What is the function of gate valves on ships?

What Does Gate Valve Mean?

A gate valve has a flat closure element that slides into the flow stream to stop the fluid. They are one of the most commonly used valves, and are primarily used to permit or prevent the flow of liquids.

Gate valve, also called gate valve, is a widely used valve. Its closing principle is that the sealing surface of the gate and the sealing surface of the valve seat are highly smooth, flat and consistent, and fit each other, which can prevent the medium from flowing through, and rely on the top mold, spring or the mold shape of the gate to enhance the sealing effect. It mainly plays a cutting role in the pipeline.

Its advantages are: small fluid resistance, easy opening and closing, can be used in the case of two-way flow of medium, no directionality, sealing surface is not easy to be eroded when fully open, short structure length, not only suitable for small valves, but also suitable for big valve.

Gate valves can be used in demanding environments such as high-temperature and high-pressure environments. They are often used in:

● Power plants

● Water treatment

● Mining

● Offshore applications

Gate valves are also known as knife valves, slide valves, sluice valves or linear motion valves.

 

What is the function of gate valves on ships?

Gate valves are used in applications where a full unrestricted flow of the fluid is desired. As the gate can be opened to the full bore it provides very less frictional loss.

The Gate valves are not suited for regulating flow as the gate arrangement allows the valve to remain in either fully closed or open position. In order to increase tightness of the seal some gate valves are provided with twin discs which can be pressed against the seat with the help of a spring when closed. In case the valve requires a change in direction, a full bore angle valve can be used.

Steam circuits on ships are best suited for the use of gate valves due to the characteristics described above. Since steam causes heating and deformation of the material that it passes through; normally such valves do not have a solid gate, rather they have a flexible gate made out of two circular plates with a hub in-between to account for any change of dimensions in the valve body.