Globe Valve Vs Ball Valve: Which One Is The Best For You?

globe valve vs ball valve; Which One Is the Best for You? - Industrial Manufacturing Blog

There are many different types of plumbing valves with various applications. Today we are going to have a clear crystal comparison between two of the most common in use valves which are globe valve vs ball valve. In this comparison, we are going to discuss the main differences in structure and application. Linquip has gathered the most valid and reliable information for you who are about to choose one of these two type of valve and don’t know which one is better for you. Keep reading to know the main differences.

⇒ View a List of Globe Valves for Sale and Their Suppliers ⇐

How Does a Ball Valve Work?

We have two different articles on ball valve parts and ball valve types and there we talked about plumbing valve completely. But here we are having a brief introduction on how a ball valve works to show you the differences. So, let’s have look on the operation of ball valves.

A ball valve has a bead-like shape. But the difference is that the center hole is at the same size as the pipe. It has a perforating and pivotal ball inside its structure to control the flow. When the hole inside the ball is in line with the flow, it is open and the handle of the valve lies flat in alignment with the flow and it is actually in the direction of flow. When the ball is turned 90 degrees, the valve is closed. The handle when the valve is closed is in the perpendicular to the direction of the pipe and the flow inside.

Find out More about Valves Device & Equipment in Linquip

Click HERE

Read More on Linquip

How Does a Globe Valve Work?

We already had two separated introductions on globe valve parts and globe valve types in two different articles. To better know the differences of globe valve vs ball valve, we try to elaborate how a globe valve works briefly. Globe valves are known as control valves in plumbing. The reason for such naming is for their spherical body shape. A globe valve has an opening with a seat onto which a movable disk can be screwed in to open or close the valve.

See All Ball Valve for Sale

Now that we had short introductions on how globe and ball valves work, it’s time to get closer on the differences. Although the words globe and ball as we think are so similar, these two words make big differences on the structure function and applications of their respective valves. In the following section, we have a complete and comprehensive look on the main differences of globe valve vs ball valve.

Read More on Linquip

What are the main differences?

Previously we discussed the functions of globe valves and ball valves and we became somewhat familiar with the structure and components of these two types of valves. As we mentioned before, the main difference of globe valve vs ball valve is the way they open and close the flow. A globe valve is used to control and throttle the flow while with a ball valve you can’t control the flow and the only thing you can do with the flow is to close it. With a globe valve you are able to regulate the flow whereas the ball valves are well-performed for the closing the flow without any pressure drops.

Click HERE

Another difference is that a ball valve has a stem and a ball which rotates horizontally but a globe valve has a stem and a plug which moves vertically.

If you need to keep the flow closed for a long period of time, use a ball valve. A ball valve works more efficiently in high-pressure systems like fire hoses.

If the regulation of flow is the matter, it’s better to use a globe valve. Cooling systems, fuel and steam systems are some applications of globe valves of which the flow needs to be under a strict control. Unlike globe valves, there is no restrictions of installation for ball valves. Besides, ball valves are light weight in comparison with globe valves. Other differences are that ball valves are more durable, work well after so many cycles and are more reliable even after a very long term of misusing. Ball valves possess a small obstruction of their fluid and they are less noisy while the globe valves share a large obstruction of their fluid and may become a little bit noisy after being used for many years.

Conclusion

We put globe valve vs ball valve, two of the most common-in-use valves in plumbing, in this article and depicted for you how each of these can be used with the highest performance. We had a brief elaboration on how globe valve vs ball valve works and we want you to know that it’s okay if you still don’t know which one is more suitable for your purpose. Just sign up on our website and our experts and technicians in Linquip are ready to answer any questions of any types on this topic to make it easier for you to choose. In addition, if you have any experiences of using these two types of valve in your systems or want to share your opinions about this topic, please feel free to write them down on comments. We hope you enjoy the information we gathered and shared with you in this review.

Read More on Linquip

Buy Equipment or Ask for a Service

By using Linquip RFQ Service, you can expect to receive quotations from various suppliers across multiple industries and regions.

