Balon BALL VALVES User Manual

Safety is our

greatest concern.

We work at it.

BALL VALVES

Raising the Threshold of Quality

Lowering the Cost of Ownership

Contents

Balon Mission 2

Manufacturing 3

The Company 4

The Valve 5

Sealing Principle 6

Valve Construction and Design 7

Stem Design 8

Fire Safety 10

Balon Installations 11

Series F, Screwed End 12

Series F, Flanged End, Lever Operated 18

Balon Installations 23

Series F, Flanged End, Gear Operated 24

Series F, Ductile Iron, Flanged End, Lever Operated 26

Series US, Weld X Weld 28

Series US, Weld X Flange 30

Series S, Screwed End 32

Series LM, Screwed End 36

Series LS, Screwed End 38

Balon Installations 40

Technical and Engineering Data 41

Product Identification Key 46

Terms and Conditions 47

Balon Installations 48

Click on title to jump to that page.

The Balon Mission

■ Produce valves with the safety of those who use

them as our uppermost and defining goal.

■ Provide our customers with valves

which perform as promised, at a price

which reflects their true value to the user.

■ Meet the service needs of our customers by

maintaining a trained full-time staff of field

technicians located in all geographical areas.

■ Respond promptly and courteously to all customer

and distributor inquiries, questions, and problems.

■ Make certain that all Balon employees

understand and implement our commitment

to customer attention and customer satisfaction.

■ Treat our vendors, customers, distributors, and

employees with equanimity and honesty.

To assure growth for

the Company and

opportunity for all

employees, it shall be

our dedicated aim to:

Manufacturing

Balon: The Company

Situated on ten acres in Oklahoma City, this facility typifies the Balon concept and approach to producing a superior valve.

Because growth has been rapid, it has been a policy to gear ahead of the actual demand so that good deliveries can be sustained and so that surges in demand do not restrict our capability to pursue an ongoing program of product improvement and expansion.

Moreover, it has been our policy over the years to control the manufacture of our valves in every possible way, and this has meant basic manufacture of all components, including molding of seats, and close-tolerance machining of balls.

The people who manufacture the Balon ball valve take pride in their work. And it is this pride of craftsmanship that sets Balon apart from its competition.

By utilizing the most modern equipment and facility available today, Balon is able to do many things more quickly than those manufacturers whose equipment and facilities have become outdated and costly. We will continue to recognize that the Balon name must be synonymous with raising the threshold of quality and lowering the cost of ownership.

2001 Balon Corporation

Balon: The Ball V alve

Unblemished Safety Record:

After almost four decades of producing valves and having no injuries nor property damage result from the failure of a Balon valve, we are proud to claim that we make the safest ball valves available on the market today.

This safety record did not come from shying away from the tough high pressure applications in the field. It did not arise from cutting corners to lower the cost of making valves to the ultimate peril of those who operate them. It was not borne of cosmetic contrivance nor gimmickry and gadgetry.

It has been the calculated result of a rational, intentional and concerted effort to address every possible hazard and to design and manufacture valves with an inherent margin of safety far surpassing that of others on the market.

Total Commitment: More than innovative design goes into producing a superior valve. More than controlled and precision manufacturing methods. More than overall engineering expertise. More than effective marketing and distribution. To produce a valve noted for its superiority in performance, safety, dependability and for its consistent quality implies a total commitment in all of these phases.

Combined Effort: Balon Corporation, since its beginning in 1965, has coupled improved design features, advanced manufacturing methods and practical common sense engineering approaches with a well planned, highly supportive and field channeled marketing and distribution program. The natural result of this effort has been that the Balon ball valve has attained a reputation for excellence unequaled by any other ball valve on the market.

Individual Pride: Many manufacturers have adopted the philosophy that valves are best made by turning them out on sophisticated machines incapable of exercising judgment as to the quality of the final product. At Balon, we believe that people — not machines — produce valves. Our valves are produced by perfection-minded craftsmen who use specialized machines as tools to help them make a better valve.

