GATE VALVES
A gate valve stops or allows flow by raising or lowering a flat or wedge-shaped gate inside the valve body. When fully open, the gate lifts completely out of the flow path, leaving a straight, clear passage. When closed, the gate seats firmly against the body and blocks the line.
Gate valves are designed for full open or full closed service. They are not suited to throttling.
Key Features & Benefits
- Minimal pressure drop: a straight-through path with no restriction.
- Strong shut-off: the wedge presses tightly on both seats.
- Handles thick media: suitable for crude oil, viscous fluids and slurries.
- Bi-directional sealing: can be installed in either flow direction in most designs.
- Rugged construction: built for high pressure and high temperature.
- Long service life: simple, proven design with easy maintenance.
Types of Gate Valves
| Type | Description | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Rising stem (OS&Y) | Stem rises as the valve opens, so position is visible | Oil & gas, fire lines |
| Non-rising stem | Stem rotates without moving up, saves vertical space | Underground, water lines |
| Wedge (solid / flexible / split) | Wedge-shaped gate for tight sealing | Steam, high pressure |
| Parallel slide | Two parallel discs with a spreader | Low pressure, gas |
| Knife gate | Thin blade cuts through the media | Slurry, paper pulp, wastewater |
Materials of Construction
| Part | Options |
|---|---|
| Body | Cast steel, forged steel, stainless steel (304 / 316), cast iron, ductile iron |
| Gate / wedge | Stainless steel, hard-faced alloy |
| Seats | Metal-to-metal, stellite overlay |
| Stem | 13% chrome steel, stainless steel |
Ball Valves: Highly favored for primary isolation due to their fast quarter-turn operation and exceptional bubble-tight sealing capabilities.
- Floating ball designs are used for low-to-medium pressure pipelines.
- Trunnion ball designs are chosen for highly demanding, high-pressure midstream and upstream systems.
Need gate valves for your pipeline?