Ball Valves Whether in a petrochemical application where a leak could be environmentally devastating, or in a pharmaceutical laboratory where cleanliness and hygiene are critical, ball valve seats must be reliable and robust. A ball valve consists of the valve body, the body cap, the stem, the hollow ball and the round ball valve seat.
The ball valve seat is responsible for sealing the fluid inside and evenly distributing seat stress. With soft-seated ball valve designs, a
elastomer or polymer is used as the seal and is placed in a metal seat ring. This approach, as opposed to hard-seated ball valves, is popular because it provides good sealing, is lighter, and is less expensive.
PTFE (also known as Teflon) shares many of the same properties as PEEK, however, has even lower friction and dry running capabilities and broader chemical compatibility.
Like PEEK, PTFE can still function after repeated exposure to hot water and steam. Note, however, that PTFE does not work well in the presence of fluorine or alkali. PTFE is also very easy to clean and is available in glass or carbon reinforced grades that can offer better wear properties, less tendency to cold creep and lower thermal conductivity.