Knife gate valves are designed mainly for on-off and isolation services in systems with high content of suspended solids. Knife gate valves are especially beneficial for handling slurry in addition to viscous, corrosive and abrasive media. The valves have a minimised pressure drop in fully open position, they are easy to actuate, they have a relatively low weight and are cost-effective.

Knife gate valves are designed to work in some of the harshest environments, typically having a sharpened blade to cut through heavy liquids.

They are especially useful in wastewater applications where corrosion is an important issue. So, in addition to the valve design optimised for slurry media, it is beneficial to have a knife made of acid-proof stainless steel as this makes it less susceptible to damages caused by corrosion and as a consequence it needs less frequent maintenance or even replacement.