All You Need to Know About Trunnion Ball Valve

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Table of Content:

1.What is a Trunnion Ball Valve

2.How Does a Trunnion Ball Valve Work

3.What Is The Structure Of Trunnion Ball Valve

4.Trunnion Ball Valve Design Standard

5.Typical Material

6.What Is The Main Features Of Trunnion Ball Valve

7.What Are The Types of Trunnion Ball Valve

8.Where is Trunnion Ball Valve Used

9.Why and How to Maintain Trunnion Ball Valves

1. What is a Trunnion Ball Valve

The trunnion ball valve is an essential device for regulating the flow of fluids- steam, gas, or oil in pipeline. It is quarter-turn designs with a ball capable of rotating 90 degrees on its axis to either block or allow the flow of fluid. These valves have a spherical disk design at the center, which rotates to regulate the start-stop flow cycle. The disk often called the ball comes designed with a small protruding shaft at the top and bottom which are mechanically supported. In this case, flow is controlled by the position of a hole in the center of the ball. For their versatility, Trunnion mounted ball valves are useful in industries where such shut-off operation is required.

Trunnion mouonted ball valve
Trunnion mouonted ball valve

The Trunnion ball valves have adequate backing for the ball. The support is in shape similar to a shaft, and it’s called a trunnion. The Trunnion soaks up any additional pressure coming from the flow, thereby lowering the pressure on the valve seat and the ball. Trunnion mounted ball valves find their use in large-scale implementations that require low operating torque.

2. How Does a Trunnion Ball Valve Work

Trunnion valve is a device that controls the flow of fluids in pipelines by regulating the shut-off cycle. It contains the elements necessary for enabling or disabling the flow of fluids through the pipe. It is built to integrate pipe or tube sections to actualize this function.

3. What Is The Structure Of Trunnion Ball Valve

The Trunnion ball valves have a structure similar to the traditional ball valves seen around. The difference it brings is that the ball valves have more mechanical anchors to support the ball. The ball is given solid support from the two ends on its x-axis. It holds it in place and makes it very easy to control.

In the trunnion mounted ball valve, the design comes with dismal tended shafts at its top and bottom, which are mechanically supported. With this, it is made suitable for larger diameters and higher pressure. In the Trunnion mounted design, the ball is kept in position by compressing the seat rings at the two ends.

The ball, for its flexibility, enables a good measure of movement. While in use, it floats moderately downstream towards the seat ring to make a sealing. If the loads on the floating ball are much higher, the seat rings won’t be able to give the needed support to the ball. This is when the power of the trunnion comes in. In a trunnion design, the seat rings are the parts floating against the traditional design where the ball floats.

Body

The valve’s body is the casing that holds it in place and offers support to the interior of the ball valve. The material for this design can be made of different products depending on the type of application it is used for. Some of the commonly used materials are carbon steel, low-temperature carbon steel, stainless steel, duplex, Inconel, and super duplex.

Ball

This is a sphere ball shaped disk through which it rotates to stop or start flow in a solid rotational motion. It is connected to the Trunnion at one end and the stem at the other end. The ball is fixed in a position while it rotates. The trunnion ball valve’s seats are often in contact with this ball, which reduces the torque.

Seat

The seat of the Trunnion ball valve is a design feature that surrounds the ball. When the actuator gets turned on, the seats keep the ball tightly in place, blocking off access. There are two types i.e. metal or soft (Teflon). This makes it move in the direction of the ball.

Trunnion

There is an extra shaft in the trunnion ball valve that grips the ball in position from beneath. This simple shaft is the Trunnion. Its function is to keep the ball firmly attached. Sometimes, the Trunnion is an extension of the spherical ball, whereas, in other trunnion mounted ball valves, it is attached to the spherical ball disk via welded joints.