A gate valve is a linear motion valve used to start or stop fluid flow. The name gate is derived from the appearance of the disk in the flow stream.
What is a Gate Valve ?
The disk of a gate valve is completely removed from the flow stream when the valve is fully open.When the valve is fully closed, a disk-to-seal ring contact surface exists for 360 degree.With the proper mating of a disk to the seal ring, very little or no leakage occurs across the disk when the gate valve is closed.
A gate valve can be used for a wide variety of fluids and provides a tight seal when closed.
Major disadvantages of a gate valve
- It is not suitable for throttling applications.
- It is prone to vibration in the partially open state.
- It is more subject to seat and disk wear than a globe valve.
- Repairs, such as lapping and grinding, are generally more difficult to accomplish.