There are many different options when it comes to choosing parts and components for various systems. Often little thought is put into the specific material a particular valve is manufactured from, but this is an essential factor to consider with any application.
In the past, metal valves were often seen as the most durable, particularly in high pressure and high-volume types of systems. However, metal is also a more costly option and is more likely to have problems with corrosion over the life of the valve. To address this issue, the use of polypropylene valves is an ideal primary choice for both valve type as well as material.
Benefits of Polypropylene
The choice of polypropylene valves is ideal for high purity types of applications. However, these same valves, without the specialized treatment of the wetted surfaces, can also be used in everyday systems such as irrigation lines for commercial or residential properties as well as in industrial types of applications.
Polypropylene (PP) has a very long-life cycle compared to alternative types of materials. It is resistant to corrosion and chemical attack, making it ideal even when the media is highly corrosive.
PP is also known as a material with a high strength to weight ratio. With plastic pipes and systems, the low weight of the valve is often critical for designing the system. Resistant to UV rays from the sun, which can cause damage to other plastics, PP valves are an excellent choice when temperature changes are a concern, and there are polypropylene valves to suit any operating parameters.
PP valves can be found in both manual as well as pneumatic valves. Top manufacturers will offer a complete range of both standard sizes and valve types as well as the ability to work with OEMs to create the ideal valve for the application.
