Full bore ball valve DN 100

When it comes tofull bore ball valve DN 100, many people immediately think about simply blocking the flow, but in reality this is a complex element where the slightest miscalculation in installation threatens the loss of tightness. In our practice at the facilities of Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC, we encountered how the incorrect selection of seals for high pressure in irrigation systems led to leaks - it would seem that the detail is small, but the consequences are large-scale.

Design features of full bore models

The full bore design for DN 100 is not just a 'wider passage', but is designed for minimal pressure losses in the lines. In smart agriculture projects, for example, when automatically watering large areas, a decrease in pressure even by 0.1 atm can disrupt the uniformity of watering. I remember that at one site near Yaroslavl it was necessary to change standard taps to full-flow taps precisely because of this problem - after the replacement, the distribution of water leveled out.

The ball mechanism here has a full bore, which reduces the risk of clogging in fertilizer systems. But there is a nuance: when using suspended fertilizers, I still recommend installing an additional filter in front of the tap - the ball may jam from solid inclusions. Tested by bitter experience, when at a site in the Rostov region we had to urgently replace a stuck faucet at the height of the irrigation season.

The case material is a separate issue. For DN 100, stainless steel or coated brass is more often used, but in aggressive environments (for example, with a high salt content in water), it is worth considering options with enhanced protection. In the catalogShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,LtdThere are models with epoxy coating - they performed well in our projects with mineralized water.

Installation and operational errors

When installing a valve on a DN 100 pipeline, many people forget about compensation for linear expansions - and then they wonder why, after six months, leaks appear at the threaded connections. Particularly critical for underground installations in drip irrigation systems where access for repairs is limited. In such cases, we always add bellows expansion joints - more expensive at the installation stage, but cheaper to maintain.

Another point is the direction of installation. Although many ball valves are universal, for full bore models it is better to follow the direction of flow indicated by the arrow on the body. Especially if water hammer is possible in the system - when reinstalled, the wear of the seals accelerates significantly. We checked it on a test bench in our workshop - the difference in resource was up to 40%.

Maintenance is a topic that is often ignored. A DN 100 ball valve is considered “set it and forget it,” but in reality, once a season you need to check the condition of the gland seal, especially after winter inactivity. In projectssmart agricultureWe install inspection hatches for access to key components - this saves time on diagnostics.

Application in smart irrigation systems

In the automated systems that our company designs,full bore ball valveDN 100 is often paired with an electric drive for remote control. But here it is important to take into account inertia - completely opening/closing such a valve under load takes time, otherwise the drive will burn out. Once we were selecting equipment for a greenhouse complex in the Lipetsk region - we had to install a gearbox with a torque reserve to avoid breakdowns.

Throughput is a key parameter for calculating irrigation schemes. For DN 100, the full bore version gives a flow coefficient of about 0.9 versus 0.7 for the standard one, which allows the use of fewer valves for the same volume. In a project for a vegetable farm in the Krasnodar Territory, due to this, the number of connection points was reduced by 15% without loss of efficiency.

Compatibility with control systems is a point that is often overlooked. Not all DN 100 taps are suitable for installing position sensors, but in automation this is necessary. We cooperate with manufacturers who provide space for encoder installation - for example, in equipment fromLingyao Intelligent AgricultureThis option is available as standard for the SmartValve series.

Problems of selection and replacement

When replacing an old tap with a similar DN 100, many are faced with a mismatch in connecting dimensions - Soviet standards differ from modern ones. You have to either re-weld the pipeline or use adapter pipes. Last year, during the reconstruction of the irrigation system in the Tambov region, we encountered this - we saved time by making adapters on site instead of relaying pipes.

The price range is from 3 to 15 thousand rubles per unit, but cheap options often cannot withstand cyclic loads. For systems with frequent opening/closing (for example, in zonal irrigation), it is better to take taps with a reinforced spindle and Teflon seal - they last 3-4 times longer. We calculate based on accumulated data - the savings on replacement and downtime cover the initial difference in price for 2 seasons.

Certification – for critical facilities (drinking water supply, food production) taps with hygienic certificates are needed. Bagricultural projectsthis is less often required, but for greenhouses with drip irrigation we still recommend models with drinking water approval - there are fewer risks when coming into contact with products.

Promising developments and trends

Now there are DN 100 taps with 'smart' controls - built-in flow and pressure sensors, the ability to integrate into SCADA systems. BShandong Lingyao Co.,LtdWe are testing such models for precision farming projects - they allow you to automatically adjust irrigation based on data from weather stations.

Materials – composite solutions are being developed that are lighter than steel, but not inferior in strength. This is important for mobile irrigation systems - the load on supporting structures is reduced. These were installed experimentally on a demonstration field in the Voronezh region - so far the results are encouraging, but durability is still in question.

Energy efficiency - new drives consume 30-40% less electricity at the same torque. For large farms with hundreds of taps, this is a significant saving. In our calculations for an agricultural holding in the Stavropol region, replacing old drives with modern ones pays off in 3 years only due to lower electricity bills.