A plug valve is a simple valve that allows or blocks liquid flow through a pipeline. It has a handle to turn the plug, which has two ports for fluid to flow through. Plug valves are shutoff valves and can slow flow without fully closing.
A plug valve is a simple type of valve that allows or blocks the flow of a liquid through a pipeline. The plug itself is often in the shape of an upside down ice cream cone or cylinder. A handle at the top allows the user to turn the plug valve to turn to stop or start the flow of liquid. There must be a minimum of two holes, known as ports, in the plug for fluid to flow through. The ports are located on opposite sides of the plug, and when the plug is rotated to the open position, it creates a passage for fluid to flow through.
This two-port arrangement is known as a 2-port valve. The pipe in which the plug valve is installed has an area for liquid to enter and another for liquid to exit. When the 2-port plug valve is activated, the ports align with the holes in the pipe and the liquid flows directly as if the plug valve were not there. Other, more complex plug valves known as 3-way valves allow fluid to flow to a combination of different ports. A port can be connected to any two opposite ports, or all three can be connected at the same time.
There are two main categories of valves: stop valves and check valves. Shutoff valves follow a basic design structure to turn liquid flow on and off, or allow partial flow. Check valves, by contrast, allow fluid to travel only in one direction and often do not have a handle. Plug valves fall into the category of shutoff valve.
Other types of stop valves include gate valves and ball valves. Although similar to plug valves, the shape of the parts and how they work to stop the flow of liquid generally determines the specific group they belong to. Regardless of the group, shutoff valves generally control the liquid through the use of a handle.
The operation of a plug valve is simple, making it a common valve option. The user turns the handle and the ports move away from the opening in the pipe. On certain valves, a full turn is not required. Quarter turn valves, for example, only require the user to make a short quarter turn to stop the flow of liquid. Plug valves can often slow flow without fully closing if the user turns the valve halfway but leaves it open enough for some liquid to pass through the ports.
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