Gate valves (also known as knife valves or slide valves) are linear motion valves in which a flat closure element slides into the flow stream to provide shut-off. They are one of the most common valves used.

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Gate valve. Video Credit: CTE Skills.com / CC BY-SA 4.0

Gate valve animation. Video Credit: FBV, Inc. / CC BY-SA 4.0

Gate valves and knife valves are advantageous in applications involving slurries, as their “gates” can cut right through the slurry. They are also used in applications that involve viscous liquids such as heavy oils, light grease, varnish, molasses, honey, cream and other non-flammable viscous liquids.  They are available in large sizes to better handle thick flow. However, gate valves do have low-pressure limitations, and are not optimal in applications that require cleanliness or sanitary conditions.  They are excellent for use anywhere a shutoff valve is needed. When needed, they can also be used where throttling capabilities are desired, although this is not generally recommended as erosion of the seat and disc occurs due to the vibrations of the disk in throttling applications. 

Gate valves and knife valves are designed to minimize pressure drop across the valve in the fully opened position and stop the flow of fluid completely. The direction of fluid flow does not change, and the diameter through which the process fluid passes is essentially equal to that of the pipe. Hence, they tend to have minimal pressure drop when opened fully.  

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Valve Function

Gate valves are primarily designed for on-off services. They are best used in systems which require infrequent use of the valve. The valves are designed for full-area flow to minimize the pressure drop and allow the passage of a pipe-cleaning pig. Since most of the flow change occurs near the shutoff, the relatively high fluid velocity causes disk and seat wear and eventual leakage if the valve is used to regulate flow.

Gate valve flow characteristics.

Image Credit: Tomoevalve.com

Applications

Gate valves are used in many industrial applications including the oil and gas industry, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, automotive, and marine.

Non-rising stem gate valves are very popular on ships, in underground applications, or where vertical space is limited because they don't take up extra space. Gate valves can be used in demanding environments such as high temperature and high pressure environments. They are often seen in power plants, water treatments, mining, and offshore applications.

For more information, see IEEE GlobalSpec's Valve Applications page.

Types

Gate valves are usually divided into two types: parallel and wedge-shaped.

The parallel gate valve uses a flat disc gate between two parallel seats, upstream and downstream. Shut-off is obtained by the free-floating seat or disk gate allow the upstream pressure to seal the seat and disk against any unwanted seat leakage. Some parallel gate valves are designed to allow the seat to be spring-energized by an elastomer that applies constant pressure to the disk gate seating surface. In the double-disk parallel-seat type, the valve is closed by lowering the disks from the valve neck to a height equal to that of the valve seats. Once so positioned, an inclined plane mounted between the two disks converts downward stem force into axial force and presses the parallel disks firmly against the valve seats sealing the two openings. These types of valve design can accommodate asymmetric or angularly misaligned valve seats. Parallel gate valves are used in low pressure drops and low pressures, and where tight shutoff is not an important prerequisite.

Knife valves are a specific type of parallel gate valve. They have a sharp edge on the bottom of the gate to shear entrained solids or separate slurries. 

Types of gate valves. Image Credit: thepipefittings.com

Wedge-shaped gate valves use two inclined seats and a slightly mismatched inclined gate, allowing for tight shut-off.

Disk flexibility is inherent to the split wedge design. This flexibility allows the split wedge to seal more easily and it reduces stickiness between the sealing surfaces in cases where the valve seats are angularly misaligned. The mismatched angle is also designed with some free movement to allow the seating surfaces to match with each other as the actuator forces them closed. It is also best used for handling non-condescending gases and liquids at normal temperatures, particularly corrosive liquids. Pressure-energized elastomer inserts can be installed on a solid gate to provide a tight seal. This type of disk should be installed vertically.

Flow

As a gate valve is opened, the flow path is enlarged in a highly nonlinear manner with respect to the percent opening. The flow rate does not change evenly with the stem travel and the disk in a partially opened gate valve will vibrate from the fluid flow. Since this vibration can cause the seat and disk to wear and cause leakage, gate valves should only be used in the fully open or fully closed position. Very little friction loss occurs when the valve is in the fully open position. 

For more information, read IEEE GlobalSpec's Valve Flow and Sizing page.

Method of Control

The closure element of a gate valve is a replaceable disk. To open the valve, the disk is completely removed from the stream and offers virtually no resistance. Therefore, there is little pressure drop across the open gate valve. A fully closed gate valve provides good sealing due to the 360° disk-to-seal ring contact surface. Proper mating of a disk to the seal ring ensures there is very little or no leakage across the disk when the gate valve is closed.

Observation of closed and open gate valve. Image Credit: TLV

Media

Gate valves can be used for liquid and gas services. They are especially designed for slurries with entrained solids, granules, and powders. They can also be used for cryogenic and vacuum services. 

Gate Valve Components

There are three main parts of a gate valve: body, bonnet, and trim.

Gate valve Components.

Image Credit: profmaster.blogspot.com

Body

The body of a gate valve holds all of the operational parts of the valve. It is connected to the system with one of the mounting options below. The mounting option should be selected based on the current system mounting features and the type and size of the media.

Bonnet

The bonnet of a gate valve contains the moving parts and is attached to the valve body. The bonnet can be removed from the body in order to allow for maintenance and replacing parts.

Trim

The trim of a gate valve contains the functioning pieces of the valve: the stem, the gate, the disc or wedge, and the seat rings.

Stem - The stem of a gate valve is either a rising stem or a nonrising stem. The stem is responsible for the proper positioning of the disk. Nonrising stems will almost always have a pointer-type indicator mounted onto the upper end of the stem to indicate valve position. This configuration protects the threads from carrying dirt into the packing because the stem threads are held within the boundary of the valve packing. Rising stems rise out of the flow path when the valve is opened. They can either have a stem that rises through the handwheel or have a stem that is threaded to the bonnet.

It is important to consider the size of the valve and system when selecting a gate valve. Gate valves are linear motion valves and therefore are taller than other manual valves. This is especially true if the valve uses a rising stem. Most of the time gate valves should be installed horizontally (perpendicular to the ground) with the manual actuator in the top position. This allows for easy access for maintenance and replacing parts. Smaller gate valves can be installed in vertical lines, but gravity tends to pull the valve out of alignment.

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Material of Valve Construction

Gate valves are used in a wide variety of applications and may come into contact with an assortment of media. When selecting a gate valve, the material used to construct the valve is a critical decision to prevent premature valve failure or system delays. In order to select the proper valve material there are several important criteria to be considered:

• The composition of the media in contact with all wetted (exposed) parts
• Service temperatures
• Operating pressures
• Effectiveness of coating on materials
• Material availability and cost
• Compatibility of materials with injected media.
• How long the valve will be exposed to the media

There are organizations dedicated to developing and maintaining standards for valves and materials in particular environments. Gate valves are available in many different materials. Valves can be specified by the National Association for Corrosion Engineers (NACE) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) for their ability to handle strong and corrosive media.

For my information on valve construction, read GlobalSpec's Valves page.
 

Actuator

Valve actuators open and close the valve in response to a signal or manual manipulation. Most gate valves have manual actuators, such as a handwheel, because they are commonly used in applications where the valve does not need to be opened or closed often or quickly. Since gate valves are not used in throttling applications, the actuator is responsible for fully opening and fully closing the valve.

See IEEE GlobalSpec's page on Valve Actuators for more information.  

Resources

Material Selection for Deep Water Gate Valves

Introduction to Valves - Only the Basics - Gate Valve

Image credit:

Cameron