It is truly amazing, how the use of valves have become predominant
in any industry that makes use of a piping system to transport materials like
water, gas, and even hazardous chemicals. Another amazing thing is how many
different types and models of valves there are in the world today.
As technology advances, so does the design and specifications of
valves that are manufactured. These changes and advancements are majorly driven
by the need to make valves versatile enough for the different types of applications
they’ll be used for. Depending on the https://www.kp-lok.com/product/purge-valves/ application, valves must be designed to
meet or exceed some extreme conditions. For this reason, there are usually some
difference in performance of these valves.
Most times, these difference in performance is not easily detected
through the appearance of the valves – many valves look alike on the outside
but are completely incomparable on the inside.
Difference Between 1, 2, And 3 Piece Valve
The variation in the construction of a valve is majorly due to the
great stress that industrial grade valves undergo every day. For industries manufacturing
materials like oil or other fluids in large volumes, time is money. Due to the
applications of these industries, there’s need for regular maintenance and a
high probability of failure of these valves. Knowing this, these industries
need an efficient, quick, cost effective and simple way of properly maintaining
these valves and dealing with failures that may occur. The 2 and 3 piece valves
evolved for this major reason.
The One Piece
The numbers 1, 2 and 3 aren’t a mystery; they represent the parts of
a valve housing or the valve body. The one piece valve – as its name implies –
is a valve that consists of or is manufactured from one type of metal.
Although, the name “one-piece” might be misleading, as these valves are often
fitted with a low-end, inexpensive shut-off valve (usually a ball valve) that
is perfect for controlling the flow of water or other liquids.
The one piece valve is cost efficient, versatile, suitable for
numerous applications and less likely to leak.
The Two Piece
The two piece valve is basically a 2-way valve that has a housing
that contains two separate pieces. Connection between two piece valves are
usually threaded or with a bolt and flange assembly. This valve type fits
several applications, but is most suitable for high volume, low-flow pipelines
such as oil or other viscous materials. However, in cases of spikes in
temperature and pressure, the two piece valve becomes less suitable and is
prone to losing its seal integrity. A great feature of this valve type is that
it can be easily installed and removed.
The Three Piece Valve
A 3 piece valve is a 2-way valve that contains three separate parts.
The main housing is held between two parts connected to the pipe ends. A great
feature of this valve type is that the main body can be easily removed without
touching the end connections. Most times, this might not be possible on a two
piece and definitely impossible on a one piece.
The body of this valve is connected by a bolt and flange assembly
and it offers a better seal integrity than the 2 piece. This valve is most
suitable for long term applications where there might be need to replace seals
and seats occasionally. The major downside to this valve type is the time it
takes to install it.
The configuration of the 3 piece valve is no different from the 1and
2 valves, and they can all accommodate automated actuators.
Conclusion
Evidently, the need to improve on the design of valves is necessitated
by the continuousevolution of industrial technology. Hence, the creation of the
1, 2 and 3 piece valves. These valves are only different in terms of
performance and they all offer versatility, efficiency and can significantly
improve your business.
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