3 way ball valve
3 way ball valve introduction
3 way ball valve has L port, T port and Y type structure, which can meet the requirements of different production process.3 way ball valve has three entrances and exits, which are connected with three pipes for the merging, diverging and reversing of fluids.According to the operation,pneumatic and electric 3 way ball valve is optional.3 way ball valve is mainly used to cut off, distribute and change the flow direction of medium in pipeline.3 way ball valve is widely used in petroleum, chemical industry, urban water supply and drainage and other conditions requiring strict cut-off.
L port 3 way ball valve can switch the medium flow direction in two of the three pipelines, and also connect or close the two channels that are perpendicular to each other;T port 3 way ball valve can not only realize the switch of medium flow direction, but also make the three channels connected to each other, at the same time, it can also close any channel, make the other two channels connected, flexible control of the confluence or diversion of the pipeline intermediary;Y type 3 way ball valve has a mutual Angle of 120° and 135°, according to the need to achieve the medium flow direction switch, it is perpendicular to the two channels tee ball valve flow resistance is smaller.
3 way ball valve is a specialized multi-channel fluid control device widely used in industrial pipeline systems. Different from conventional two-way cut-off ball valves, it is designed with three pipeline ports and a specially processed ball flow passage. By rotating the ball at 90 degrees, it realizes three core fluid functions: flow cut-off, medium diversion, medium confluence and flow direction switching. Serving as the core equipment for fluid distribution, circulation adjustment and pipeline bypass switching in automated process systems, three-way ball valves feature compact structure, flexible operation, reliable sealing, low flow resistance and long service life.
According to different ball flow passage structures, 3 way ball valve is divided into three mainstream types in the industry:
L-type, T-type and Y-type. Each type has independent functional characteristics and applicable working conditions. L-type is dedicated to simple flow switching, T-type focuses on multi-way diversion and confluence, and Y-type is optimized for low-resistance and residue-free precise regulation. Covering conventional fluid switching, proportional distribution, mixed circulation and high-cleanliness no-residue working conditions, 3 way ball valve is widely applied in petrochemical, power energy, HVAC heating, water treatment, pharmaceutical food, metallurgy and new energy industries, and are essential key valves for complex fluid control systems.
3 way ball valve consists of a valve body, precision ball core, valve stem transmission assembly, sealing system and driving actuator. Its basic working principle is consistent with standard ball valves: the driving device (manual, pneumatic, electric) drives the valve stem to rotate the internal ball core accurately by 90 degrees. The on-off and switching of fluid channels are realized through the alignment and dislocation between the ball flow passage and the three valve body ports.
Compared with traditional combined valve groups (two-way ball valves + tee pipe fittings), an independent 3 way ball valve realizes one-valve multi-function, replacing two or more ordinary valves to complete pipeline switching and distribution. 3 way ball valve effectively simplifies pipeline layout, reduces pipeline joints and leakage points, lowers system installation and maintenance costs, and improves the stability and synchronization of fluid control. All three types of 3 way ball valves support multi-angle installation, flexible opening and closing, and can adapt to automatic PLC system control, fully meeting the intelligent operation requirements of modern industrial pipelines.
3 way ball valve performance parameter
1. Working pressure: 1.6Mpa-42.0Mpa,150LB-2500LB.
2. Operating temperature: -196～+650℃
3. Driving mode: manual, worm wheel, pneumatic and electric.
4. Connection mode: internal thread, external thread, flange, welding, butt welding, socket welding, sleeve, clamp.
5. Manufacturing standards: GB, JB, HG, API, ANSI, BS, JIS, JPI, etc.
6. Material of valve body: copper, cast iron, cast steel, carbon steel, WCB, WC6, WC9, 20#, 25#, forged steel, A105, F11, F22, stainless steel, 304, 304L, 316, 316L, chromium-molybdenum steel, low-temperature steel, titanium alloy steel, etc.
3 way ball valve feature
1.The fluid resistance is small, and the resistance coefficient is the same as the length of the pipe section.
2.Simple structure, small size and light weight.
3.It has been widely used in vacuum system for its compact reliability and good sealing.
4.Easy to operate, fast open and close, from full open to full close only rotation 90°, convenient for remote control.
5.Easy maintenance, simple three-way ball valve structure, sealing ring is generally active, disassembly and replacement are more convenient.
6.When fully open or fully closed, the sealing surface of the ball and seat is isolated from the media, which will not cause erosion of the valve sealing surface when passing through.
