As the name suggests, a floating ball valve uses a ball as the structure to close the cross-section of the pipe and prevent the flow of the fluid. Now, the main feature of a floating ball valve is that the ball has no structure to support it, so it stays suspended in the fluid and in place by valve seats.

Floating and trunnion are two basic types of ball valve designs. Floating ball valves are the most common type of valve used in industrial piping systems. These valves are designed so that as the seats begin to wear the pressure from the media flowing through the valve will force the ball against the downstream seat to maintain a tight seal.