Language
While both floating and trunnion ball valves serve the same basic purpose—shutoff control—they differ significantly in structure, sealing mechanism, and application range.
Understanding these differences is essential for choosing the right valve for your system.
Structural Difference
Floating Ball Valve:
The ball is held in place by the valve seats only
It “floats” slightly downstream when pressurized
Connected to a single stem on top
Typically simpler and more compact
Trunnion-Mounted Ball Valve:
The ball is held in place by two shafts (top and bottom)
It does not move—instead, the seats are spring-loaded or pressure-driven toward the ball
Provides more rigid control and stable positioningSealing Mechanism
Floating Ball:
Relies on ball displacement toward the seat
May suffer from overpressure deformation
Seal tightness depends on line pressure
Trunnion Ball:
Ball is fixed
Seats move toward the ball using pressure or springs
Provides more stable sealing under high pressure
Operating Torque
Floating ball valves require higher torque, especially as pressure increases
Trunnion valves have lower torque demands, making them ideal for automation and large diameter systems
Where and When to Use Floating Ball Valves
Floating ball valves are versatile, reliable, and cost-effective—but like any valve type, they shine only in the right applications. Understanding where they work best (and where they don’t) helps avoid performance issues and costly replacements.
Recommended Applications
Floating ball valves are ideal for:
Small to medium diameter pipelines (typically DN15–DN150)
Low to medium pressure systems (Class 150–300)
Bi-directional shutoff requirements
Manual operation or infrequent actuation
Typical fluid types include:
Water
Compressed air
Light oils
Natural gas
Clean process fluids
Industries where floating ball valves are commonly used:
Water treatment
HVAC
Food and beverage (non-viscous media)
General chemical process lines
Gas distribution pipelines
Not Recommended For
Avoid floating ball valves in the following situations:
Very high-pressure systems
Excessive pressure can deform the ball or seat, leading to leaks
Large-diameter pipelines (> DN150)
Torque required to operate becomes excessive
High-cycling systems (frequent open/close operations)
Causes accelerated wear of the seat
Slurry or particulate-laden fluids
Solid materials can prevent full sealing or scratch the ball surface
Throttling applications
Not designed for partial opening—risk of seat erosion
As a professional manufacturer and supplier, we provide high-quality products. If you are interested in our products or have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