7.Wide range of applications, sizes from small to a few millimeters, large to a few meters, from high vacuum to high pressure can be applied.
3 way ball valve classification
L port 3 way ball valve
Under certain operating conditions, L port 3 way ball valve is adopted to improve the flow switch, and L port 3 way ball valve is used to cut off three pipe, L port 3 way ball valve adopts three seat structure design, also can use four seat structure design, using large sphere design,The 3 way ball valve not only has the flow switching function of ordinary L port 3 way ball valve, but also has the function of sealing and cutting off the three-way at the same time.
T port 3 way ball valve
There is no difference between T port 3 way ball valve and L port 3 way ball valve appearance, but the structure of the valve body spool is different.The T port 3 way ball valve can make the three orthogonal pipelines connect with each other and block the third channel, playing the role of diversion and confluence.L port 3 way ball valve can only connect two orthogonal pipelines, and cannot maintain the interconnection of the third pipeline at the same time, and only plays the role of distribution.
T port ball valve can replace the L port ball valve.L port 3 way ball valve is used to switch the flow direction of the medium, which can connect the two channels perpendicular to each other.
T port 3 way ball valve can not only realize the switch of medium flow direction, but also make the three channels connected to each other, at the same time can also close any channel, make the other two channels connected, flexible control of the confluence or diversion of the pipeline intermediary.
Y type 3 way ball valve
Y type 3 way ball valve is 120 degree or 135 degree structure,which can be equipped with manual, worm wheel, pneumatic, electric, hydraulic drive control. Y type 3 way ball valve 120 degree Angle,135 degree Angle) divided into 120° and 135°body structure, Y type 3 way ball valve flow path is flat, small fluid resistance, strong flow capacity.When switching medium has no retention, it will not cause secondary pollution.Y type 3 way ball valve is widely used in powder conveying industry,which can be matched with electric actuators and pneumatic actuators for automatic control.
Pneumatic 3 way ball valve
Pneumatic 3 way ball valve is made up of angle stroke piston pneumatic actuator and 3 way ball valve,which can be equipped with valve positioner to input control signal (4-20MADC or 1-5VDC) air source to control the operation.Pneumatic 3 way ball valve can also be equipped with travel limit switch, solenoid valve, pressure reducing valve and 0.4-0.7mpa air source to achieve switching operation, and send two pairs of passive contact signals indicating the switch of the valve. Pneumatic 3 way ball valve is suitable for switching medium flow direction and distributing or mixing medium in pipeline system of water supply, petrochemical, metallurgy, mining, light textile, energy, paper making, food and steel, etc.
Pneumatic 3 way ball valve actuator parameter:
Actuator type: GT, SR, ST, AT, AW series single - and double-acting pneumatic actuators
Air supply pressure: 0.4 ~ 0.7mpa
Air source interfaces: G1/4", G1/8", G3/8", G1/2"
Ambient temperature:-20 ~ +90℃
Action form Single action actuator: gas closed type (B)-- valve position open (FO) when gas is lost;Gas open type (K)-- Valve position closed when gas is lost (FC)
Double-acting actuator: gas-close type (B)-- valve position is maintained when gas is lost (FL);Gas opening type (K)-- Valve position maintenance (FL) when gas is lost
Pneumatic 3 way ball valve actuator can be equipped with accessories such as positioner, solenoid valve, air filter and pressure-relief device, position protection valve, travel switch, valve position transmitter and handwheel mechanism
Electric 3 way ball valve
Electric 3 way ball valve is composed of common on off or intelligent electric actuator and 3 way ball valve.which is widely used in gas, liquid, steam, oil and other corrosive media pipeline automation control.
Electric 3 way ball valve electric actuator parameters:
Optional electric QT series, HT series
Power supply optional: AC220V, AV380V (other special)
Ambient temperature -30℃~+70℃
Protection level:IP67
Functional Options:
Explosion-proof type: ExdIIBT3/4
Signal feedback：X3 mechanical passive signal, X2 active signal
Heater function: the actuator components can be dried in a humid environment
Manual function：Electric actuator with manual valve opening and closing functions
Adjusting type：input 4~20mA signal, achieve the ball valve adjustment function
3 way ball valve Structural Composition & Design Advantages
3 way ball valve adopts an integrated modular structure, with standardized and universal internal parts, compact overall layout and strong structural stability. The whole valve is composed of five core modules, with rigorous design and excellent industrial adaptability.
