Main Features of Instrument Ball Valves

1. About Instrument Ball Valves: 

Instrument ball valves are small-diameter precision ball valves, characterized by reliable sealing, compact size, rapid opening and closing, and high leakage control. These valves are designed to provide precise flow control, system stability, and sealed connections, playing a crucial role in maintaining operational safety and efficiency. They are primarily used in instrument piping, analytical sampling, and hydraulic/pneumatic pressure measurement circuits.

2. Functions of Instrument Ball Valves: 

Instrument valves are designed for precise fluid control, ensuring system reliability and stability. By managing pressure and flow direction, these valves prevent leaks and reduce safety risks, especially in systems handling hazardous or high-pressure media. Their role extends beyond fluid control, protecting personnel, equipment, and the environment from potential hazards. Industries such as petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor manufacturing, and clean energy heavily rely on instrument valves in their operations. In these industries, maintaining stringent leakage performance and the ability to manage extreme environments are critical to ensuring safe and efficient processes.

3. Freeman Valve's instrument ball valves have the following significant characteristics:

3.1 Straight-through flow path, large flow capacity: 

Freeman Valve's instrument ball valves have a high Kv value, low flow resistance, and prevent media accumulation, making them suitable for gases and viscous media; 90° rotation for fast opening and closing, allowing for quick circuit shut-off;

3.2 Low torque, easy operation: 

Freeman Valve's instrument ball valves have very low torque, allowing for rapid opening and closing and quick circuit shut-off;

3.3 Floating ball for self-tightening seal: 

Freeman Valve's instrument ball valves primarily use a floating ball structure, where media pressure presses the ball against the outlet valve seat, achieving a self-tightening seal;

3.4 Compact size, light weight, and compact installation: 

Due to their small size and light weight, Freeman Valve's instrument ball valves can be installed side-by-side on instrument panels and valve racks; they can also be equipped with small pneumatic actuators for remote switching in automatic sampling circuits.

4. Precautions for using instrument ball valves:

4.1 Instrument ball valves cannot be used for long-term throttling; they are only suitable for full open or full close operation.

4.2 For ultra-high temperature/low temperature media, an extended valve shaft is required.

5. Key application areas of Freeman Valve instrument ball valves:

5.1 Freeman Valve instrument ball valves are widely used in the petrochemical industry. 

For example: ① Instrument pressure lines in process units: shut-off valves before and after pressure transmitters and differential pressure transmitters, ball valves for three-valve manifolds;

② Online sampling circuits: sampling of oil and chemical media, rapid shut-off to prevent sample leakage;

③ Oil and gas wellheads, analysis cabins: sample inlet shut-off valves for chromatographs and online analytical instruments;

④ High-pressure hydraulic/power oil lines.

5.2 Freeman Valve instrument ball valves are widely used in the power industry. For example:

① Instrumentation valves for power plant thermal systems: pressure measuring points, steam sampling devices;

② Steam sampling racks: shut-off ball valves for high-temperature water and steam sampling;

③ Nuclear power plant instrumentation pipelines, using nuclear-grade instrumentation ball valves, radiation-resistant and with high sealing ratings.

5.3 Freeman Valve's instrumentation ball valves are widely used in analytical instruments and laboratory systems. For example:

① Gas circuit shut-off for gas chromatography and online analytical equipment;

② High-purity gas pipelines: nitrogen, hydrogen, argon, high-purity versions with EP electrolytic polishing of the inner surface, low precipitation, preventing sample contamination;

③ Laboratory high-pressure gas circuit panels.

5.4 Freeman Valve's instrumentation ball valves are widely used in hydraulic and power control systems. For example:

① High-pressure shut-off of small circuits in hydraulic stations, hydraulic test benches;

② Pressure measurement pipelines for engineering machinery instruments.

5.5 Freeman Valve's instrumentation ball valves are widely used in coal chemical, polysilicon, and new energy fields. For example:

① High-pressure sampling in coal chemical industry, dealing with corrosive media (including H₂S), using sulfur-resistant materials;

② High-purity special gas pipelines in polycrystalline silicon and lithium battery production, using EP polished instrument ball valves.

5.6 Freeman Valve's instrument ball valves are widely used in marine engineering and offshore platforms. 

For example: offshore platform instrument valves, resistant to salt spray corrosion, with 316L or Alloy valve bodies, and a ferrule welded structure to prevent external leakage caused by sea wind corrosion.

5.6 Freeman Valve's instrument ball valves are widely used in refrigeration and cryogenic conditions. 

For example, LNG and liquid nitrogen -196℃ cryogenic instrument ball valves, after cryogenic treatment, are used for instrument pressure testing and sampling in cryogenic storage tanks.

Main Features of Instrument Ball Valve:

★Bar Stock Body;

★Anti-Blowout Proof Stem;

★Floating Ball;

★Soft Seats.

Design Standard of Instrument Ball Valve:

★Design Acc. to ASME B16.34 & API 608 (ANSI Standard);

★Design Acc. to EN-12516-1/2 (DIN Standard, EN Standard).

Test Standard of Instrument Ball Valve:

★Test Acc. to API 598 (ANSI Standard);

★Test Acc. to EN 12266-1/2 (DIN Standard, EN Standard).

Surface Finishing of Instrument Ball Valve:

★All Instrument Ball Valve surface is finely machined to achieve the required roughness and conforms to standard MSS SP-55.

Size of Instrument Ball Valve:

★From 1/8’’ to 2’’ (ANSI Standard);

★From DN6 to DN50 (DIN Standard, EN Standard).

