This plug valve is designed for the on/off and diverting service of liquids, gases, or slurries where a quarter-turn operation is useful. It uses a plug (instead of a gate or ball) to control flow. Because this version is in cast iron (CI) material, it’s more suited to moderate pressure/temperature services.
Construction & Materials
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Body Material: Cast Iron (CI) — typical for the “CI Plug Valve” version.
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Plug Type: Taper plug (in many standard Audco designs) with a shaving/metal-to‐metal seat or optionally a lubricant/filler around the plug to improve seal.
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End Connections:
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Screwed / Threaded ends for smaller sizes.
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Flanged ends for larger sizes or more heavy duty lifting.
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Size Range (for CI version): For example, “Regular Pattern” screw-end CI plug valves: ½″ – 2″ (15 mm – 50 mm) with Class 125/150 W.P.
Short pattern CI flanged: ½″ – 8″ (15mm–200mm) for Class 150 W.P. -
Pressure / Rating Example:
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Light duty CI version: up to Class 125 working pressure.
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Heavy duty CI version: up to Class 150 working pressure.
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Operating Temperature & Service: For more advanced plug valve variants (not necessarily the basic CI version) the Audco Super-H series covers –46 °C to + 325 °C and high pressure up to 690 bar. While the CI version will be more limited.
Key Features
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Quarter-turn operation allows quick flow interruption or diversion.
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For the CI version, simple and economical construction suitable for moderate service.
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Reliable sealing thanks to plug design and, in more advanced variants, metal-to-metal seats.
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Can be used for on/off, diverting or bypass services.
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Good for services where low head loss is needed (because the plug design offers a fairly open bore when full port).
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For the heavier duty Audco plug valves, features include: metal-to-metal seats, wide seating areas for solids, pressure-balanced plugs for lower torque, and full inline maintenance.
Applications
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General industrial piping for water, air, gas, low–medium pressure steam or fluids (for the CI version)
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Especially in systems where corrosion or moderate mechanical stress is expected (cast iron suited here)
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For more rigorous systems (higher pressure, temperature, solids in media) the higher alloy Audco plug valves are used.
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Suitable for on/off/directional control rather than high precision throttling.
Selection / Specification Tips
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Confirm material compatibility: Cast iron is less robust than steel or alloy when it comes to high temperature, high pressure, or corrosive service.
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Confirm pressure class for your service (e.g., Class 125/150 for many CI versions).
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Check end connection type (screwed vs flanged) based on your pipeline.
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Confirm size range: ensure your nominal bore (NB) is supported by this valve version (CI version often ½″–8″ for certain patterns).
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Confirm seat material / sealing arrangement: for abrasive or slurries you might need hard-faced plug, metal seats or special lining.
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Consider operation & actuation: manual lever/wrench or gear/actuator if needed.
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Check if full port (full bore) or reduced port is required depending on your flow/pressure drop requirements.
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For critical services check test & certification: e.g., hydrostatic shell & seat tests. Some documentation shows seats tested per API standards.
