T-port.

How Can I Use a T-Port 3-Way Valve but Still Shut off All the Flows?

To shut off all the flows on a T-port 3-way valve, a separate valve must be added to the two opposite branches of the tee. To close the flow off, the two valves must be closed and the ball in the 3-way valve turned to face the rear of the valve. A better solution is to install a tee piece with a single valve on each branch.

How to Tell Direction of Flow in a 3-Way Ball Valve

On a 3-way ball valve there will be a tee-shaped arrow indicator on the handle which mimics the cut out section of the ball inside the valve. By referring to this mark, it can be ascertained which direction(s) the flow will travel through the valve.

Why Won't My Flows Mix Properly with a 3-Way Valve?

To mix flows accurately on a 3-way T-port valve, it is important that both the feed pipes have the same, consistent, static pressure head and that the pipework is of a large enough diameter so that when changes are made in the flow rates, the static head does not change significantly. Mixed flows from constant height header tanks are easier to balance, whereas those from pumped supplies are not (unless the pumps are fitted with constant pressure inverters). If this is not the case, then the pressures in the pipe will change over time and the mixing ratios will also change over time. This change can sometimes take hours or days to be large enough to be noticed.

Do I Need Unions or Flanges on a 3-Way Valve?

At some stage a valve is likely to either become blocked or wear out. Unions or bolted flanges on the valve allows the valve body to be removed for servicing or replacement. Without the ability to do this, the pipe will need to be cut on at least two of the three sides of the valve, which will result in a much longer downtime for your plastic pipe system.

Our 3-way ball valves come with unions as standard.

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5 Things You Should Know When Choosing a 3-Way Ball Valve

• L-Port valves can only direct the flow through 90 degrees or fully shut it off
• T-Port valves can direct the flow in any way you want, but can't completely shut it off
• A valve with unions or flanges on each of the ports makes servicing much easier
• The arrow diagram on the top of the handle represents the position of the cut-out ball inside the valve
• To mix flows using a T-Port valve, the dynamic head of the two mixing streams should be consistent