Introduction to Standard Gas PE Ball Valves

　　Standard gas PE ball valve Standard underground gas PE ball valves—referred to as PE ball valves—are all plastic ball valves. They are primarily designed for use with buried polyethylene (PE) pipelines and are employed to convey and shut off the flow of various gaseous media. PE ball valves are installed directly underground; with only a simple protective casing and associated fittings, they can be opened and closed from the ground using a wrench. They are the ideal actuating mechanism for conveying and shutting off medium flow in urban gas distribution systems that utilize buried polyethylene pipelines.

　　1. PE ball valve Performance characteristics:

　　(1) Excellent sealing performance, with no internal or external leakage, ensuring safety;

　　(2) No anti-corrosion treatment required; does not rust, does not accumulate water, and causes no pollution.

　　(3) Excellent aging resistance and toughness, with a design service life of up to 50 years;

　　(4) Lightweight, easy to operate, and requires low actuating torque;

　　(5) Simple construction and convenient installation; it is generally recommended to perform maintenance on shut-off ball valves every three months.

　　(6) It can be connected to domestic and international polyethylene (PE) pipes and fittings via electrofusion and hot-melt fusion, exhibiting excellent performance; conventional welding methods may also be used for connection with PE pipes.

　　2. Media suitable for PE ball valves: purified natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and manufactured gas that comply with national standards; they can also be used with PE pipes in urban water supply systems.

　　3. Operating temperature of PE ball valves: -20 to 40°C.

　　4. Principle and Structural Description of PE Ball Valves:

　　(1) Principle

　　After inserting the wrench’s square hole into the square drive of the actuator cap and closing it, manually rotate the wrench by 90 degrees to fully open or fully close the media passage by driving the ball.

　　(2) Structural Description

　　This ball valve is a non-disassemblable, fully enclosed, leak-free design. Both ends are equipped with rubber seals, forming a self-tightening, floating-seal structure. To ensure water resistance and facilitate convenient disassembly, sealing devices are installed between the actuator cap and the valve body, as well as between the valve body and the valve stem. To enable smooth rotation of the actuator cap, a rolling self-locking mechanism has been incorporated. The actuator cap is also marked with indicators showing the correct switching direction.

　　6. Installation and Use of PE Ball Valves:

　　(1) Handle ball valves with care. Absolutely prohibit any impact or striking of any part of the ball valve to prevent damage.

　　(2) When conducting a seal integrity inspection, ball valve sealing tests are typically divided into three components: left-seal test, right-seal test, and seal performance at the fully closed position. The test medium shall be air or nitrogen.

　　(3) For ball valve accessories, protective sleeves, and wrenches, users shall select sleeves and wrenches of appropriate lengths based on the burial depth of the ball valve.

　　(4) During installation, the ball valve shall be in the fully open position, and the foundation at the bottom of the valve installation location shall be thoroughly compacted.

　　(5) Thoroughly blow out and clean the piping before installation to prevent dirt, sand, and other contaminants from entering the valve passages, thereby avoiding damage to the valve.

　　(6) The connection between the pipeline and the ball valve shall comply with the Technical Code for Welding of Polyethylene Pipes for Gas Applications. Hot-melt butt fusion or electrofusion may be used as required.

　　7. To ensure PE ball valve When the arrow on the jacket cover is parallel to the pipeline direction, the following steps shall be taken:

　　(1) Adjust the height of the casing to match the burial depth of the valve;

　　(2) Verify that the arrow on the jacket cover is aligned with the orientation of the PE pipe at the lower part of the jacket and the opening of the saddle; otherwise, the jacket must be repositioned before it can be secured.

　　(3) Install the protective sleeve on the valve, ensuring that its vertical center aligns with the center of the operating cap and that the installation is stable.