Click Here to Request a Quotation From Suppliers and Service Providers

Globe Valve vs Ball Valve

Figure 1: Globe valve (left) and ball valve (right)

Globe valves and ball valves are both shut-off valves typically used in piping systems. However, it is usually not immediately obvious which valve is most suitable for an application. System design should be finished before valve selection in order to select the best valve for the job in terms of cost, installation space, flow control, and more. Keep reading to learn more about how a globe valve may be more suitable than a ball valve and vice versa.

Working principles

Globe valve working principle

Figure 2: A globe valve in the open position (left) and the closed position (right) with the valve body (A), bonnet (B), stem (C), and plug (D).

A globe valve is a multi-turn valve, meaning that the handwheel needs to be turned more than 360° to fully open or close the valve. The main components of a globe valve are the valve body, bonnet, handwheel, stem, and plug. Media flows into the valve body (Figure 2 labeled A) through an inlet and exits the valve body through an outlet. The bonnet (Figure 2 labeled B) protects the threaded components of the valve and attaches to the valve body. As the user turns the handwheel, it turns the threaded stem (Figure 2 labeled C), which raises or lowers the plug (Figure 2 labeled D). Raising the plug opens the orifice, thereby allowing media flow. Lowering the plug into the valve seat seals the orifice, preventing the flow. Raising the disc, on the other hand, increases the flow rate. The flow rate is maximum when the disc is raised to its maximum position. The fluid flow rate is controlled by moving the disc proportionally through the stem.

Ball valve working principle

Figure 3: Ball valve parts; Stem (A), ball (B), seat (C), o-rings (D), and valve housing (E)

A ball valve is a quarter-turn valve, meaning that the handle only needs a 90° turn to fully open or close the valve. The main components of a ball valve are shown in Figure 3. The stem (A) connects to the ball (B). The ball sits on the ball valve seat (C), creating the seal. O-ring stem seals (D) are used to prevent leakage. All of these components are within the valve housing (E). As seen in Figure 3, the ball has a bore running through it. Under normal operation, the bore is either aligned with the valve ports to allow flow, or perpendicular to the ports to block flow. Read our article on ball valves for more details on how they work.

Flow control

Globe and ball valves are both used to turn on or off the flow. Globe valves, though, can also function in a partially open or closed state to modulate the flow. This flow regulation is achievable due to the globe valve’s disc sitting parallel to the flow. The linear flow rate achieved by globe valves is higher than that achieved by ball valves, and reduces the effects of water hammer.

Head loss

Globe valves have significantly higher pressure loss (head loss) in the fully open position than ball valves. This is because the fluid has to change direction multiple times as it passes through a globe valve.

Valve design

Globe valve design

Globe valves are available in three basic configurations: T- or Z globe valve, Y-globe valve, and angle globe valve. Read our article on globe valves for more information on each type.

Ball valve design

The ball valve can be classified into different categories depending on its housing structure, ball design, and port size. Depending on the housing structure, we can have 1, 2, or 3-piece ball valves. Depending on the port size, ball valves are categorized as full port ball valves, standard port ball valves, or reduced port ball valves. And depending on the number of ports, ball valves are classified into 2-way and multiport valves.

Symbols

The symbols for various globe valve configurations are shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Globe valve symbols: globe (A), hand operated (B), pneumatic (C), motor operated (D), hydraulic operated (E).

The symbols for a ball valve are shown in Figure 5. For more details on the symbols of various ball valve configurations, read our article on ball valve symbols.

Figure 5: Actuated ball valve symbols; manually operated ball valve (A), pneumatically actuated ball valve (diaphragm type) symbol (B), pneumatically actuated ball valve (rotary piston type) symbol (C), electrically actuated ball valve symbol, and a hydraulic actuator ball valve symbol (D).

Applications

Globe valves are used to control fluid flow. Furthermore, globe valves are advantageous in applications requiring precise throttling. Ball valves, on the other hand, are commonly used for plumbing system shut-off and isolation. Industrial applications for globe valves include fuel oil systems and cooling water systems, while those of ball valves include chemical storage and natural gas industries.

Globe valve and ball valve similarities

Globe valves and ball valves share some similarities. Both valves are used in piping systems to control the flow of liquids and gasses. Both are shut-off valves designed to allow or block the fluid flow within a pipe. Globe valves and ball valves can be operated manually or automatically.

