Operating principle of the knife gate valve
When the knife gate valve is open, the gate moves into the flow stream, closing or reducing the flow by obstructing the path. The open/closed state of the valve can be observed from the position of the gate - if it is visible above the valve body, it is open, and similarly, if it is not visible, it is closed. Knife-gate valves should only be used for applications requiring a fully open or fully closed position, and should not be used to regulate flow unless they are designed to do so.
Advantages of knife gate valves
Knife gate valves offer a number of advantages over ordinary gate valves: they can be easily operated by mechanical, electrical or pneumatic means, and are lightweight, making them easy to transport, store, install and maintain. Knife gate valves are also highly cost-effective, and are used not only in pulp and paper production, but also in municipal wastewater pumping stations and wastewater treatment plants. Their sharpened blade makes them highly resistant to corrosion, so they require less maintenance, or even replacement.