Plug Valves Advantages and Disadvantages
A Plug Valve is a quarter-turn rotational motion Valve that use a tapered or cylindrical plug to stop or start the flow. In the open position, the plug-passage is in one line with the inlet and outlet ports of the Valve body. If the plug 90° is rotated from the open position, the solid part of the plug blocks the port and stops the flow. Plug valves are similar to Ball valves in operation.
Type of Plug Valve
- lubricated plug valve
- non-lubricated plug valve
- eccentric plug valve
- lift-type plug valve
Plug Valve Application
Plug valves are a type of flow control valve that allows the user to increase or decrease flow by rotating the handle or other similar operation. The user may have to adjust the valve to the desired flow rate, with the valve able to hold the flow rate consistently and reliably.
Other popular flow control valves include needle and fine metering valves, but they generally have more moving parts than plug valves, which makes them more expensive and harder to maintain.
Plug valves are typically used in applications where flow must be controlled and changed on a regular basis and where the user must have access to the valve.
Plug valves should not be used in applications where a constant, steady flow is required or where the valve does not need to be readily accessible.
Quarter-turn plug valves are the most common and involve a simple quarter turn on a handle to open and close the valve. They are economically priced and are commonly used for applications involving low-pressure throttle.