Pros and cons of ball valves and globe valves

Operation: Ball valves are simple and easier to operate than globe valves.

Throttling: Globe valves are suitable for throttling operations, whereas ball valves should be either fully shut or fully open.

Handle: Ball valves are quarter-turn valves which means the ball valve handle must be turned by 90° to go from fully open to a fully closed state or vice versa. The handwheel of globe valves must be turned multiple times from entirely closed to fully opened.

Cost: Due to their simple structure, ball valves are cheaper than globe valves.

Space: Globe valves occupy more space compared to ball valves.

Pressure rating: Ball valves can handle higher pressure than globe valves.

Durability: Ball valves are longer-lasting than globe valves.

Leakages: Globe valves are more prone to leakages than ball valves.

Media flow resistance: A globe valve offers more resistance to media flow compared to ball valves.

Head loss: Globe valves have a higher head loss than ball valves.

Globe valve and ball valve selection

The selection between a ball valve and a globe valve depends on the intended purpose. The main factors to consider during the selection process are discussed below:

Flow rate: Ball valves are desirable in applications where a high flow rate is necessary due to their full-bore design.

Pressure drops: Ball valves have lower pressure drops because flow moves straight through them.

Maintenance: Ball valves are simple to maintain because the valve only needs a little lubrication to stay clean. Further maintenance is necessary upon debris buildup.

Temperature: Ball valves function better under high-temperature conditions due to their durable construction.

FAQs

What are the typical applications of a globe valve?

Globe valves are used commonly to control water flow in irrigation systems, regulate airflow in AC systems, and control oil flow in pipelines.

What is the main difference between a ball valve and a globe valve?

The ball valve has a hollow ball that rotates inside the valve, whereas the globe valve has a disc that moves vertically through the valve stem.

Which valve is better between globe valves and ball valves?

This depends on the intended application. Globe valves are better for throttling applications, while ball valves offer better performance as shutoff valves.

Globe Valves vs. Gate Valves vs. Ball Valves

Whether you’re designing a piping system on an industrial scale or making repairs to residential plumbing, you’ll need to know what kinds of valves your system requires. In this post, we’ll cover the most common types of valves — globe, gate and ball — and discuss the applications in which they are most often used.

Globe Valves

Globe valves are a type of control valve used to stop, start and regulate the flow of media through a pipe. From the outside, they have a spherical body design; inside, a plug-like disc sits on the end of a threaded rotating stem, which raises and lowers to control media flow. Globe valves are part of the linear motion valve family, which means that the valve mechanism moves along a straight line.

Globe valves provide a tight seal with low chances of leakage, which is why they are a common choice in high-pressure, industrial piping systems.

How Do Globe Valves Work?

Globe valves are designed so that the media flowing through them does not travel in a straight line. Rather than encountering a perpendicular blockage at the valve, the media must take a slight vertical detour up through the valve cavity, where it meets the plug disc. As the valve stem is turned via wheel and raises to allow media through, the disc moves parallel to the flow. The position of the stem tells operators whether the valve is open or closed.

This vertical movement is what enables the globe valve to regulate media flow, rather than simply stopping or starting it. The distance between the disc and the seat determines the flow rate: the farther apart the disc and seat are, the higher the volume of media passing through. Globe valves are ideal for throttling, or regulating the flow of media while in a partially open position, and make starting and stopping flow less abrupt which can help prevent water hammer.

Because their design forces media to change direction (horizontal to vertical), globe valves create a high-pressure drop. They are best used in applications that require only unidirectional flow, where massive changes in pressure are not an issue and where safety and leakage are primary concerns. Globe valves are often found in piping systems that transport corrosive, viscous, highly pressurized or extremely hot or cold media.

Most of the working parts of a globe valve lie inside the cavity, and access to the internal components is through the top; this is known as top-entry design.

Gate Valves

Gate valves are linear motion valves that are used only to start or stop media flowing through a pipe. They are considered shutoff valves instead of control valves, since they are not ideal for throttling.

Gate valves are designed with a flat or wedge-shaped disc on the end of a threaded stem, which is turned via a wheel and raises and lowers to operate the valve. Gate valves provide a tight shutoff, and as such are commonly used for isolating media. Because they do not force media to change course (as in a globe valve) gate valves cause little pressure drop.

