Difference Between Full Port And Standard Porting

Difference Between Full Port And Standard Porting

Just like any other field or industry, the valve industry also has its own terminologies. In valve terminologies, some terms are correct and some are incorrect, some terms mean exactly the same thing, while others mean almost the same thing. However, the best way to differentiate between full port and standard porting, is to clearly define some terms.

Differentiating between full port and standard porting can be confusing. In order to avoid this, a single valve type will be used as example. A simple 2-way ball valve is suitable for this purpose. A ball valve regulates flow with the use of a ball that has a hole bored through its center. When https://www.kp-lok.com/product/purge-valves/ the ball is turned one way, the valves open to allow upstream flow of material; when turned the other way, the valve closes and flow of material is completely halted.

In order to make this easy, some terms must be defined

·         Port–this refers to the smallest internal diameter of a valve. Basically, it is the inlet or outlet of the valve.

·         Bore – almost the same as port, however, it often refers the smallest internal diameter of the ball inside a ball valve.

·         Full port – when the inside diameter of the pipe connected is nominally equal to the diameter of the port.

·         Reduced port – when the diameter of the inside port is a size smaller than the diameter of the pipe to which it is connected. This means that actual inlet and outlet ports are a size bigger than the bore of the ball.

·         Standard port – the same reduced port

·         Cavitation – formation of bubbles in a liquid caused by a change in pressure. This happens particularly when travel of liquid is restricted and a change in pressure occurs rapidly before the liquid can react.

Having the exact measurement is a very important thing when it comes to pipefitting. Just like a puzzle, only the parts with the right measurements will fit. However, this is not always the case for valves. The inside diameter of a valve doesn’t always have to be the same as the inside diameter of the pipe.

When the inside diameter of a valve matches the inside diameter of a pipe, it is called a Full bore.When the inside diameter of a valve is smaller than that of the pipe, it is called a reduced or standard port.

Full Bore

A Full bore permits maximum flow of materials through the valve with no disruption in flow and just a little cavitation. The full bore valve is best when moving sensitive materials, especially ones prone to cavitation. It is best suited for low-flow resistance value and when transporting a mixture of fluids and solids that could easily separate. Another advantage of the full bore is that it can be easily cleaned with a Pig (a round shaped plug) as the inside is uniform all through.

Standard Port

The major advantage of the standard port is that they are fairly inexpensive. They can also be used in several applications where disruption of flow pressure has no major impact. Also, standard port ball valves are smaller than the full port, which makes them suitable in cases where there’s little room for the valve.

Conclusion

The standard port works in a way contrary to the general belief that pipes and valves connected must be the same dimension. However, this does not mean that the standard port is less efficient or could be prone to leaks because of the difference in diameter. Full port and Standard port valves both have their advantages and limitations, but it is quite important to know the difference between them. This will greatly help if you’re having a doubt about choosing one of the two.