Have you ever found yourself wondering about the differences between full port and standard port ball valves? Are you unsure about which type of ball valve is the best fit for your specific needs? As the proprietor of Ball Valve and Fittings, a top-tier B2B Ball Valve Manufacturing factory in China, I’m well aware of the significance of these questions across various sectors, including oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical, water and wastewater, and pharmaceutical industries.
Full bore and reduced bore ball valves, while performing similar functions, possess distinct designs and benefits. Grasping these differences is crucial for making an educated decision and selecting the most suitable valve for your requirements.
Let’s explore the specifics of each type of ball valve and illuminate their unique features.
What Constitutes a Full Bore Ball Valve?
A full bore ball valve, also known as a full port ball valve, features an oversized ball so that the hole in the ball aligns with the pipeline diameter, resulting in lower friction loss. The flow is unrestricted, but the valve is larger and pricier, hence it’s only used where free flow is necessary, such as in pipelines which require pigging.
What Defines a Reduced Bore Ball Valve?
Conversely, a reduced bore ball valve, also known as a standard port ball valve, has a smaller ball and a correspondingly smaller port. The flow through this valve is one pipe size smaller than the valve’s pipe size, resulting in slightly restricted flow. Unlike full bore valves, reduced bore valves are typically smaller, lighter, and less expensive.
So, What Differentiates Them and What Are Their Benefits?
The primary distinction between full bore and reduced bore valves lies in the size of the ball and the corresponding port. This size difference can significantly influence the valve’s performance and suitability for specific applications.
Full bore ball valves are perfect for applications requiring minimal pressure drop and unrestricted flow, such as pipelines that require pigging. The larger size of the valve allows for a larger flow, reducing the chance of clogging. However, these valves are typically larger and more expensive.
Reduced bore ball valves, on the other hand, are more compact and less expensive, making them a popular choice for many applications. However, the smaller port size means that these valves may not be suitable for applications that require unrestricted flow.