Continued Support: It is with this philosophy in mind that we will continue to provide a better valve, an advanced valve. And we will support this product with a concerted program of design, manufacturing, engineering and marketing.

Balon Corporation’s 260,000 square feet of modern office and manufacturing capability is shown in this aerial view.

Multi-Seal: The Heart of the V alve

Notice the grooves. These grooves loosely receive any grit that might be present when the valve is closed. When the valve is opened, the foreign matter washes harmlessly away, where an ordinary valve seal could have been scored across its entire surface. Balon’s seal is good as new.

Notice the seal rings. Not just one ring… a series. That’s where Multi-Seal gets another big sealing edge over plain seals. The rings assure a concentrated seal, providing a bubble tight seal at high and low pressures, the tighter the seal… the better the shut-off.

Notice the tapered outer walls. These tapered walls on the Multi-Seal provide automatic seal-to-ball tensioning and selfadjustment to wear. Much longer life and complete troublefree performance is what you get. That’s why you don’t need a repair kit.

How long will the Balon Multi-Seal last? Our sales records of replacement seats indicate that most Balon valves sold have provided many years of trouble-free performance.

It has been tested on water pumped at 1,000 psi operating pressure with shock loading on shutoff up to 1,800 psi. After a million shutoffs, it still sealed bubble tight.

Patented

ORDINARY SEALS

are damaged during shutoff. As flow is squeezed through fineline opening, foreign particles are trapped. Complete shutoff grinds them into seal. Results: premature damage, leakage, valve failure.

MULTI-SEAL

receives particles loosely in grooves, to be washed harmlessly away during next opening. Valve seals bubble tight again, through repeated shutoffs.

MULTI-SEAL’S

series groove design features blunt-edge seal members for superior sealing efficiency. And the grooves form supertight “fluid seal rings.” Each seal member, working with the next one, creates exclusive “staged differential pressure sealing,” for tightest shutoff possible at all pressures.

MULTI-SEAL

adjusts itself to wear! Outer walls are tapered to permit selfcompensation to valve load and seal engagement demand. The design permits thrust loading to realign seat toward optimum sealing engagement.

THE MULTI-SEAL DESIGN permits

selection of seal material best suited to abrasive, high and low pressure applications in toughest services. And the relief pockets formed by the tapered walls, with the series grooving, provide selfcompensation for swell to permit easy-turning, long-life operation. it takes a better seal to make a better valve… and the best ball valve is a Balon.

The Balon V alve: T otally Advanced

Unique Sealing Approach

The Balon ball valve is the culmination of many years of arduous design and development effort which has been focused on providing a clearly better choice in ball valves. It is a refinement of features proven superior during usage of Balon ball valves in thousands of installations since 1965.

As described on the facing page, the multi-seal seat design has given impetus to the development of an overall valve which embodies several design improvements.

Backseated Stem

Stems are backseated and therefore blowout proof. And they provide metalto-metal backup sealing in the event of

a fire. This secondary metal-to-metal sealing is also provided internally behind the seat area.

Simplified Top Works

Bolts and glands and complicated stem assemblies are totally absent in the Balon valve to assure a simpler, more trouble-free valve. Hazards associated with bolted stem retainers and packing adjustment screws or bolts have been eliminated. Even the stops are internal and give dual precise topping support during opening or closing. The stem area is grease-packed and protected by dual plastic weather guards to shield this vital area from external elements.

Precise Manufacturing Control

Balon uses only the highest quality materials to assure the strength and uniformity necessary for applications where they are used. To further enhance the overall operational superiority of the valve, all balls are machined in-house by Balon’s spherical machining process which assures a consistently accurate spherical contour. They are superbly finished and polished. This high integrity finish, along with multi-seal’s advanced sealing capability, provides highest sealing efficiency and substantially reduced operating torque.

Valve safety is no accident. We do it by design.

