What is the difference between hard seal gate valve and soft seal gate valve

 Hard sealed gate valves and soft sealed gate valves are two common sealing structures for gate valves, and they have some differences in sealing performance, applicable environment, and other aspects.

1、 Sealing performance:
Hard sealed gate valves use metal to metal seals, which have good sealing performance and can achieve zero leakage. Soft sealed gate valves use plastic materials as seals, although their sealing performance is poor, they can meet certain leakage requirements.

2、 Applicable temperature:
Hard sealed gate valves are suitable for harsh environments such as high temperature, high pressure, and corrosion, and can withstand high temperatures and pressures. Soft sealed gate valves are suitable for low temperatures, generally not exceeding 80 ℃.

3、 Maintenance and upkeep:
Hard sealed gate valves, due to their metal sealing structure, have high friction between the sealing surfaces and are prone to wear, requiring regular maintenance. Soft sealed gate valves, on the other hand, use plastic seals, resulting in lower friction on the sealing surface and relatively less maintenance.

4、 Service life:
Due to the large contact between the sealing surfaces of hard sealed gate valves, they are prone to wear and tear, resulting in a relatively short service life. Soft sealed gate valves have a relatively long service life due to their low friction.

In summary, hard sealed gate valves are relatively superior to soft sealed gate valves in terms of sealing performance and applicable environment, but there are also issues such as high maintenance costs. The selection of a suitable sealing structure should be determined based on the specific usage environment and requirements.