In keeping with Balon's philosophy of design which envisions simplification and improvement instead of improvement by complication, the Balon stem design solves many problems associated with the common stem design. The overall utility of the ball valve is related in no small way to the basic stem design. Certain standard designs originated early and were followed through by ball valve manufacturers in the years following the advent of the ball valve itself during World War II.
The Balon Stem: New Solutions For Old Problems
The Balon design represents the result of a total attack on specific problems associated with the outdated design. In the past, it has been a frequent practice to retain stems by use of external bolts or screws. Often these bolted arrangements also provided stem packing adjustment. The problem of leaking stems was amplified because of the complexity of the assembly itself.
The absence of backseating in early designs opened the way for stem blowout in the event of failure of the retaining assembly or as a result of forcible operation of the valve.
In many former designs, double O-rings were used on the theory that if one O-ring failed to seal, the second O-ring would perform the sealing job. However, higher pressures trapped between the O-rings often caused high operating torque and other operating problems.
A Combination of Improvements
As shown here, the Balon design is simple, yet solves these problems. The clean, functional design of the stem assembly represents dramatic improvement in many ways over conventional designs. As is true of the overall Balon approach, the Balon stem does not present just one special modification or design innovation. Rather, it represents the bringing together of interrelated improvements, resulting in total improvement and total superiority.
Emissions Tested -API 641
Balon certifies that all Balon ball valves are Low Emission products, as standard, per API 641 (fugitive emissions test method and acceptability criteria for quarter turn valves) as documented by an independent laboratory. (See Page 12 for more information.)
