Valve
fluids (either gases, fluidised solids, slurries or liquids) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways.
There are a number of names for particular types of valve:
- Ball cock, often used as a water level controller (cistern)
- Ball valve, which is good for on/off control.
- Bibcock
- Butterfly valve, particularly in large pipes
- Cock, colloquial term for a small valve
- Gate valve, mainly for on/off control
- Globe valve, which is good for regulating flow.
- Hydraulic valve (diaphragm valve)
- Non-return valve or check valve, allows the fluid to pass in one direction only
- Pilot valves regulate flow or pressure to other valves.
- Plug Valve , for on/off control
- Solenoid valve, an electrically controlled hydraulic or pneumatic valve
- Tap (British English), Faucet (flow control valve maintains a constant flowrate through the valve.
- A heart valve regulates blood flow through the heart in many organisms.
- A poppet valve is commonly used in piston engines to regulate the fuel mixture intake and exhaust. The sleeve valve is another valve type used for this purpose.
- A pressure reducing valve reduces pressure to a preset level downstream of the valve.
- A pressure sustaining valve maintains pressure at a preset level upstream of the valve.
- A regulator is used in SCUBA diving equipment and in gas cooking equipment to reduce the high pressure gas supply to a lower working pressure
- A safety valve or relief valve operates automatically at a set differential pressure to correct a potentially dangerous situation, typically over-pressure.
- A three way valve routes fluid from one direction to another.
Other uses of the term
See also
This is a disambiguation page; that is, one that points to other pages that might otherwise have the same name. If you followed a link here, you might want to go back and fix that link to point to the appropriate specific page.
