How do you know which ball valve is the right size for your chosen application? If you’ve never heard of STAMP, then it’s a handy tool to help anyone looking for a ball valve.
What is STAMP?
This is a useful framework that can be used for almost any kind of fitting, making sure you have the right item for the job and the specifications are correct. It is an easy to remember acronym and includes a checklist:
S -Size
T-Temperature
A- Application
M-Measurement
P-Pressure
You can use the STAMP acronym to work out what type of ball valve you need for a job and how to measure for it.
So, what size ball valve is right?
This will depend on the requirements of your engineering project. The flow rate needed is most often the first consideration in choosing the size of a ball valve. The bigger the bore size, the better the rate of flow. This is the best place to begin, particularly if you are involved in designing a new assembly. For a Valve Manufacturer, visit a site like https://www.orseal.com/
Reduced bore and full bore ball valves differ in the space in which the fluid has available to move and the size of the actual ball inside the valve.
Sometimes, you might be required to pick a ball valve size based on existing fittings on site. To calculate the size of a current fitting, you’ll need the internal diameter of the hose and the external measurements of the male thread. Either one of these calculations should be close to the size of the valve that is required. For example, a 2” internal hose diameter will require a 2” ball valve.
Temperature – A constant average temperature, both minimum and maximum should be specified for the surrounding environment and the material. Further considerations include exposure to sub-zero conditions, ambient temperature, flame resistance and fluid temperature. What will the temprature be for the product being conveyed?
Application- This consists of the orientation, configuration and routing of the hose, including expected movement, continuous or intermittent use, load, abrasion, conductivity, indoor or outdoor use and external conditions.
Material-Will there be any special requirements? Will the assembly be used for continuously flowing materials or remain stagnant in the hose for a long time? What will be the velocity and rate of flow and which type of matter will flow through – chemical, gas, fluid or solid, for example? Are the particles travelling through going to be smooth or abrasive?
Pressure-As well as temperature and vacuum considerations, the pressure of a hose assembly should be equal to or more than the system pressure. A maximum operating pressure is the highest amount of pressure a system can experience in normal working conditions. Will it be a pressure and/or vacuum application and will there be any possible surges in the pressure?
