You may have read our blog about ball valves. Named for the rotary sphere that exists within the valve, ball valves control the flow of liquids and gasses. The valve itself contains an opening, known as a “port,” that allows fluids or air to flow. With various sizes to choose from, how can you determine which port type is right for your specific needs? Let’s take a closer look. 

A brief history of ball valve porting. 

Although the ball valve was first patented in 1875, it would take until the mid-1900s before it was widely put into use for various industrial applications. Early mass production of these ball valves featured a methodology of boring out a solid metal bar or rod and machining the internal materials to accommodate the seats, ball and retaining rings. 

Manufacturers were limited to the physical dimensions of the diameter of the bar and had to maintain sufficient wall thickness to withstand the pressures inside the body of the valve. For example, the overall diameter of the ball could not be larger than the inside diameter of the machined bar. Additionally, the ball opening (which allows liquid and air flow) was also restricted in size because it had to maintain sufficient wall thickness as well. The result was an innovative 90-degree shut-off solution with less than ideal flow characteristics.

As valve markets expanded and technology developed, other methods, such as forging and casting, became cost effective in the manufacture of ball valves. These methods allowed the valve body to take on configurations other than just the outside diameter of a metal bar or rod. This made the development of various sizes of port ball openings possible. 

Standard port valves. 

Adding materials to the valve body permitted the center portion to grow in size and accept larger internal components. For many years, valve manufacturers produced ball valves with an opening through the ball that was approximately one pipe size smaller than the corresponding pipe inside diameter. This is known as a standard port valve.

Standard port valves offer a great balance between cost and flow. Look for DynaQuip’s VME1 carbon steel, V1S stainless steel or VMA bronze valves for examples.

Full port valves. 

As companies demanded greater productivity from all aspects of their operations, full port valves were developed to ensure a restriction-free flow. Full port ball valves are unrestricted valves with a bore through the ball that is larger or nearly matching the inside diameter of the pipe it is matched with and allows for greater flow. 

To address this market need for higher performance in the most demanding conditions, nearly all of DynaQuip’s current product offerings are fully ported.

Reduced port valves. 

Still commonly used today, reduced port ball valves are an option when cost savings outweigh the need for greater flow capacity. By definition, the opening of the ball measures more than one pipe size smaller than the nominal size of the valve. For instance, a two-inch (2”) pipe size reduced port ball valve would have a 1-1/4″ or smaller opening in the ball. 

DynaQuip’s VME3 carbon steel is a great example of reduced port valves which offer significant value.

DynaQuip works where you do.

If you would like to learn more about the complete line of DynaQuip ball valve solutions, how they can benefit your operation, and everything we have to offer, we invite you to explore the details within our website or feel free to contact us at 800-545-3636.