Gate and globe valves often work in tandem inside a piping system, and are the two most common types of valves. Gate valves can be designed with rising or non-rising stems, which helps when space optimization is critical.

How Do Gate Valves Work?

When a gate valve is activated, the stem will turn clockwise or counter clockwise to raise or lower the disc inside the pipe. In its closed position, the disc lodges between the seats in the base of the valve, providing a full stop at a right angle to the media flow. The disc can be shaped like a wedge, knife or parallel panel.

Most of a gate valve’s internal components are located in the top part of the valve body, through which they can be accessed for maintenance.

Gate valves have lower pressure drops than globe valves since the media is not diverted on its way through. Once open, the flow space is as large as the valve cavity and offers little resistance to flow. Gate valves are best for applications in which low-pressure drops are critical, and their multidirectionality makes them more versatile than unidirectional valves.

A downside to the gate valve is the thinness of the disc, which can fall out of alignment with the seat if vibrations from the media become too strong. Because of this, it’s important that the gate stay in either the fully open or fully closed position — too much vibration from pressurized media can cause damage and shorten the life of the valve. Due to the abruptness of their shutoff, gate valves can also trigger water hammer, which can cause major damage in industrial settings.

Gate valves are best in applications where tight sealing or isolation of media is required. Gate valves cannot handle a strong flow of media while in a partially open position, and thus are not used for regulating flow. They can be found in industrial oil and gas piping systems, irrigation networks and marine industries; for example, gate valves with non-rising stems are popular on ships since they take up less vertical space.

Compared to globe or ball valves, gate valves are less durable over long periods of time and more prone to leaks.

Ball Valves

Unlike gate or globe valves, ball valves are a type of quarter-turn valve that utilizes a bead shaped ball with a hole in the middle to control the flow of media. Called a bore or port, the hole in the middle of the ball allows media to pass through the valve body when opened, and is rotated 90 degrees to stop flow. The port is aligned perpendicular to the valve body in the closed position.

How Do Ball Valves Work?

Ball valves are multidirectional quarter-turn valves, since the rotating ball regulates the flow of media through the port. The stem that controls the rotation of the ball is attached to a perpendicular lever, or actuator. When the lever is parallel to the pipe, the valve is open; when the lever is at a right angle to the pipe, the valve is closed.

Ball valves can also be controlled by actuators: attachments that activate to open or close a valve. Actuators can be hydraulic, electric or pneumatic.

One characteristic of ball valves is their exponential flow rate, which means that the volume of media flowing through the valve increases or decreases at an exponential rate when the valve is opened or closed. This makes it more difficult to precisely calibrate the flow rate, and is why ball valves are generally not the first choice for throttling applications.

Ball valves are favored for their compact design, fast cycle speeds and long service life, which make them the choice for applications that require durable, reliable on/off control such as in the oil, gas, automotive, chemical processing and manufacturing industries. Since such little motion is required to operate ball valves — no multi-turn rotating stem as in globe or gate valves — ball valves tend to last much longer and are less prone to corrosion or damage. If it’s necessary to keep a valve closed for long periods of time, a ball valve will provide the most secure seal.

Globe vs. Gate vs. Ball Valves: Pros and Cons

Pros Cons Glove Valves

Can regulate media flow

Can handle high-pressure, high-temperature, corrosive or viscous media

Low chance of leakage

Create a high-pressure drop

Introduce resistance to media flow

Gate Valves

Economical option for on/off control

Multidirectional

Offer little resistance to media flow

Not ideal for regulating media flow: Cannot handle the sustained flow of media in a partially open position

Can cause water hammer

Prone to leaks: less durable than ball valves

Ball Valves

Long lasting and durable

Versatile media compatibility

Compact

Provide fast cycle speeds

Good for high-pressure, high-volume applications

Offer little resistance to media flow

Not ideal for regulating flow

Fast cycle time can lead to water hammer

Which Type of Valve is Right for Your Application?

Now that you can discern between globe, gate and ball valves, you’ll be able to choose which valve is right for your application. Gemini Valve is your resource for all things ball valves — we can help point you in the right direction, no matter what type of valve you require. Get in touch with us today to ask a question or request a quote.