3-Way Ball Valve Article

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.

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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

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.

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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.

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

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REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. A 3-way, 2-position directional control valve cannot be used to a. b. select between two power sources. select between two branch circuits. C. adjust pressure in two branch circuits. start and stop an actuator. vo d 2. A 3-way, 2-position directional control valve (a, can be spring return. b. can be used to adust pressure in two different branch circuits. cannot be shifted manually. d. has two ports. C. 3. A 3-way, 2-position directional control valve can have a. three envelopes and two fluid ports. b. three envelopes and three fluid ports. C. two envelopes and three positions. d. two envelopes and three fluid ports. 4 The devices used to shift the spool of directional control valves are called a valve actuators. b. valve controls. C. valve pilots. d. levers 5. In a 3-way, 2-position directional control valve, how many flowpath configurations are possible? a. 1 6. 2 C. 3 d. 6 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. A single-acting cylinder a. b. C. converts fluid power to rotary motion can both extend and retract under power. relies on a spring or a load to return the cylinder to its original position. requires the use of a 3-way, 3-position directional control valve 2. Cap-end and rod-end refer to a b. the two ends of a fluid power cylinder the two ends of a fluid power circuit. C. single-acting cylinders only. the fluid ports of a fluid power motor. d. 3. A double-acting cylinder a. requires the use of a 3-way, 3-position directional control valve. b. converts linear mechanical energy into rotary mechanical energy during extension and retraction. C. contains one fluid port and a breather element. d. converts fluid power energy into linear mechanical energy during extension and retraction. 4. The meter-out configuration controls the flow rate a. entering an actuator. b. leaving an actuator. C entering and leaving an actuator. d. None of the above. 5. The meter-in configuration is used to control actuator speed where the actuator constantly works a. vertically b. horizontally c. slowly d. against the load. 1. What is the purpose of an intensifier? a. To produce low pressure from a high pressure source. b. To increase the temperature of compressed air. To produce a high pressure from a low pressure source. d. To increase the volume of compressed air. 2. Which of the following determines the pressure multiplication possible with an intensifier? a. b. The slave cylinder The master cylinder. The bore of the cylinder. The ratio of areas. C. d 3. Two cylinders can be synchronized a. using loads. b. using directional control valves. connecting them in series. Answers a and c. 4. The low-pressure side of an intensifier is called a. master cylinder. b. slave cylinder C. cylinder cap-end. d. cylinder rod-end. 5. If two cylinders connected in series are of the same size and stroke, the downstream cylinder will extend a faster. b. slower. at exactly the same speed. d. farther REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Which of two identical cylinders connected in parallel will extend first? a. The cylinder with the lower load. b. The cylinder with the higher load. C. It depends on the flow rate. d. Neither, they will be synchronized. 2. One mechanical method of synchronizing parallel cylinders is called a. synchronizer b. mechanical method. mechanical yoke method. d. parallel method. 3. Parallel cylinders can be synchronized using a. directional control valves. b. check valves. Cflow control valves. d. shutoff valves. ne bote 4. Two cylinders connected in parallel should operate in synchronization if a. they are identical in size. b. they both receive the same flow rate. c. they are evenly loaded. d. all of the above. 5. When cylinders are connected in parallel, a. the rod ends of each cylinder are connected together. b. the cap ends of each cylinder are connected together. C. the rod ends and the cap ends of each cylinder are connected together. d. the rod end of one cylinder is connected to the cap end of the other cylinder.

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