Is a ball or gate valve better for a water main?

For the main water pipe, the ball valve is usually more suitable than the gate valve. The following is a specific analysis:

1. Structural characteristics and operational convenience

• Ball valve: It is composed of a ball, a valve stem, a valve seat and other parts. There is a small hole on the ball. By rotating the valve stem, the contact between the ball and the valve seat can be controlled to realize the function of switching the water flow. The ball valve has a compact structure and is easy to operate. It can be switched by rotating it by only 90°. It is very suitable for occasions that require quick opening and closing.
• Gate valve: The switch of water flow is controlled by lifting the valve plate. The structure of the gate valve is relatively complex. It requires a large space and a long time to open and close, and the operation is not as flexible as the ball valve.

2. Fluid resistance and stability

• Ball valve: The inside of the ball is smooth and the fluid resistance is small. It can ensure that the water source flow is not affected by the valve and is more stable.
• Gate valve: Although the fluid resistance is also small when fully open, during the opening and closing process, due to the friction between the valve plate and the valve seat, it will cause a certain resistance to the fluid, which may affect the stability of the water flow.

3. Service life and maintenance

• Ball valve: compact structure, not easy to clog, long service life, generally up to 10 years or more, even in some cases (such as ball valves with fully welded valve bodies) up to 30 years. At the same time, the ball valve has good sealing performance and can prevent pipeline leakage.
• Gate valve: Although the manufacturing process is mature, the service life is relatively short, generally lower than that of the ball valve. In addition, the sealing surface of the gate valve is easy to wear and requires regular maintenance and replacement.

4. Applicable scenarios

• Ball valve: Due to its excellent performance, ball valves are widely used in construction, municipal, chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical and other fields, and are also particularly suitable for domestic tap water pipes.
• Gate valve: Applicable to pipe sections that require two-way flow, low temperature and pressure or high temperature and high pressure working conditions, and occasions where the flow direction of the medium is not restricted. However, it is generally not used in pipelines for conveying media such as mud, nor is it suitable as the main valve for domestic tap water pipes.

In summary, for the main water pipe, the ball valve has excellent performance in structural characteristics, fluid resistance, service life and maintenance, and applicable scenarios, and is a more suitable choice.