1 Valve Body Structure
The 3 way ball valve body is integrally formed by precision casting or integral forging, with optional materials including WCB carbon steel, 304 stainless steel, 316L stainless steel and duplex steel, adapting to normal temperature, high temperature, low temperature and corrosive working conditions. It supports flange, thread, welding and wafer connection methods, compatible with global standard pipelines (GB, ANSI, DIN). Mainstream structures include side-mounted and top-mounted types; the top-mounted structure supports online maintenance without pipeline disassembly, greatly reducing maintenance downtime.
2 Ball Core & Flow Passage Structure
The solid precision ball core features high strength, impact resistance and non-deformation. The flow passage is precisely polished to ensure smooth inner wall and low friction. L-type right-angle passage is for simple switching; T-type cross passage for multi-way distribution; Y-type streamline passage for low-residue and low-loss conveying. All ball cores undergo high-precision grinding to ensure accurate alignment of flow passages and stable flow control.
3 Dual Sealing System (Soft / Hard Seal)
3 way ball valve adopts dual sealing solutions to cover all working conditions. Soft seals use PTFE, RPTFE and polyphenylene sulfide materials, achieving Class VI zero leakage at room temperature, suitable for clean water, gas, oil products and other particle-free media. Hard seals adopt Stellite alloy surfacing and tungsten-cobalt alloy spraying, with sealing surface hardness up to HRC60+, resistant to high temperature, high pressure and micro-particle scouring, applicable to high-temperature slurry, heat conduction oil and industrial waste gas working conditions.
4 Valve Stem & Anti-Leakage Structure
The integral forged stainless steel valve stem has high torsion resistance and structural strength, avoiding fracture and offset during frequent opening and closing. The multi-layer packing sealing structure is matched with dustproof and anti-leakage gaskets to effectively prevent medium leakage and external dust intrusion, ensuring long-term stable sealing performance of the valve.
3 way ball valve Performance Advantages
As a multi-functional optimized valve, the 3 way ball valve has irreplaceable comprehensive advantages compared with traditional valve combinations and single-function valves.
1. One-Valve Multi-Function, Simplified Pipeline Layout: It integrates switching, diversion and confluence functions, replacing multiple two-way valves, reducing pipeline joints and leakage points, saving installation space and engineering costs, and improving pipeline system simplicity and aesthetics.
2. Flexible Operation and High Control Accuracy: 90-degree rotation completes opening, closing and switching actions with small operating torque and flexible action. The electric and pneumatic models support arbitrary opening regulation, realizing precise control of flow and pressure, with stable fluid distribution and small flow deviation.
3. Reliable Sealing and Long Service Life: The precision-matched ball and valve seat sealing surface has good fitting performance. Soft seal achieves zero leakage, and hard seal resists wear and high temperature. The whole valve has low operating wear, stable long-term performance and low failure rate.
4. Wide Working Condition Adaptability: It adapts to -46℃~450℃ wide temperature range and low, medium and high pressure working conditions, suitable for gas, liquid, viscous slurry and micro-particle mixed media, covering most industrial fluid control scenarios.
5. Low Operation and Maintenance Cost: The integrated structure has few vulnerable parts and stable operation. The top-mounted structure supports online maintenance without pipeline disassembly, greatly reducing later operation and maintenance costs and production downtime losses.
How to select a 3 way ball vave?
Reasonable selection according to working condition requirements is the key to giving full play to the performance of three-way ball valves. The targeted selection rules are as follows:
Select L-Type: Suitable for simple two-way flow switching, pipeline reversing, standby circuit cut-off scenarios without medium mixing and diversion requirements, such as simple water circuit switching and oil circuit reversing systems.
Select T-Type: Suitable for working conditions requiring medium diversion, confluence, mixing and proportional distribution, such as chemical raw material batching, heating water circulation and process fluid mixing systems, with flexible and diverse control logic.
Select Y-Type: Suitable for high-flow, low-energy-consumption, high-cleanliness and anti-residue working conditions, such as pharmaceutical and food clean fluid conveying, powder slurry pneumatic conveying, HVAC energy-saving circulation and high-precision process regulation systems.
3 way ball valve Installation, Operation and Maintenance
1 Installation Guidelines
Clean welding slag and impurities inside the pipeline before installation to prevent scratching the sealing surface. Install according to the valve body flow direction mark, supporting horizontal, vertical and multi-angle installation. Tighten flange bolts evenly to avoid sealing surface deviation and leakage. Conduct no-load commissioning of switching actions after installation to ensure flexible and jamming-free operation.
