Hygienic Valve: Sanitary Butterfly Valve vs Sanitary Ball Valve

The Sanitary Butterfly Valve controls flow by rotating its disc, while the Sanitary Ball Valve uses a rotating sphere with a hole in the middle.

While both valves looks similar, here are some of the most important distinctions.

Butterfly Valve

Three Piece Body Ball Valve

Sanitary Butterfly Valve

Pros:

• Lower Cost: The biggest advantage of the sanitary butterfly valve is price. Sanitary ball valves cost more due to their more complex construction. Larger butterfly valves usually cost significantly less than their ball valve counterparts.

• Smaller and Lighter: The hygienic butterfly valve's slim profile and lighter weight make them easier to install and maintain in tight or elevated piping systems.

Cons:

• Lower Pressure Rating: A 1" hygienic butterfly valve can handle only about 140 psi, which is much lower than the 1000 psi rating of a 1" ball valve. This makes them less suitable for high-pressure applications.

• Flow Obstruction: There will be slight flow pressure drops in butterfly valves because the disc is always in the way of the product, even when fully open.

• Maintenance Requirements: Sanitary butterfly valves require gasket replacements after considerable use, which adds to long-term maintenance.

• Actuator Compatibility: Sanitary Pneumatic butterfly valves usually require manufacturer-specific actuators due to different body designs, limiting flexibility in automation.

• Limited Configurations: Sanitary butterfly valves only come in 2-way types, offering less versatility in system design compared to ball valves.

Hygienic Ball Valve

Pros:

• High Pressure Rating: A 1" hygienic ball valve can take up to 1000 psi, making it far stronger than a hygienic butterfly valve of the same size. This is why ball valves are often used at the bottom of large tanks.

• Unobstructed Flow: When fully open, a sanitary ball valve does not obstruct flow in any way, unlike sanitary butterfly valves whose disc remains in the flow path.

• Durability and Longevity: Ball valve parts are much more durable and can achieve perfect shutoff even after years of use, without needing part replacements.

• Actuator Compatibility: Sanitary ball valves can be equipped with most commercial actuators due to their standardized stainless steel mounting.

• Versatile Configurations: Hygienic ball valves are available in 3-way designs. 3 way sanitary ball valves include L-port and T-port forms, offering more flexibility than butterfly valves.

Cons:

• Higher Cost: Ball valves cost more than butterfly valves because of their more complex construction. Larger ball valves can cost several times more than equivalent butterfly valves.

• Larger and Heavier: Ball valves are heavier and take up more space, which can be a drawback in compact systems.

So there you have it, the most import differences between the two hygienic valves.

NKE Flow is a supplier of sanitary valves. We carry Sanitary Ball Valves and Butterfly Valves. For more specifications for the two valves, explore the links below.

Butterfly Valve and Actuator

Three Piece Body Ball Valve