SAFETY SHEAR GROOVE

PROTECTIVE WEATHER GUARDS

LOCKING PLATE

RECTANGULAR STEM WRENCH AREA

PATENTED INTERNAL TWIN STOPS

SELECTIVE DUAL STEM SEALING

ULTRA SMOOTH HIGH SPHERICITY BALL

PATENTED MULTI-SEAL SUPER EFFICIENCY SEALING

BACKSEATED BLOWOUT-PROOF STEM

STRONG BOLTED CONSTRUCTION

Balon has eliminated the need for grease fittings, lube channels, and regular lubrication, versus other designs.

•

A T otally New Concept in Stem Design

Simple Design

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 retainers secured 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 incorporated on the theory that should one O-ring fail to seal, then 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.

PROTECTIVE WEATHER GUARD KEEPS MOISTURE FROM STEM AREA

LOCKING PLATE STANDARD

BODY KEYED STOP PLATE CONTAINS PATENTED INTERNAL TWIN STOPS

RECTANGULAR WRENCH STEM AREA FACILITATES USE OF STANDARD WRENCH

SAFETY SHEAR GROOVE - PREVENTS STEM BLOWOUT RESULTING FROM EXCESSIVE TORQUE

EXTRA LARGE STEM FOR STRENGTH AND SAFETY

SELECTIVE DUAL SEALING WITH THRUST WASHER FOR HIGHER PRESSURE AND O-RING FOR LOWER PRESSURE

METAL-TO-METAL BACKSEATING FOR FIRE SAFETY AND BLOWOUT PREVENTION

•

Balon has eliminated the need for grease fittings, lube channels, and regular lubrication, versus other designs.

Safer ...Simpler ...Better Sealing

NO SPECIAL HANDLE NEEDED

While handles can be provided for operation of the Series F and Series S, the heavy-duty rectangular stem design allows for usage of standard wrenches where it is necessary to conserve space, and to prevent accidental operation of the valve, or simply where standard wrenches are more convenient.

To further enhance the service life and ease of operation, the stem area is fully grease-packed and then sheltered by dual nylon weather guards. External elements such as dirt, sand, and salt air atmosphere are kept out.

NO BOLTS, SCREWS, PACKING GLANDS

The Balon design eliminates troublesome bolting, adjustment screws, and packing glands. Problems of adjustment, blowout resulting from failure of retaining assembly, and external attack by corrosion and foreign abrasives are all solved. By simplifying the stem assembly, fewer parts are involved and therefore the possibilities for trouble are significantly reduced.

Because there are no grease channels or lubricating ports there are no leak paths which can result in stem leakage.

PATENTED INTERNAL DUAL STOPS

Instead of external stops and exposed bolting, the stem is supported laterally by a stop plate keyed into the body head. This plate has integral broached stops contralaterally positioned so that the stem is stopped simultaneously on both sides whether being opened or closed. This dual stopping action eliminates deflection and stress on the stem. Perfect alignment is assured in

SELECTIVE DOUBLE SEALING

Balon utilizes a TFE thrust washer for primary sealing at higher pressures. For lower pressures and vacuum, the O-ring provides the sealing. The stem region between the two seals cannot remain pressurized - as can happen in conventional double O-ring arrangements - since at lower line pressures, the TFE seal will permit bleed back into body region. Two seals, but only one acting at any given time.

Safety is our greatest concern. We work at it.

the stem bore, and therefore more trouble free and longer life stem and stem seal service. Dual stops keep ball in precise position against the seat, and in the open position this prevents exposure of the seat to damage and wear from the flow. Sealing effectiveness is sustained and extended.

BLOWOUT PROOF

Notice that the stem is backseated against an inner shoulder, and not retained by external bolts or screws or retaining plates. Blowout is inherently denied by this positive method of stem retention. Balon has machined a safety shear groove on each side of the stem at the base of the wrench flats, but safety above the stem seals, and above the inner shoulder. Should excessive torque be applied to the stem, it would shear above the shoulder and above the sealing area. No blowout. No release of hazardous material.

A More Complete Solution to Fire Safety

Figure A: Valve closed and seals intact. Figure B: Valve is closed, seals completely dissipated.

