Angle Ball Valves in Gas Meter Sets

Exploring the Role of Angle Ball Valves in Gas Meter Sets

Valves are very important devices that control and direct the flow of fluid or gas by opening and closing various passageways. In the natural gas distribution industry, gas valves are specifically used to control the gas flow within a structure and are considered the primary shut off for meter service. Common gas valve options can include the ball or plug valve style, as well as the inline or angle valve styles.

An angle ball valve can be utilized on a gas meter set as the integral union outlet valve (also known as a downstream valve, plumber valve, or customer valve). It is considered the breakaway point in the piping system for replacement and repair and is located after the regulator and meter, which is downstream of a meter set. Below are the parts that can make up an angle ball valve:

A.Y. McDonald’s natural gas product line includes angle ball valves for a range of applications with safety top of mind in its design and manufacturing process. Below are the features of A.Y. McDonald angle ball valves, along with the product series options available:

• Precision machined and bubble tight leak protection both open and closed
• Ball valves offer the added feature of lower and more closely controlled operating torques for the life of the valve
• The brass ball rides between two PTFE port seals that require no lubrication
• The stem has a double O-Ring seal and cannot be removed from the valve
• The body and endpiece threads are pinned to prevent disassembly without damaging the valve
• No field adjustment or maintenance of the valve is needed
• Soft seat design does not rely on grease to prevent leakage to the atmosphere or through the valve seats. Sealing capability is maintained even after many cycles.
• Tamperproof design makes the valve virtually impossible to disassemble without making the valve unusable. The valve utilizes an internally loaded operating stem. The external cap is secured with a tamperproof stainless-steel screw.
• A 90º rotation from the open position places valve into bypass position
• Traditional lockwing design easily accommodates industry-standard, separately supplied, locking devices such as barrel locks or padlocks
• No field adjustment or maintenance required
• Each valve is pressure tested electronically
• Temperature range of -20ºF to +150ºF

 

In general, bypass technology applies to gas parts that allow maintenance and service of any kind without interrupting gas flow for the consumer. A.Y. McDonald angle ball valves include a bypass option. For an external source of gas, these valves utilize the portable bypass kit (PBK) and the regulated hose kit (RHK).

A.Y. McDonald's natural gas angle ball valves combine advanced engineering, durability, and safety features to deliver efficient and reliable gas flow control. This solution can help utilities safely bring access of natural gas to the homes/building in the communities they serve. Learn more about angle ball valves by taking the ‘Angle Ball Valves’ AYU course, calling our customer service department at 1-800-292-2737, or fill out a contact us form on aymcdonald.com.