Ball valves can be used in many different applications. However, they are primarily used in industrial processes, in the fields of water supply and water/waste water treatment. Plastic ball valves are also successfully used in the chemical industry.
The animation shows an example of how a ball valve works. By illustrating the way in which the medium flows through the body and how it is shut off, it demonstrates why this valve type in the standard version should not be used for hygienic or sterile applications, for example. This is because, in the partially open state and during opening/closing, medium can penetrate between the ball and the body, which means it is not free of "dead spaces" (minimal dead space is one of the main requirements of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries).