In 1965, after many years of development and testing, Balon patented and introduced a ball valve which represented a dramatic turning point in valve safety. It was the first ball valve with a backseated stem to prevent stem blowout; first with packless stem gland housing, eliminating stem adjustment mechanisms; first with a stem shear groove to assure controlled stem breakage above the backseat in the event of twist-off; first with full spectrum fire safety for metal-to-metal secondary sealing at all potential leak points. Balon then encased these safety improvements in a rugged bolted body assembly capable of better withstanding violent thrust loading and line stresses so common in highpressure line applications.

Fire safety in ball valves has become a major consideration as more and more ball valves have been used in hazardous environments.

The Balon ball valve has been designed to provide maximum backup sealing in the event resilient seals are destroyed by heat or fire.

Controlled Spacing

The valve internals, with seals intact, can be seen in Figure “A.” In the closed position the ball is held off of secondary metal seat provision.

The seat and seat pocket are made oversize in radial dimension, allowing close spacing of the ball and metal seat provision. In operation, with prime seals in place, this controlled spacing prevents damage to the surface finish of the ball.

It can also be seen that the stem is backseated, and with seals in place the primary stem seal holds the stem off of metal shoulder machined in the valve body.

Secondary Stem Seal

In Figure “B,” the seals have been fully dissipated, ball has moved downstream onto the secondary metal seat, and the stem has been checked, metal-tometal, against the inner shoulder.

As can be seen, the stem is free to move upward when subjected to a slight amount of pressure, onto the machined metal inner shoulder, thus substantially restricting any flow past the stem into the atmosphere.

Straight Ahead Ball Movement

The stem tongue is keyed into a linear milled slot, straight and perpendicular to the bore of the valve. In the closed position, the ball is free to move downstream onto the secondary metal seating, functioning at that moment as a simple ball check valve.

The ball itself is confined in the body with just enough vertical and horizontal clearance to assure free and easy operation. This keeps the ball in uniform alignment so that ball movement onto backseating - should it become necessary - is consistently on a straight course, without deflection up, down, or sideways.

The valve may be positioned in either vertical or horizontal installations, and retain its secondary metal-to-metal sealing capability.

These very simple provisions are intended to provide full operational safety, but of course positive assurance of total fire safety cannot be given due to the many variable conditions which can arise. Every attempt has been made in the design of the Balon valve to provide as safe a valve as is practicable within the scope of economic feasibility for the user.

Balon ball valves have been successfully tested by an independent laboratory in accordance with API Standard 6FA “Fire Test For Soft Seated Ball Valves.” Results of this testing are available on request from Balon’s headquarters office.

Balon Installations

Designed...

to give superior performance where superior performance is critical — in the field. Simple, yet effective. Safe, yet practical. Versatile, yet economical.

Built...

for the rugged and demanding oil and gas applications. Stronger. Tougher. Crafted for hard use and extra staying power.

Proven...

with millions of valves in the field — exceptionally dependable, more troublefree, and capable of indefinite maintenance-free service life.

Series F Screwed End

The Balon Series F carbon

steel screwed end ball valve is

of bolted two-piece construction

to assure positive protection

against end adapter blow-out

which can occur in most

screwed construction valves.

The Series F is available to

meet a wide range of pressure

and applications, and when

ordered with 316 stainless

steel ball and stem it meets

NACE requirements.

Firesafe design and built-in

locking device are standard on

the Series F.

Carbon Steel

BALON SERIES “F” - CARBON STEEL - SCREWED END - DIM. DATA

CAT. NO.

