Ball Valves Vs. Gate Valves Vs. Butterfly Valves: Comparison of Design Standards And Analysis of Industry Specifications (API/ANSI/GB)

In the industrial field, valves are indispensable components in fluid control systems, and BALL VALVES, GATE VALVES, and BUTTERFLY VALVES are the three most common types among them. Each of them has unique design features and application scenarios, and they also need to comply with different design standards and industry specifications, such as those of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Chinese National Standards (GB). This article will conduct a detailed comparison of the design standards of these three types of valves and analyze their applicability in different application scenarios.

I. OVERVIEW OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS OF BALL VALVES, GATE VALVES, AND BUTTERFLY VALVES

(A) Design Standards of Ball Valves
BALL VALVES are widely used in industries such as petroleum, chemical engineering, and natural gas due to their advantages like compact structure, good sealing performance, and convenient operation. Their main design standards are as follows:

• API 608: Applicable to metal ball valves with flanged and butt-welding ends, it stipulates the requirements for the design, materials, manufacturing, inspection, and testing of ball valves.

• API 6D: For pipeline ball valves, it covers requirements for design, materials, manufacturing, testing, and inspection.

• ANSI B16.34: As an American national standard, it covers different types of ball valves such as full bore, reduced bore, flanged, threaded, and welded ones, and stipulates requirements regarding dimensions, pressure ratings, materials, and testing.

• GB/T 12237: The Chinese national standard, applicable to the design and manufacturing of ball valves, stipulates the structure, materials, sealing performance, and operation requirements of ball valves.

(B) Design Standards of Gate Valves
GATE VALVES are mainly used to shut off or connect the fluid in pipelines. Their design standards are as follows:

• API 600: Applicable to steel gate valves used in the petroleum and natural gas industries, it describes in detail the design requirements, materials, testing procedures, and acceptance criteria of gate valves.

• ANSI B16.34: Also applicable to gate valves, it stipulates the specifications for the dimensions, flanges, threads, and welding ends of gate valves.

• GB/T 12234: The Chinese national standard, applicable to the design and manufacturing of gate valves, stipulates the dimensions, materials, structure, and performance requirements of gate valves.

(C) Design Standards of Butterfly Valves
BUTTERFLY VALVES are widely used in fields such as water supply and drainage and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning due to their characteristics like being lightweight, having flexible operation, and being easy to install. Their design standards are as follows:

• API 609: Applicable to double-flanged, lug, and wafer-type butterfly valves, it stipulates the requirements for the design, materials, dimensions, pressure-temperature ratings, as well as inspection and testing of butterfly valves.

• ANSI B16.34: Although mainly targeting ball valves and gate valves, some clauses are also applicable to butterfly valves.

• GB/T 12238: The Chinese national standard, applicable to the design and manufacturing of butterfly valves, stipulates the structure, materials, sealing performance, and operation characteristics of butterfly valves.

II. COMPARISON OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS OF BALL VALVES, GATE VALVES, AND BUTTERFLY VALVES

III. ANALYSIS OF INDUSTRY SPECIFICATIONS

(A) API Standards
API standards are a series of specifications formulated by the American Petroleum Institute and are widely used in the petroleum and natural gas industries. API 608 and API 609 respectively target ball valves and butterfly valves and stipulate detailed design, manufacturing, and inspection requirements to ensure the reliability and safety of valves under complex working conditions. API 600 focuses on gate valves and covers design, materials, testing procedures, and acceptance criteria.

(B) ANSI Standards
ANSI B16.34 is a general valve standard formulated by the American National Standards Institute, covering the design and manufacturing requirements of BALL VALVES, GATE VALVES, and some BUTTERFLY VALVES. This standard stipulates the dimensions, pressure ratings, material selection, and test methods of valves, providing an important basis for the standardized production of valves.

(C) GB Standards
GB is the Chinese national standard, applicable to the design and manufacturing of domestic valves. GB/T 12237, GB/T 12234, and GB/T 12238 respectively target ball valves, gate valves, and butterfly valves and stipulate the structure, materials, sealing performance, and operation requirements of valves. These standards, combined with the actual domestic situation, ensure the applicability and reliability of valves in different industrial fields.

IV. CONCLUSION
BALL VALVES, GATE VALVES, and BUTTERFLY VALVES have different focuses in terms of design standards and industry specifications. Ball valves mainly follow API 608 and ANSI B16.34 and are suitable for complex working conditions in industries such as petroleum and chemical engineering. Gate valves mainly comply with API 600 and ANSI B16.34 and are suitable for the shut-off requirements in industries such as petroleum and natural gas. Butterfly valves mainly rely on API 609 and ANSI B16.34 and are suitable for flow control in industries such as water supply and drainage and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. By comparing these standards, users can choose the appropriate valve type and its design standard according to the actual working conditions to ensure the safe operation and efficient performance of the system.

When choosing valves, in addition to considering the design standards, it is also necessary to combine specific working conditions, such as the type of medium, temperature, pressure, and operation frequency, to achieve the best system performance and economic benefits.