Amavalvu ayizisetshenziswa zamapayipi asetshenziselwa ukuvula nokuvala amapayipi, ukulawula ukuhamba, ukulungisa nokulawula amapharamitha (izinga lokushisa, ingcindezi, nokugeleza) kwendawo edlulisayo. Ngokusho komsebenzi wayo, ingahlukaniswa ibe yi-valve yokuvala, i-valve yokuhlola, i-valve yokulawula, njalonjalo.

I-valve iyingxenye yokulawula ohlelweni lokudlulisa uketshezi, olunomsebenzi wokunqamula, ukulawula, ukuphambukisa, ukuvimbela ukugeleza emuva, ukuqiniswa, ukuphambukisa noma ukuchichima, kanye nokukhulula ingcindezi. Amavalvu asetshenziswa ezinhlelweni zokulawula uketshezi, kusukela kumavalvu alula ukuvala kuya kumavalvu ayinkimbinkimbi ngokwedlulele asetshenziswa ezinhlelweni zokulawula okuzenzakalelayo, anezinhlobonhlobo kanye nezincazelo.

Amavavu angasetshenziswa ukulawula ukugeleza kwezinhlobo ezahlukene zoketshezi olunjengomoya, amanzi, isitimu, imithombo yezindaba eyonakalisayo ehlukahlukene, udaka, uwoyela, insimbi ewuketshezi, nemidiya ekhipha imisebe. Amavalvu aphinde ahlukaniswe abe amavalvu ensimbi, amavalvu ensimbi, amavalvu ensimbi engagqwali, chromium-molybdenum steel valves, chromium-molybdenum vanadium steel valves, duplex steel valves, plastic valves, non-standard customized valves, njll ngokuya ngezinto zawo.