STANDARD TRIM NACE TRIM

SIZE

CARBON STEEL 316 STAINLESS

PORT WP A B C D E F G H J L M N

BALL & STEM STEEL BALL & STEM

1 x 1 x 1 1F-F93-SE 1F-F93N-SE 1 2500 37⁄8115⁄16115⁄1633⁄823⁄

⁄2.340 .685 11⁄817⁄843⁄82

1 x 1 x 1 1F-F03-SE 1F-F03N-SE 1 3000 37⁄8115⁄16115⁄1633⁄823⁄

⁄2.340 .685 11⁄817⁄843⁄82

11⁄2x 11⁄2x 11⁄211⁄2F-F93-SE 11⁄2F-F93N-SE 11⁄22500 51⁄425⁄825⁄851⁄835⁄

⁄4.434 .873 15⁄821⁄271⁄45

2 x 11⁄

x 2 2R-F93-SE 2R-F93N-SE 11⁄22500 5

1⁄

23⁄423⁄451⁄835⁄

⁄4.434 .873 15⁄837

⁄45

2 x 11⁄2 x 2 2R-F03-SE 2R-F03N-SE 11/23000 51⁄223⁄423⁄451⁄835⁄

⁄4.434 .873 15⁄837

⁄45

2 x 2 x 2 2F-F93-SE 2F-F93N-SE 2 2000 53⁄427⁄827⁄861⁄843⁄

⁄8.497 .998 2 31⁄8101⁄453⁄

3 x 2 x 3 3R-F93-SE 3R-F93N-SE 2 2000 75⁄8313⁄16313⁄1667⁄843⁄

⁄8.497 .998 21⁄1641⁄4101⁄453⁄

3 x 3 x 3 3F-F63-SE 3F-F63N-SE 3 1500 83⁄843⁄1643⁄1685

⁄411⁄16.747 1.373 21⁄241⁄420 63⁄

4 x 3 x 4 4R-F63-SE 4R-F63N-SE 3 1500 87⁄847⁄1647⁄1685

⁄411⁄16.747 1.375 27⁄1651⁄420 63⁄

Dimensions

NACE CAPABILITY

Most Series F Carbon Steel and Ductile Iron Valves can be provided to meet NACE Standard MR-01-75, current revision, for Sulfide Stress Resistant Metallic Material for Oil Field Equipment.

WP is for valve equipped with standard nylon seats. See Chart on Page 43 for TFE ratings.

ITEM PART NAME

MATERIAL MATERIAL (STANDARD) STAINLESS STEEL (NACE)

1 Handle* Ductile iron Ductile iron 2 Handle bolt Standard hex bolt Standard hex bolt 3 Weather guard Polyethylene Polyethylene 4 Lock plate retainer Carbon spring steel Carbon spring steel 5 Lock plate Carbon steel - zinc plated Carbon steel - zinc plated 6 Dust cover Polyethylene Polyethylene 7 Stop plate retainer Carbon spring steel Carbon spring steel 8 Stop plate Carbon steel zinc plated Carbon steel zinc plated 9 Stem O-ring Buna Fluorocarbon 10 Stem seal TFE TFE 11 Stem Carbon steel zinc plated AISI A-316

ASTM A311-79 Class B stainless steel annealed

ASTM A-276-316

12 Ball AISI 1018 nickel chrome plated ASTM A-743-CF8M/316

annealed stainless steel 13 Ball seat Nylon (TFE optional) Nylon (TFE optional) 14 Body O-ring Buna Fluorocarbon 15 End adapter ASTM 216 grade WCB annealed ASTM 216 grade WCB annealed

carbon steel carbon steel

16 Body ASTM 216 grade WCB annealed ASTM 216 WCB annealed

carbon steel carbon steel 17 Body bolts ANSI B18.3 ANSI/ASTM A574 ASTM A-193/B7M 18 Body stud nuts ASTM A-194 ASME SA 194 2H ASTM A-194 2HM 19 Body stud bolts ASTM A-193 ASME SA-193 B-7 ASTM A-193 B-7M

Material Description Lever Operated

Bolted Construction

1" thru 4"

to 3000 PSI WP

* Balon valves are designed to be operated with a standard open-end wrench.

Handle and Handle Bolt are optional.

Series F Screwed End

The Balon Series F ductile

iron is an excellent lower cost

alternative to carbon steel

screwed end valves with no

sacrifice in safety or

performance life.

The ductile iron used to make

the Series F is a higher grade

of ductile whose physical

properties are enhanced by

special heat treating that

provides a yield strength

greater than that of carbon

steel, and better overall

corrosion resistance.