Face to Face of Instrument Ball Valve:

★Manufacturer's Standards.

Pressure Rating of Instrument Ball Valve:

★0 Bar＜P (CWP)≤63 Bar;

★63 Bar＜P (CWP)≤100 Bar;

★100 Bar＜P (CWP)≤135 Bar;

★135 Bar＜P (CWP)≤155 Bar;

★155 Bar＜P (CWP)≤206 Bar;

★206 Bar＜P (CWP)≤250 Bar;

★250 Bar＜P (CWP)≤345 Bar;

★345 Bar＜P (CWP)≤420 Bar;

★420 Bar＜P (CWP)≤689 Bar;

★689 Bar＜P (CWP)≤1034 Bar;

★1034 Bar＜P (CWP)≤1378 Bar.

Available Material of Instrument Ball Valve:

★Stainless Steel CF8 (EN 1.4308) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel CF8M (EN 1.4408) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel CF3 (EN 1.4309) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel CF3M (EN 1.4409) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel CG8M (EN 1.4449) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel CK3MCuN (EN 1.4547) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel CN7M (2.4066) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel 316Ti (EN 1.4571) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel 321 (EN 1.4541) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel 347 (EN 1.4550) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel 347H (EN 1.4912) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel 904L (EN 1.4539) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Stainless Steel 310MoLN (EN 1.4466) Instrument Ball Valve;

★ASTM A351 CD4MCu Instrument Ball Valve;

★Duplex Steel A995 Gr. 4A (EN 1.4462) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Duplex Steel A995 Gr. 5A (EN 1.4410) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Duplex Steel A995 Gr. 6A (EN 1.4501) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Nickel 200 (EN 2.4066) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Nickel 201 (EN 2.4068) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Incoloy 800 (EN 1.4876) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Incoloy 800H (EN 1.4958) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Incoloy 825 (EN 2.4858) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Inconel 600 (EN 2.4816) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Inconel 625 (EN 2.4856) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Inconel 718 (EN 2.4668) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Monel 400 (EN 2.4360) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Monel K500 (EN 2.4375) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Titanium Gr. 2 (EN 3.7035) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Titanium Gr. 3 (EN 3.7055) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Titanium Gr. 10 Instrument Ball Valve;

★Hastelloy C276 (2.4819) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Hastelloy B3 (EN 2.4600) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Hastelloy C22 (EN 2.4602) Instrument Ball Valve;

★Hastelloy C4 (EN 2.4610) Instrument Ball Valve.

Working Temperature of Instrument Ball Valve:

★Please refer to the "Temperature and Pressure Curve of Instrument Ball Valve" for temperature and pressure changes.

Ends Connection of Instrument Ball Valve:

★Female NPT (ASME B1.20.1);

★Female BSPP (ISO 228-1);

★Female BSPT (ISO 7-1);

★Socket Weld (ASME B16.11);

★Socket Weld (EN 12760);

★Female NPT x Socket Weld;

★Female BSPP x Socket Weld;

★Female BSPT x Socket Weld;

★Butt Weld (ASME B16.25);

★Butt Weld (EN 12627);

★Female NPT x Butt Weld;

★Female BSPP x Butt Weld;

★Female BSPT x Butt Weld;

★Female NPT x Long Butt Weld (+100 mm Weld Stub);

★Female BSPP x Long Butt Weld (+100 mm Weld Stub);

★Female BSPT x Long Butt Weld (+100 mm Weld Stub);

★Long Butt Weld (+100 mm Weld Stub);

★Double Ferrule Ends.

Surface Coating of Instrument Ball Valve:

★C1 (ISO 12944:2018), Very Low Corrosivity;

★C2 (ISO 12944:2018), Low Corrosivity;

★C3 (ISO 12944:2018), Medium Corrosivity;

★C4 (ISO 12944:2018), High Corrosivity;

★C5 (ISO 12944:2018), Very High Corrosivity;

★CX (ISO 12944:2018), Extreme Corrosivity;

★IM1 (ISO 12944:2018), Fresh Water;

★IM2 (ISO 12944:2018), Sea Water, Brackish Water;

★IM3 (ISO 12944:2018), Soil;

★IM4 (ISO 12944:2018), Sea / Brackish Water with Cathodic Protection.

Operation of Instrument Ball Valve:

★Level;

★Series QF Electric Actuator;

★Series QU Electric Actuator;

★Series QS Electric Actuator (Spring Return Electric Actuator);

★Series RT Double Acting Pneumatic Actuator (Aluminum Alloy Body);

★Series RT Spring Return Pneumatic Actuator (Aluminum Alloy Body);

★Series RT Double Acting Pneumatic Actuator (Marine Coating);

★Series RT Spring Return Pneumatic Actuator (Marine Coating);

★Series RT Double Acting Pneumatic Actuator (Stainless Steel Body);

★Series RT Spring Return Pneumatic Actuator (Stainless Steel Body).

Chemical Composition of Instrument Ball Valve:

★For the Chemical Composition of Instrument Ball Valve, please refer to EN 10204 Type 3.1 Certificate.

Mechanical Properties of Instrument Ball Valve:

★For the Mechanical Properties of Instrument Ball Valve, please refer to EN 10204 Type 3.1 Certificate.

Certificate of Instrument Ball Valve:

★All Instrument Ball Valve will be delivered with EN 10204 Type 3.1 Certificate.

Available Upon Request of Instrument Ball Valve:

★NACE MR0175 is available upon request;

★ATEX is available upon request;

★TA-LUFT is available upon request;

★SIL is available upon request;

★Degreasing is available upon request.