These valves are designed in two types. The wedge-shaped-gate, inclined-seat type is most commonly used. The wedge gate is usually solid but may be flexible (partly cut into halves by a plane at right angles to the pipe) or split (completely cleft by such a plane). Flexible and split wedges minimize galling of the sealing surfaces by distorting more easily to match angularly misaligned seats. In the double-disk parallel-seat type, an inclined-plane device mounted between the disks converts stem force to axial force, pressing the disks against the seats after the disks have been positioned for closing. This gate assembly distorts automatically to match both angular misalignment of the seats and longitudinal shrinkage of the valve body on cooling.When shearing high-velocity flow of dense fluids, the gate assemblies shake violently, and for this service solid-wedge or flexible wedge valves are preferred. When valve operation is manual, small bypass valves installed in parallel with the main valve may be used to eliminate the shake problem and to minimize manual effort in opening and closing the valves. Double-disk parallel-seat valves should be installed with the stem essentially vertical. All wedge gate valves are equipped with tongue-and-groove guides to keep the gate sealing surfaces from clattering on the seats and marring them during opening and closing. Depending on the velocity and density of the fluid stream being sheared, these guiding surfaces may be as cast, machined, or hard-surfaced and ground.
Gate valves may have non-rising stems, inside-screw rising stems, or outside-screw rising stems, listed in order of decreasing exposure of the stem threads to the fluid handled. Rising-stem valves require more space, but the position of the stem visually indicates the position of the gate. Indication is clearest on the outside-screw rising-stem valves, and on these the stem threads and thrust collars may be lubricated, reducing operating effort. The stem connection to the gate assembly prevents the stem from rotating. Next is Globe Valve.