Built-in locking devices are

standard, and all Balon ductile

iron valves can be provided

with 316 stainless steel balls

and stems for corrosive media

and to meet NACE

requirements.

Ductile Iron

ITEM PART NAME

MATERIAL MATERIAL

(STANDARD) STAINLESS STEEL (NACE)

ASTM A311-79 Class B stainless steel annealed

ASTM A-276-316

12 Ball AISI 1018 nickel chrome plated ASTM A-743-CF8M/316

annealed stainless steel 13 Ball seat Nylon (TFE optional) Nylon (TFE optional) 14 Body O-ring Buna Fluorocarbon 15 End adapter ASTM-A395 class ASTM-A395 class

60-40-18 fully annealed 60-40-18 fully annealed

16 Body ASTM-A395 class ASTM-A395 class

60-40-18 fully annealed 60-40-18 fully annealed

17 Body bolts ANSI B18.3 ANSI/ASTM A574 ASTM A-193/B7M

Material Description

BALON SERIES “F” - DUCTILE IRON - SCREWED END - DIM. DATA

CAT. NO.

STANDARD TRIM NACE TRIM

SIZE

CARBON STEEL 316 STAINLESS

PORT WP A B C D E F G H J L M N

BALL & STEM STEEL BALL & STEM

1 x 1 x 1 1F-F92-SE 1F-F92N-SE 1 2000 37⁄8115⁄16115⁄1633⁄823⁄

⁄2.340 .685 11⁄817⁄843⁄82

2 x 11⁄

x 2 2R-F92-SE 2R-F92N-SE 11⁄22000 51⁄223⁄423⁄447⁄835⁄

⁄4.434 .873 15⁄83 71⁄45

2 x 2 x 2 2F-F62-SE 2F-F62N-SE 2 1500 53⁄427⁄827⁄861⁄843⁄

⁄8.497 .998 2 31⁄8101⁄453⁄

2 x 2 x 2 2F-F92-SE 2F-F92N-SE 2 2000 53⁄427⁄827⁄861⁄843⁄

⁄8.497 .998 2 31⁄8101⁄453⁄

21⁄2x 21⁄2 x 21⁄221⁄2F-F62-SE 21⁄2F-F62N-SE 21/21500 7 31⁄231⁄267⁄851⁄411⁄16.622 1.248 21⁄435⁄816 53⁄

3 x 2 x 3 3R-F62-SE 3R-F62N-SE 2 1500 71⁄435⁄835⁄863⁄443⁄

⁄8.497 .998 21⁄841⁄4101⁄453⁄

3 x 2 x 3 3R-F92-SE 3R-F92N-SE 2 2000 71⁄435⁄835⁄863⁄443⁄

⁄8.497 .998 21⁄841⁄4101⁄453⁄

3 x 3 x 3 3F-F42-SE 3F-F42N-SE 3 1000 81⁄841⁄1641⁄1673⁄453⁄411⁄16.747 1.373 21⁄241⁄420 63⁄

4 x 3 x 4 4R-F42-SE 4R-F42N-SE 3 1000 85⁄845⁄1645⁄1673⁄453⁄411⁄16.747 1.375 21⁄251⁄420 63⁄

4 x 4 x 4 4F-F32-SE 4F-F32N-SE 4 750 93⁄8411⁄16411⁄1691⁄463⁄811⁄16.747 1.375 31⁄855⁄820 73⁄

Dimensions

NACE CAPABILITY

Most Series F Carbon Steel and Ductile Iron Valves can be provided to meet NACE Standard MR-01-75, current revision, for Sulfide Stress Resistant Metallic Material for Oil Field Equipment.

WP is for valve equipped with standard nylon seats. See Chart on Page 43 for TFE ratings.

Lever Operated

Bolted Construction

1" thru 4" to 2000 PSI WP

* Balon valves are designed to be operated with a standard open-end wrench.

Handle and Handle Bolt are optional.

+ 35 hidden pages

Balon BALL VALVES User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual