Gate valves are used when a straight-line flow of fluid and minimum flow restriction are needed. Gate valves are so-named because the part that either stops or allows flow through the valve acts somewhat like a gate. The gate is usually wedge-shaped. When the valve is wide open the gate is fully drawn up into the valve bonnet. This leaves an opening for flow through the valve the same size as the pipe in which the valve is installed (fig. 6-4). Therefore, there is little pressure drop or flow restriction through the valve.
Gate valves are not suitable for throttling purposes. The control of flow is difficult because of the valve’s design, and the flow of fluid slapping against a partially open gate can cause extensive damage to the valve. Except as specifically authorized, gate valves should not be used for throttling.
Gate valves are classified as either rising-stem or nonrising-stem valves. The nonrising-stem valve is shown in figure 6-4. The stem is threaded into the gate. As the handwheel on the stem is rotated, the gate travels up or down the stem on the threads while the stem remains vertically stationary. This type of valve will almost always have a pointer indicator threaded onto the upper end of the stem to indicate the position of the gate.
Valves with rising stems (fig. 6-5) are used when it is important to know by immediate inspection whether the valve is open or closed and when the threads (stem and gate) exposed to the fluid could become damaged by fluid contaminants. In this valve, the stem rises out of the valve when the valve is opened.
