The distinct feature of a gate valve is the sealing surfaces between the gate and seats are planar, so gate valves are often used when a straight-line flow of fluid and minimum restriction is desired.
The gate faces can be parallel but are most commonly wedge-shaped. Gate valves are primarily used to permit or prevent the flow of liquids, but typical gate valves shouldn't be used for regulating flow unless they are specifically designed for that purpose. Because of their ability to cut through liquids, gate valves are often used in the petroleum industry.
Gate valves can be used for a vast number of fluids. Our gate valves are suitable under the following working conditions:
In service, these valves generally are either fully open or fully closed. When fully open, the fluid or gas flows through the valve in a straight line with very little resistance. Gate valves should not be used in the regulation or throttling of flow because accurate control is not possible. Furthermore, high-flow velocity in partially opened valves may cause erosion of the discs and seating surfaces. Vibration may also result in chattering of the partially opened valve disc. An exception to the above are specially designed gate valves that are used for low-velocity throttling; for example, guillotine gate valves for pulp stock.