WHY USE A STAINLESS STEEL FLOAT VALVE?

Stainless steel offers numerous advantages over other materials. A stainless steel float valve will keep liquid levels constant through the use of their floats. Because of their corrosion resistance, they can be used not only for fresh water but also for seawater, corrosive liquids, harsh chemicals, and other special fluids.

Some benefits of using stainless steel float valves include:

• Higher graded alloys of stainless steel are useful in industrial and other environments with elevated alkaline, acid, or chloride levels, even at high pressures and temperatures, while lower grades resist atmospheric corrosion well.
• Most stainless steels can be easily formed, machined, welded, cut, or otherwise fabricated.
• Resistant to extremes in temperature, some grades maintain their strength when exposed to excessive heat while also resisting scaling, while others hold up well in very cold temperatures.
• Stainless steel is easy to maintain and keep clean.
• Stainless steel is more durable than other materials used for float valves, so is often the less expensive option over its life cycle.

The properties of many stainless steels allow it to harden well during cold working, so as to reduce thickness and weight of components or products, along with costs, while other types of stainless steel become stronger when treated with heat.
Stainless steel float valves are often used to maintain water levels in industrial-grade tanks and water treatment plants. Float valves typically use T303 or T316 stainless steel alloys, with the former offering better machining properties and the latter offering better corrosion resistance.

STAINLESS STEEL VS. PLASTICS & OTHER MATERIALS

Float valves can be made from a variety of different materials. As they are exposed to environments with different levels of corrosive substances, temperatures, and pressures, durability is a major issue. Stainless steel offers a variety of properties that make it a better option than other materials.

Materials vary and may be combined, depending on the manufacturer and application. Floats can be constructed from stainless steel, copper, plastic, or other materials, while the bodies often are constructed from stainless steel, bronze, or cast iron. Sometimes floats that are used in vertical rod systems employ counterweights to keep them submerged and provide better performance.

Plastic

Using plastic reduces manufacturing costs, though most higher-quality products will use stainless steel float valves rather than plastic, as they last longer and are generally more durable.

Cast Iron

Both cast iron and stainless steel work well in high-temperature and high-pressure environments. And cast iron’s low carbon content makes it more corrosion-resistant than other ferrous metal alloys. The main advantage stainless steel has over cast iron is its chromium content of at least 10.5%, which reacts to oxygen to create a protective layer against corrosion.

Brass

Stainless steel offers much better protection against corrosion than brass, an alloy made from zinc and copper, and holds up better in environments high in chlorine. Stainless steel is especially resistant to corrosion from seawater and other harsh fluids. It also has a better pressure rating than brass. Brass conducts heat better and, as a softer metal than stainless steel, it also shapes more easily. Given brass alloys that include lead have been largely banned for plumbing applications, stainless steel is often a less expensive option as well.

Bronze

Made mostly of copper combined with varying amounts of tin, bronze looks similar to brass, though it has certain unique benefits. It resists cracking and corrosion better but is less expensive than brass. Commonly used in the petrochemical industry, like stainless steel it also holds up well in marine environments and in high-performance applications.

STAINLESS STEEL FLOAT VALVE APPLICATIONS

Along with their use in toilets, stainless steel float valves are used in many industries for a variety of applications.
Applications for which stainless steel float valves can be used include:

• Basins
• Carburetors
• Condensate tanks
• Industrial refrigeration system
• Open and closed storage tanks
• Refrigeration systems
• Remote tanks
• Reservoirs
• Sump pumps
• Swimming pools
• Toilet tanks
• Watering troughs and tanks

As float valves operate mechanically, without the need for power, they are capable of working in remote locations. Their versatility makes them valuable for many industrial and other applications. Stainless steel float valves are used in some of the harshest environments.