Ball valves emerged in the 1950s. Driven by rapid technological advancements and continuous improvements in manufacturing processes and product design, they have quickly evolved into a major category of valves over a span of just forty years. In industrialized Western nations, the adoption of ball valves is steadily increasing year by year.
In my country, ball valves are widely utilized across sectors such as petroleum refining, long-distance pipelines, chemicals, papermaking, pharmaceuticals, water conservancy, electric power, municipal infrastructure, and iron and steel; they play a pivotal role in the national economy. These valves operate via a 90-degree rotation and feature a spherical closure element (the ball) with a circular bore or passage running through its axis.
In piping systems, ball valves are primarily used to shut off flow, distribute media, and alter flow direction; they require only a 90-degree turn and minimal operating torque to achieve a tight seal. Ball valves are ideally suited for use as on-off or shut-off valves (including V-port ball valves). When dealing with electric valves, in addition to pipeline parameters, special attention must be paid to operating environmental conditions; since the electric actuator is an electromechanical device, its performance is significantly influenced by the environment in which it operates. Particular care should be taken when using electric ball valves and butterfly valves in the following environments.