Check valves allow gasses and liquids to flow in a single direction, protecting your fluid system from dangerous backflow. No matter the industry or application, backflow can cause unexpected downtime, system failure, or even safety hazards, all of which will cost your organization.
Selecting the right check valve is critical to ensuring both performance and safety for your fluid system. In many industries, both poppet and ball-style check valves are used in similar applications. While every fluid system has different needs, selecting the correct check valve type will allow your operation to achieve maximum performance.
Hy-Lok Canada is a proud producer of check valves suitable for a wide range of applications, including oil & gas, petrochemical, airline and aerospace, and other industrial sectors. Read on to learn the difference between poppet and ball-style check valves, as well as our extensive inventory of valves and fittings.
Ball Check Valves – An Affordable Solution
In ball check valves, the closing member (the part that moves to block the fluid flow) is a ball. Typically, these balls are spring-loaded to maintain a seal and keep the valve shut. Springless designs require a reverse fluid flow to seal the valve and prevent backflow. Because of their small size, simple design, and low manufacturing cost, ball check valves are seen as an affordable solution for most fluid systems.
Poppet Check Valves – A Superior Alternative
A poppet check valve operates similarly to a spring-loaded ball check valve. Instead of a ball, however, the closing member is (as the name might suggest) a poppet. Despite their similarities, there are some significant differences in performance, particularly at high pressures. The flat bottom of the poppet maintains uniform fluid pressure, while the roundness of the ball may allow for some discrepancies. Especially in high-pressure situations (often involving fuel or other hazardous material), this may lead to dangerous backflow that could pose a serious danger to both your equipment and staff. As such, we recommend poppet check valves for these applications.
Check Valves at Hy-Lok
Hy-Lok Canada has over 40 years’ experience engineering components for numerous Canadian industrial sectors, including oil and gas, mining, airline and aerospace, and more. Today, we leverage that knowledge to design and manufacture high-performance check valves suitable for a wide variety of applications and industries.
Hy-Lok’s industry-leading inventory includes a wide range of check valves in an assortment of sizes and operating pressures. Our mechanical check valves can handle up to 6,000 psi, temperatures up to 600°F, and are engineered to handle heavy industry’s most challenging performance demands.
Additionally, Hy-Lok Canada offers a diverse selection of welded check valves, compact check valves, poppet check valves, high-pressure check valves, and adjustable check valves. Valve end connection options include male / female NPT, Hy-Lok tube fittings, and metal gasket & O-ring face seals. Hy-Lok check valves are made with stainless steel, brass, and alloy 400 for superior performance.
The Hy-Lok Difference
Hy-Lok distributors maintain reliable access to our broad range of products. Our inventory includes a comprehensive selection of valves, fittings, package solutions, and custom fabrication services. No matter what your operation needs, Hy-Lok Canada offers high-quality, high-value components suitable for every application.
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Contact us today to learn more about Hy-Lok’s total check valve solutions.
