Ball valves and butterfly valves are the two most common types for isolation and shut-off in industrial plants. Both have pros and cons — here's how to choose.

How they work

Ball valve

A bored sphere inside the body rotates 90°. When aligned with the flow, the valve is open; perpendicular = closed. The contact between ball and seat (PTFE, RPTFE or metal) provides sealing. Configurations: full bore (same ID as pipe), reduced bore, V-port (for throttling).

Butterfly valve

A circular disc rotates around a central axis. At 0° the disc is parallel to flow (open), at 90° perpendicular (closed). Sealing can be elastomeric (soft seated) or metallic. Types: wafer, lug, double flanged, double/triple offset (high performance).

Quick comparison

Feature	Ball valve	Butterfly valve
Seal	Bubble-tight	Good (soft) / Excellent (offset)
Pressure drop	Minimal (full bore)	Moderate (disc in flow)
Size/weight	Medium-high	Very compact, light
Cost (large sizes)	High	Low
Flow control	Not recommended	Good
Size range	DN6 – DN600	DN25 – DN2000+

When to choose ball valve

Bubble-tight sealing required — gases, compressed air, LPG, hazardous fluids
Small sizes (DN6-DN100) — competitive cost
Minimal pressure drop — full bore offers no restriction
Frequent cycling — PTFE seats handle thousands of cycles
Vacuum or negative pressure — bidirectional sealing

When to choose butterfly valve

Large sizes (DN200+) — much lower cost and weight than ball
Limited space — wafer body is very thin
Flow modulation — butterfly can throttle
Fluids with solids — disc doesn't create dead zones
Food industry — easy to clean (CIP/SIP)
High temperatures — triple offset up to 800°C

Conclusion

There is no "better" valve — it depends on the application. Many plants use both: ball valves for small sizes, gases and critical seals; butterfly valves for large sizes, liquids and throttling.

Roffia supplies ball and butterfly valves from leading brands: Valpres, FIP, Effebi and others. Contact us for advice.

Ball valve vs butterfly valve: how to choose