What is a primary use of ball valves?

Ball valves are primarily used for the isolation of flow due to their design, which allows for a reliable, quick, and easy shut-off of fluid or gas. The spherical disc, or "ball," inside the valve has a bore through its center that aligns with the flow path when the valve is open. This design enables minimal flow resistance and allows for a full flow with little turbulence when the valve is in the open position. When the handle is turned to shut the valve, the solid part of the ball blocks the flow completely, effectively isolating the system from the upstream or downstream processes.

This characteristic makes ball valves ideal for applications where complete flow shut-off is necessary, such as in pipelines and process systems where it is critical to control the flow of fluids for maintenance or safety reasons.

In contrast, options relating to throttling applications or purge systems do not align with the primary function of ball valves. While they can technically be used for these purposes in limited scenarios, other types of valves, such as control valves or gate valves, are typically more suitable for those applications. Similarly, while ball valves can handle high pressures depending on their material and design, this is not their primary use, as their main function is still to provide an effective means of