Valve - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Valve

Ports
Ports are passages that allow fluid to pass through the valve. Ports are obstructed by the valve member or disc
to control flow. Valves most commonly have 2 ports, but may have as many as 20. The valve is almost always
connected at its ports to pipes or other components. Connection methods include threadings, compression fittings,
glue, cement, flanges, or welding.

Handle or actuator
A handle is used to manually control a valve from outside the valve body. Automatically controlled valves often do
not have handles, but some may have a handle (or something similar) anyway to manually override automatic
control, such as a stop-check valve. An actuator is a mechanism or device to automatically or remotely control a
valve from outside the body. Some valves have neither handle nor actuator because they automatically control
themselves from inside; for example, check valves and relief valves may have neither.

Disc
A disc or valve member is a movable obstruction inside the stationary body that
adjustably restricts flow through the valve. Although traditionally disc-shaped,
discs come in various shapes. Depending on the type of valve, a disc can move
linearly inside a valve, or rotate on the stem (as in a butterfly valve), or rotate on a
hinge or trunnion (as in a check valve). A ball is a round valve member with one or
more paths between ports passing through it. By rotating the ball, flow can be
directed between different ports. Ball valves use spherical rotors with a cylindrical Valve disc

hole drilled as a fluid passage. Plug valves use cylindrical or conically tapered rotors
called plugs. Other round shapes for rotors are possible as well in rotor valves,
as long as the rotor can be turned inside the valve body. However, not all round or spherical discs are rotors; for
example, a ball check valve uses the ball to block reverse flow, but is not a rotor because operating the valve does
not involve rotation of the ball.

Seat
The seat is the interior surface of the body which
contacts the disc to form a leak-tight seal. In discs
that move linearly or swing on a hinge or trunnion,
the disc comes into contact with the seat only when
the valve is shut. In disks that rotate, the seat is
always in contact with the disk, but the area of The shut off butterfly
Ball valve contact changes as the disc is turned. The seat valve for a Francis
always remains stationary relative to the body. turbine at Gordon Power
Station, Tasmania
Seats are classified by whether they are cut directly into the body, or if they are
made of a different material:

Hard seats are integral to the valve body. Nearly all hard seated metal valves have a small amount of
leakage.
Soft seats are fitted to the valve body and made of softer materials such as PTFE or various elastomers such
as NBR, EPDM, or FKM depending on the maximum operating temperature.
A closed soft seated valve is much less liable to leak when shut while hard seated valves are more durable. Gate,
globe, and check valves are usually hard seated while butterfly, ball, plug, and diaphragm valves are usually soft

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