We have many ways to classify ball valves. When it comes to the body style, ball valves can often be divided into side entry ball valve, top entry ball valve and fully welded ball valve. In this article, we will discuss about the differences among these three types.

Side entry ball valves are the most common type we use in different industries. The valve is assembled from sides through bolts and nuts. In this category, we have three-piece ball valve and two piece ball valve. For three-piece ball valve, you could find two lines of bolts and nuts on the valve body, while for two-piece ball valve, only one. This kind of body structure leads to the necessity of removing the valve from the pipe for trim repairing and maintenance.

The top entry ball valve is assembled from top. The biggest difference from the side entry ball valve is that top entry ball valves do not need to be removed from the pipe in maintenance. Plus, the less bolted connection brings less leakage paths and lower weight compared to three-piece side entry ball valve.

As its name shows, fully welded ball valve is assembled through welding instead of bolted connection. Compared to two types above, fully welded ball valve has the lowest weight and the least leaking paths due to absence of bolts and nuts on the body. But it is not convenient to maintain or repair the valve trim, since the whole body is welded together. It requires an extremely reliable seat sealing especially when we choose fully welded ball valve.