A plastic ball valve is a type of valve commonly used to control the flow of liquids or gases in a pipeline. It is named after the spherical ball inside the valve, which is responsible for opening and closing the flow. The valve consists of several main components, including the body, ball, stem, and handle or actuator. The body, typically made of plastic such as PVC or polypropylene, houses the internal parts. The ball is a spherical piece with a hole (called a bore) in the middle, which allows or blocks flow. The stem connects the ball to the handle or actuator, enabling the user to rotate the ball to control the flow.
When the valve is in the open position, the ball is rotated so that the hole in the ball aligns with the pipeline, allowing the fluid or gas to pass through freely. In this position, the handle is usually parallel to the pipe, signaling that the valve is open. The bore of the ball forms a straight passage, and the flow experiences minimal resistance. When the handle is turned 90 degrees, the ball also rotates, positioning the solid part of the ball to block the flow. The handle is perpendicular to the pipe when the valve is closed, and the flow is completely stopped.