Different Ball Valve Port Types 2

[carlo1023]

What is the difference between a full port, regular port, or reduced port ball valve? I have read a forum about full port and regular port. We require a regular port ball valve but a vendor gave us a reduced port. Is there a difference?

 

[Ashereng]

Regular port is the same as reduced port.
Full port is full port.

Not every manufacturer's regular port, for the same size body, is the same. You need to check.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[JimCasey]

Rule of thumb is a reduced port (as ashereng said, same as a regular port) is one size smaller. e.g.: 4" valve with a 3" port.

In a real-world situation it causes so little additional resistance to the flow that you would be hard-pressed to measure the additional pressure loss. Where it really makes a difference is if you will be pigging the line or if you are using the valve to isolate an insertion probe, such as a hot-tap flowmeter probe. So it's not much of a flow restriction, it is a restriction to the passage of a solid component.

Regular port ball valves are more economical on several levels. The ball is the most precisely machined component so using a smaller ball saves money that way, both in machining time and in mass of material. Then the secondary benefit that if you automate the valve you need less torque to turn the smaller ball, so you can buy a smaller, less expensive actuator.