The inherent design of brass ball valves makes them ideal for opening and closing a variety of media, but when it comes to service life, what exactly should you expect? A quick search for "brass ball valve life" yields a response of 100,000 cycles . If only the real answer was that simple. The reality is that the life of a brass ball valve depends on several factors. In high-cycle or high-pressure environments, brass ball valves require more frequent servicing or replacement than those that operate infrequently—and that's before taking into account the nuances of any particular medium. You will see that most brass ball valve manufacturers in China do set guarantees on the life expectancy of their products, as there are many factors to consider in the first place. Here are five factors that can affect the life of a brass ball valve.

Brass ball valves are traditionally used for on-off control of gases and liquids, including water, oil, air, and chemicals.

Media containing aerosols are abrasive and can cause premature failure of brass valve seals. This can come in the form of a leak, or depending on the severity of the media properties, the operating torque of the brass ball valve can rise sharply, eventually causing the drive to fail. Therefore, brass ball valves are only recommended for opening and closing control of liquids or gases. Grinding media should be avoided. The three-piece brass ball valve has a body and two pipe connectors that are threaded or welded to the pipe. The main body can be easily removed for cleaning or maintenance without removing the pipe fittings, as shown below.

The correct material for brass ball valves depends on the type of liquid or gas flowing through the brass valve. Some of the most common materials used to make brass ball valves include stainless steel, PVC, brass and bronze.

The material of the valve body and seal must match the temperature and pressure rating and chemical composition of the gas or liquid flowing through the brass valve.

The following is a detailed introduction to the material selection:

Metals: Stainless steel, bronze and brass offer high durability and corrosion resistance. Metal materials are the best choice for high temperature applications.

PVC: PVC is a more flexible plastic than metal brass valves. However, PVC is not as durable as metal and is not suitable for high temperature (over 140°F) or high pressure applications. The service life of PVC brass ball valves is shorter than other brass valves.

PTFE: PTFE is used in the seals of most brass ball valves and is compatible with almost all types of media. This material has a high melting point, but applications at very high temperatures should use metal or ceramic seals.

Elastomers: Elastomers such as Viton and EPDM are also used in some brass ball valve designs. When using brass valves with elastomers, it is important to ensure that the material used is compatible with your application medium.

A commonly used resource for identifying chemical compatibility is the Cole-Parmer Chemical Compatibility Database. This is an excellent tool for determining basic chemical compatibility between brass valve components and application media.

Where the material comes from is equally important. Some distributors may source brass ball valves from manufacturers around the world, so there is always the possibility of design inconsistencies or functional issues. Brass valves from domestic manufacturers generally provide a more reliable and long-lasting product.

Plastic brass ball valves are economical, but should not be used in high temperature environments and have a shorter lifespan than metal brass ball valves. For maximum safety, high pressure gas should be used with metal brass valves. It is important to ensure that the valve body and sealing material are safe for use with the media that will flow through the brass valve.

Image: Brass Ball Valve Components

When determining suitability, it is important to consider both the pressure and temperature of the brass valve medium, commonly referred to as the pressure/temperature rating. Generally speaking, as the pressure of the medium increases, the temperature of the medium must decrease, and vice versa.

Pressure/temperature ratings will affect the appropriate material, brass valve design and brass valve seal material should be used. This, combined with cycle frequency, are factors that have a significant impact on brass ball valve life. Brass ball valves used in applications near pressure/temperature ratings can last for years if cycled (open or closed) infrequently. The same brass valve in the same application may require frequent replacement if the brass valve is frequently cycled.

The closer your specific brass valve medium is to the upper limit of the brass valve pressure/temperature rating, the less cycling (open/close) the brass ball valve will be.

There is more than one way to power a brass ball valve. Manual brass ball valves are controlled by turning a lever or handle on the valve. Since these brass valves must be powered by the operator, they are not the right choice for high cycle applications or brass valves located in hard to reach places.

By adding a drive mechanism, the executive brass ball valve can be automated and remotely controlled. You may see the following options:

Pneumatic brass ball valves are suitable for environments exposed to compressed air. They offer fast cycle times and high durability.

Electric Brass Ball Valves are used in applications that require low cycle speeds or where access to compressed air is not possible. A slower exponential time helps prevent water hammer in high pressure applications. You may also see these called "electric brass ball valves".

Hydraulic brass ball valves work similarly to pneumatic brass ball valves, but provide more torque output. These actuators are generally more expensive than other actuator options and may require additional components to function properly.

While pneumatic actuators are the most durable option, all types of actuators (pneumatic, electric, hydraulic) will outlast brass ball valves in most applications. Whichever actuator is chosen, it has the potential to extend the life of multiple brass valves.

Electric brass ball valve, also known as electric brass ball valve or rotary brass ball valve, is the most commonly used choice for brass ball valve automation. These products use a motorized mechanism to operate the brass ball valve and control the flow of the medium, as shown below.

or actuator brass ball valves, the brass valve seal is almost always the first component to fail, and when the brass valve is in the closed position, there is usually a stem seal leak or a leak downstream of the seat. For this reason, it is common to try to repair brass valves by replacing the soft seal.

If you plan to maintain brass valves in your application, it is important to choose a brass valve suitable for service performance, such as a three-piece brass ball valve. These brass valves are designed so that the center section and seal of the brass valve can be easily and safely replaced. One-piece and two-piece brass ball valves are not suitable for disassembly and should be replaced rather than repaired. The good news is that the cost of replacing a brass ball valve is only a fraction of the total cost of implementing a brass ball valve assembly. Depending on the brand and quality of the actuator, one actuator will carry multiple brass ball valves until it needs to be replaced.

One actuator typically lasts longer than multiple brass ball valves, so you should replace brass ball valves more often than actuators. In applications where brass valves may experience severe wear, three-piece brass ball valves should be considered for normal use of brass valves.