Valves can be categorized into the following basic Ball valve, for on/off control without pressure drop,

drop, and ideal for quick shut-off, since a 90 turn offers complete shut-off angle, compared to multiple turns required on most manual valves. Butterfly valve, for flow regulation in large pipe diameters. Ceramic Disc valve, used mainly in high duty cycle applications or on abrasive fluids. Ceramic disc can also provide Class IV seat leakage Check valve or non-return valve, allows the fluid to pass in one direction only. Choke valve, a valve that raises or lowers a solid cylinder which is placed around or inside another cylinder which has holes or slots. Used for high pressure drops found in oil and gas wellheads. Diaphragm valve, which controls flow by a movement of a diaphragm. Upstream pressure, downstream pressure, or an external source (e.g., pneumatic, hydraulic, etc.) can be used to change the position of the diaphragm. Gate valve, mainly for on/off control, with low pressure drop. Globe valve, good for regulating flow. Knife valve, similar to a gate valve, but usually more compact. Often used for slurries or powders on/off control. Needle valve for accurate flow control. Pinch valve, for slurry flow regulation. Piston valve, for regulating fluids that carry solids in suspension. Plug valve, slim valve for on/off control but with some pressure drop. Poppet valve Spool valve, for hydraulic control Thermal expansion valve, used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Pressure Reducing Valve Sampling valves Safety valve

Specific types
Aspin valve: a cone-shaped metal part fitted to the cylinder head of an engine Ball cock: often used as a water level controller (cistern) Bibcock: provides a connection to a flexible hosepipe Blast valve: prevents rapid overpressures in a fallout shelter or a bunker Cock: colloquial term for a small valve or a stopcock Demand valve: on a diving regulator Double beat valve Double check valve Duckbill valve Flipper valve Flow control valve: an application which maintains a variable flow rate through the valve

Heimlich valve: a specific one-way valve used on the end of chest drain tubes to treat a pneumothorax Foot valve: a check valve on the foot of a suction line to prevent backflow Four-way valve: was used to control the flow of steam to the cylinder of early double-acting steam engines Freeze seal/Freeze plug: in which freezing and melting the fluid creates and removes a plug of frozen material acting as the valve Gas pressure regulator regulates the flow and pressure of a gas Heart valve: regulates blood flow through the heart in many organisms Larner-Johnson Valve: needle control valve often in large sizes used in water supply systems Leaf valve: one-way valve consisting of a diagonal obstruction with an opening covered by a hinged flap Pilot valve: regulate flow or pressure to other valves Plunger Valve: To regulate flow while lowering the pressure Poppet valve and sleeve valve: commonly used in piston engines to regulate the fuel mixture intake and exhaust Pressure regulator or pressure reducing valve (PRV): reduces pressure to a preset level downstream of the valve Pressure sustaining valve, or back-pressure regulator: maintains pressure at a preset level upstream of the valve Presta and Schrader valves are used to hold the air in bicycle tires Reed valve: consists of two or more flexible materials pressed together along much of their length, but with the influx area open to allow one-way flow, much like a heart valve Regulator: used in SCUBA diving equipment and in gas cooking equipment to reduce the high pressure gas supply to a lower working pressure Rocker valve Rotolock valve Rotary valves and piston valves: parts of brass instruments used to change their pitch Rupture disc: a one time use replaceable valve for rapid pressure relief, used to protect piping systems from excessive pressure or vacuum; more reliable than a safety valve Saddle valve: where allowed, is used to tap a pipe for a low-flow need Safety valve or relief valve: operates automatically at a set differential pressure to correct a potentially dangerous situation, typically over-pressure Schrader valve: used to hold the air inside automobile tires Solenoid valve: an electrically controlled hydraulic or pneumatic valve Stopcock: restricts or isolates flow through a pipe Swirl valve: A specially designed Joule-Thompson pressure reduction/expansion valve imparting a centrifugal force upon the discharge stream for improving gas-liquid phase separation Tap (British English), faucet (American English): the common name for a valve used in homes to regulate water flow Tesla valve: A form of check valve with no moving parts, invented by Nikola Tesla for use with fluids. Thermal expansion valve, used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

Thermostatic Mixing Valve Thermostatic Radiator Valve Trap primer: sometimes include other types of valves, or are valves themselves Vacuum breaker valve: prevents the back-siphon age of contaminated water into pressurized drinkable water supplies

Butterfly valve

Duplex Ball Valve with flange end

Gate Valve

Swing Check Valve