One-piece design cuts ball-valve costs

Parker Instrumentation has launched a miniature 12mm ball valve for fluid instrumentation applications.

Parker Instrumentation has launched a miniature 12mm ball valve for fluid instrumentation applications.

Thanks to a patented one-piece seat and packing component, the valve operates over an exceptionally wide temperature range.

The moulded one-piece seat/packing component eliminates 'dead-space' between the valve and the inlet/outlet connections which can trap particles or build up deposits - as well as a potential leak path.

Combined with the valve's miniature design and integral compression tubing connections, which together cut weight and space substantially compared with conventional products, instrumentation engineers have an extremely versatile product which brings new performance to all ball valve applications including high purity sectors such as bio-pharm and semiconductors.

The MB8 10.3mm orifice valve offers a high flow coefficient of 6.42 and is rated for 172bar operation.

Fabricated from 316 stainless steel, it is available in a three-way configuration, or either inline or angle two-way configurations.

The product completes Parker's popular MB Series of miniature ball valves, adding a high flow option to complement design options for tubing sizes down to 3mm.

Parker's innovative one-piece valve seat and packing component sidesteps the expansion and contraction issues associated with the use of individual seat and packing components, allowing Parker to specify the valve for operation over an extended temperature range.

As standard, MB8 operates over -54 to +149C.

Unlike some other mini ball valves, the packing nut may also be adjusted without special tools.

The moulded seat/packing component is fabricated from PFA (perfluoroalkoxy), a material which is inert to most industrial chemicals and solvents, and highly resistant to wear.

This facilitates its use in applications demanding high levels of purity or hygiene, as well as in systems handling corrosive fluids and gases such as those encountered in the chemical, oil and gas industries.

The valve's ball construction makes it ideally suited for fast-acting inlet, isolation or directional control of liquids or gases, operated by a quarter or half turn depending on the port configuration.

Compatible pneumatic actuators are available for automated applications.

Together, these features provide users with a valve which is capable of miniaturising equipment designs for an exceptionally wide range of directional control, mixing, filling and venting applications.

This applications potential is also widened by the ability to mount on panels as thick as 6mm.

For safety and durability, Parker uses nylon 6/6 for the valve's handle, a material which does not become brittle with age.

The engagement from the handle to the stem is also a direct D drive, for foolproof indication of valve status and positive operation.

Thanks to Parker's computer-controlled manufacturing facility, users have considerable flexibility over construction specification to optimise the valve for particular applications.

This includes choice of integral single-ferrule CPI compression tube connections, standard dual-ferrule A-LOK fittings, and NPT pipe fittings with male or female threads.

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