Types of Ball Valves: A Buyer's Guide to Choosing the Right Valve

Ball valves are widely used in industrial and commercial pipelines due to their reliable sealing, simple operation, and versatility. With so many designs available - from floating and trunnion mounted ball valves to flanged, threaded, and sanitary types - choosing the right one can be challenging.

This guide explains the main classifications of ball valves, what they mean in practice, and offers selection tips to help buyers make the right decision.

1. Classification by Actuation (How the Valve Operates)

·  Manual Ball Valve – Simple lever-operated design. Ideal for small pipelines and occasional operation.

·  Electric Ball Valve – Fitted with an electric actuator for automation and remote control. Common in water treatment, HVAC, and process industries.

·  Pneumatic Ball Valve – Fitted with a pneumatic actuator, powered by compressed air. Fast on/off response, widely used in chemical plants, power stations, and systems with frequent cycles.

·  Electro-Hydraulic / Pneumatic-Hydraulic Ball Valves – Hybrid designs for demanding or safety-critical applications.

Manual Ball Valve

Electric Ball Valve

Pneumatic Ball Valve

Selection Tip: For automation, compare electric vs. pneumatic ball valves. Electric provides precise control; pneumatic offers faster action and reliability in hazardous environments.

2. Classification by Structure (How the Valve is Built)

·  One-Piece Ball Valve – Compact, leak-proof, and economical, but not serviceable.

·  Two-Piece Ball Valve – Can be dismantled for cleaning, balancing cost and practicality.

·  Three-Piece Ball Valve – Easy to maintain without removing from the pipeline. Popular in food & beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

Learn more in our guide to one-piece, two-piece, and three-piece ball valves. 

3. Classification by Connection Type (How It Fits the Pipeline)

·  Threaded Ball Valve (NPT/BSP) – Quick installation, best for small-diameter pipelines (up to DN50).

·   Flanged Ball Valve – Strong, leak-proof connection for medium and large pipelines. Common in oil & gas, chemicals, and water treatment.

·   Welded Ball Valve – Permanent connection, excellent sealing, used in high-pressure and hazardous media.

·   Sanitary Clamp Ball Valve – Designed for hygienic use in food, dairy, and pharmaceutical industries.

·  Wafer (Lug) Ball Valve – Compact and lightweight, installed between flanges.

See our Flanged vs. Threaded Ball Valve comparison.

4. Classification by Flow Path (How the Flow Moves)

·   Two-Way (Straight-Through) Ball Valve – Standard design for simple on/off service.

·   Three-Way Ball Valve (L-Port, T-Port) – Used for diverting or mixing flows, reducing the need for multiple valves.

·    Four-Way Ball Valve – Suitable for more complex flow control in process automation.

Selection Tip: If your system requires diverting or mixing, consider a 3-way or 4-way ball valve instead of multiple 2-way valves.

5. Classification by Application (Working Conditions)

·   Sanitary Ball Valve – Half-wrapped or full-wrapped, suitable for hygienic systems.

·   High-Pressure Ball Valve – Built for oil & gas, petrochemical, and power generation industries.

·   Cryogenic Ball Valve – Designed for low-temperature service such as LNG.

·   High-Temperature / Steam Ball Valve – Applied in steam pipelines and process industries.

·   V-Port Ball Valve – Provide accurate flow control for throttling applications.

Selection Tip: Always match the valve material and design to your medium (water, oil, gas, steam, chemicals) and working pressure/temperature.

6. Other Classifications

By Ball Support:

·  Floating Ball Valve – Common for small/medium pipelines, cost-effective.

·  Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve – Preferred for large-diameter and high-pressure applications.

By Mounting Platform:

·  High Platform (ISO5211) – Actuator-ready design.

·  Low Platform – Requires a bracket or coupler.

By Standards:

·   ANSI, DIN, JIS, GB – Regional pipeline specifications.

Although there are many ways to classify ball valves, buyers usually focus on three aspects: connection type, actuation method, and working conditions.

At SLVCN, we supply a complete range of ball valves — floating and trunnion mounted, flanged, threaded, welded, sanitary, pneumatic, and electric. Our products are certified by ISO, CE, and TUV, ensuring safe and reliable performance for industries worldwide.

Whether you need a sanitary clamp ball valve for food processing or a high-pressure trunnion ball valve for oil & gas pipelines, SLVCN delivers solutions trusted in over 50 countries.