2 Standard Operation Requirements
Operate gently and uniformly during switching to avoid violent impact on the sealing structure. Prohibit overpressure and overtemperature operation beyond the rated parameters. For easily crystallized and viscous media, conduct regular flushing to prevent residual accumulation and blockage. Regularly calibrate the opening accuracy of automatic valves to ensure precise flow regulation.
3 Daily Maintenance
3 way ball valves require low daily maintenance. Regularly check the sealing state and driving mechanism operation. Inspect the aging of soft seals and wear of hard sealing surfaces periodically. Avoid unauthorized disassembly of precision sealing components to prevent reduced fitting accuracy. Long-term idle valves need reciprocating no-load opening and closing before restarting to clean internal residual impurities.
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- Port size：DN15-DN600;1/2''-24''
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 420,150LB ~ 2500LB
- Structure：T port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas
- Temperature :-20~180ºC,-46~450ºC
- Body material：Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel,forged steel
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- Port size：DN15-DN600;1/2''-24''
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 420,150LB ~ 2500LB
- Structure：T port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas
- Temperature :-20~180ºC,-46~450ºC
- Body material：Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel,forged steel
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- Port size：1/2"~4" (DN15~DN100)
- Pressure：CL150-CL2500,PN10-PN420
- Structure：3 way:T Port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：A105 LF2 F304 F316 F316L or others
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- Port size：1/2"~24" (DN15~DN600)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：T port 3 way
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB,CF8,CF8M,CF3,CF3M etc.
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- Port size：1/2"~24" (DN15~DN600)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：3 way:T Port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB,CF8,CF8M,CF3,CF3M etc.
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- Port size：1/2"~16" (DN15~DN400)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：Floating ball
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB,CF8,CF8M,CF3,CF3M etc.
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- Port size：1/2"~24" (DN15~DN600)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：3 way:T Port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：CF8,CF8M,CF3,CF3M etc.
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- Port size：1/2"~24" (DN15~DN600)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：3 way:T Port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB,WCC or others
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- Port size：1/2"~12" (DN15~DN300)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：3 way:T Port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB,CF8,CF8M,CF3,CF3M etc.
-
- Port size：1/2"~16" (DN15~DN400)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：3 way:T Port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：CF8 CF8M CF3 CF3M or other stainless steel
-
- Port size：1/2"~16" (DN15~DN400)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：3 way:T Port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB,CF8,CF8M,CF3,CF3M etc.
-
- Port size：1/2"~16" (DN15~DN400)
- Pressure：PN10-PN64 CL150-CL600
- Structure：3 way:T Port or L port
- Medium：Water,steam,oil,gas,etc.
- Temperature :-29～150℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB,CF8,CF8M,CF3,CF3M etc.
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 12''( 15mm ~ 300mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 100,150LB ~ 600LB
- Structure：3 way:T port of L port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 16''( 15mm ~ 400mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 100,150LB ~ 600LB
- Structure：3 way:T port of L port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 12''( 15mm ~ 300mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 100,150LB ~ 600LB
- Structure：L port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 12''( 15mm ~ 300mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 100,150LB ~ 600LB
- Structure：T port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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- Port size：DN50~600, NPS 2〞~ 24〞
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 100,150LB ~ 600LB
- Structure：Top entry, 3 way structure
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 24''( 15mm ~ 600mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 100,150LB ~ 600LB
- Structure：3 way:T port of L port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 8''( 15mm ~ 200mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 100,150LB ~ 600LB
- Structure：3 way:T port of L port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 16''( 15mm ~ 400mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 40 CLASS 150/300LB
- Structure：3 way:T port of L port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃
- Body material：WCB CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 16''( 15mm ~ 400mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 64 CLASS 150/300LB
- Structure：Full bore,3 way
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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- Port size：1/2'' ~ 16''( 15mm ~ 400mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 64 CLASS 150/300LB
- Structure：Full bore,3 way
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：WCB CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
-
- Port size：1/2'' ~ 16''( 15mm ~ 400mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 64 CLASS 150/300LB
- Structure：3 way:T port of L port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
-
- Port size：1/2'' ~ 16''( 15mm ~ 400mm)
- Pressure：PN16 ~ 40 CLASS 150/300LB
- Structure：3 way:T port of L port
- Medium：Water,oil,steam,gas
- Temperature :-29～180℃,-40～450℃
- Body material：CF8 CF3 CF8M CF3M or others
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