Ball valve handles are provided in ball valves to access the valves easily. They must be leak-free, reusable. It must handle various working pressures of 600 psi or 150 psi in on-off saturated steam service, in temperature range from 0 to 250°F. Applications include construction equipment, chemical processing, plastic and rubber products manufacturing, pumps, and specialized industrial machinery.

Ball valves are used to provide the best performance for demanding hazardous and corrosive applications. It is designed to overcome such inherent valve problems as high operating torque and stem leakage. It features a unique, non-spherical ball with a bevel at the lip of the port. This configuration minimizes pressure on the seating areas, thus reducing cold flow and prolonging seat life. Its applications include bromine, phosgene, hydrogen fluoride and chlorine applications.

In ball valves, the flow control element is a ball with a round hole through it. The ball rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the hole and to the fluid path. The ball is always in the fluid path. However, when the valve is open, the hole aligns with the fluid path and the fluid passes straight through it. Because the ball valve is symmetrical, either end can be the fluid inlet, and thus the flow can be from either direction. The form of control for which ball valves are suited is starting and stopping flow; however, they also can be used for changing the flow direction.