What are the common faults in the use of gate valves?

Common faults in the use of gate valves

Gate valves are widely used in various industrial and civil pipeline systems, but some malfunctions often occur during use, affecting their normal operation.

Leak problem

Leakage is one of the common faults of gate valves. The connection between the valve body and the valve cover may cause medium leakage from that area due to aging, damage, or improper installation of the sealing gasket. Between the valve stem and the packing box, if the packing is aged or worn, or if the packing gland is not tightly pressed, it can also cause the medium to leak along the outside of the valve stem. In addition, if there are defects such as scratches and corrosion on the sealing surface of the valve, it will cause the valve to not close tightly and result in internal leakage.

Not flexible in operation

The main manifestation of inflexibility in operation is difficulty in opening or closing valves. This may be due to damaged or rusted threads on the valve stem, which hinders the rotation of the valve stem; The clearance between the valve stem and the valve stem nut, whether too small or too large, can also affect the normal operation of the valve. In addition, long-term unused gate valves may have difficulty operating due to adhesion between the valve stem and packing.

Valve stem fracture

Valve stem fracture usually occurs when the valve is frequently operated or subjected to significant external impact. When there are defects in the valve stem material, such as internal pores, cracks, etc., or when the valve stem is subjected to excessive bending stress, it is prone to fracture. A broken valve stem can cause the valve to fail to open or close properly, seriously affecting the operation of the pipeline system.

Valve body rupture

Valve body rupture is generally caused by factors such as overpressure, low temperature, or corrosion. If the pressure inside the pipeline system exceeds the rated pressure of the gate valve, the valve body may rupture due to the inability to withstand excessive pressure. At low temperatures, the valve body material may become brittle and easily break when subjected to external forces. In addition, corrosion of the valve body by the medium can weaken its strength and increase the risk of rupture.

To reduce the occurrence of gate valve failures, regular inspections and maintenance should be carried out on the gate valve, and damaged parts should be replaced in a timely manner to ensure that the gate valve is in good operating condition.