Custom Industrial Flange Ball Valve

When selecting an industrial flange ball valve, how to determine the appropriate material based on the nature of the medium and the operating temperature?

When selecting an industrial flange ball valve, it is crucial to determine the appropriate material based on the nature of the medium and the operating temperature, as these factors directly affect the performance, durability, and maintenance cost of the valve. The following are several key factors and recommended material selection methods:

1. Nature of the medium
Corrosive media:
If the medium is highly corrosive (such as acid, alkali, salt, etc.), materials with good corrosion resistance should be selected. Commonly used materials are:
Stainless steel (such as 304, 316 stainless steel): has good corrosion resistance to most weak acids, weak alkalis, and some neutral gases and liquids.
Fluoroplastic (such as PTFE coating): has very high corrosion resistance to strong acids, strong alkalis, and certain organic solvents.
Alloy materials (such as Hastelloy, Monel alloy): used in extremely corrosive environments, resistant to strong acids, strong alkalis, and high temperature corrosion.
Non-corrosive media:
For non-corrosive media (such as air, water, oil, etc.), carbon steel or low-carbon steel can be selected. These materials are low in cost and sufficient to meet the needs of most applications.

2. Working temperature
High temperature environment:
If the valve is to be used for high temperature media, the material selection needs to ensure its strength and stability at high temperature:
Alloy steel (such as Cr-Mo alloy steel, AISI 410 alloy steel): suitable for high temperature and high pressure conditions.
High temperature stainless steel (such as 310, Inconel and other alloy steels): suitable for applications at higher temperatures (such as over 500°C).
Low temperature environment:
For low temperature media (such as liquefied gas, cryogenic liquid, etc.), it is necessary to select materials with lower low temperature brittleness:
Low temperature carbon steel (such as low temperature steel in LNG applications): has good low temperature toughness.
Stainless steel (such as 304, 316, etc.): also suitable for low temperature applications, especially in the more common cold chain industry.

3. Pressure requirements
In high pressure systems, the material of the ball valve needs to have higher compressive strength:
Alloy steel, forged steel: suitable for high pressure conditions (such as high pressure transmission systems such as oil and natural gas).

4. Particles in the medium
If the medium contains solid particles (such as mud, sand, etc.), it is necessary to select materials with better wear resistance:
Hardened stainless steel, ceramic coating: can provide good wear resistance.
Tungsten alloy, carbide coating: can effectively extend the service life of the valve in extreme wear environments.

5. Sealing materials
The selection of sealing materials is also very important, especially to match the medium and temperature:
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene): suitable for most chemical media, especially highly corrosive media.
Viton (fluororubber): suitable for high temperature and highly corrosive environments.
NBR (nitrile rubber): suitable for oils, liquids and gases, etc.

6. Comprehensive considerations
When selecting materials, it is also necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as material strength, toughness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and cost. For high-end needs, more corrosion-resistant and high-temperature resistant alloy materials may be selected; for conventional applications, lower-cost carbon steel or stainless steel materials are often selected.