Gate valves and butterfly valves are two very common valves. The two differ greatly in their respective structures, methods of use, and adaptation to the working environment. This article will help users better understand the difference between gate valves and butterfly valves, so as to better help users choose valves.

Before explaining the difference between gate valves and butterfly valves, let's take a look at their respective definitions. Perhaps from the definition, you can carefully find the difference between the two.

Gate valve, as the name suggests, can cut off the medium in the pipeline like a gate valve. It is the valve we use in production and life. The opening and closing part of the gate valve is called the gate, which is used for lifting movement. The moving direction of the shutter is perpendicular to the flow direction of the medium on the fluid line. Gate valve is a kind of cut-off valve, it can only be fully open or fully closed, and the flow cannot be adjusted.

A butterfly valve is also called the flap valve. The opening and closing member is a disc-shaped disc that is fixed on the valve stem and rotates around the valve stem and valve shaft for opening and closing. The direction of movement of the butterfly valve is to rotate in place, and it only needs to rotate 90° from fully opening to fully closing. In addition, the butterfly valve itself does not have self-locking capability. It needs to install a turbo reducer on the valve stem. With it, the butterfly plate has the self-locking ability and can also improve the operating performance of the butterfly valve.

Butterfly valve

To understand the definition of gate valve and butterfly valve, the difference between gate valve and butterfly valve is introduced below:

1. Differences in athletic ability

In the above definition, we understand the difference between gate valve and butterfly valve in the direction of movement and the way of movement. In addition, since the gate valve can only be fully opened and fully closed, in the fully open state, the flow resistance of the gate valve is small; in the fully open state, the thickness of the butterfly valve produces resistance to the flowing medium. In addition, the opening height of the gate valve is high, so the opening and closing speed are slow; while the butterfly valve can be opened and closed only by rotating 90°, so the opening and closing speed are fast.

2. The difference between function and use

The gate valve has good sealing performance, so it is often used in pipelines that require strict sealing and do not need frequently repeated switching to cut off the circulating medium. Gate valves cannot be used to regulate flow. In addition, due to the slow opening and closing speed of the gate valve, it is not suitable for pipelines that need to be closed urgently. The butterfly valve has a wide range of uses. The butterfly valve can not only be used for truncation but also has the function of adjusting the flow rate. In addition, the butterfly valve opens and closes quickly, and can also be opened and closed frequently, which is especially suitable for occasions that require fast opening or cutting.

The size of the butterfly valve is smaller than that of the gate valve, and the weight is lighter than that of the gate valve. Therefore, in some environments with limited installation space, it is recommended to use a more space-saving wafer butterfly valve. Among the large-diameter valves, the butterfly valve is the most used valve, and the butterfly valve is also recommended for conveying medium pipelines containing small particles of impurities.

Butterfly valves have gradually replaced other types of valves under many working conditions and have become the first choice of many users.

SUPCON BN Series Triple Off-set Butterfly Valve

3. The price difference

Under the same pressure and the same caliber, the price of gate valves is higher than that of butterfly valves. But the diameter of the butterfly valve can be made large, and the price of the large-diameter butterfly valve is not cheaper than the gate valve.

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