What Is An Industrial Pneumatic Solenoid Valve?
The industrial pneumatic solenoid valve is electromechanical and can be used to regulate the flow of both liquid and gasses. They operate by using a using a solenoid coil that is powered by an electrical current. They typically have 2 ports that are responsible for switching the flow on and off; however, in some cases there are 3 ports and the outflow is controlled by two outlet ports. It is not uncommon for some manifolds to posses several pneumatic ball valves.
Although there are many different applications where an industrial pneumatic solenoid valve may be used, most often it will be to control fluids in some manner. This typically includes shutting off, releasing, distributing, or mixing liquids. They are very effective because they offer fast switching, last for a long time, are compatible with many different materials, and are very reliable. They most often feature a plunger actuator, but sometimes they will feature a rocker or pivoting actuator.
So, this is what the pneumatic ball valve does, but do you understand how it works? It is a technical process and essentially their two main functioning parts are the valve and the solenoid coil. The valve can be opened and closed automatically by the solenoid which converts electricity into mechanical energy. They may use either metal or rubber seals depending on the model you purchase, and sometimes they may even have interfaces which allow you to control them more easily.
The industrial pneumatic solenoid valve is by default in a closed state. When pressurized water enters in through the piping, it flows through a diaphragm within the device which has a small pin sized hole in the center. There is a space behind the diaphragm that the water flows into; this creates equal pressure on both sides which keeps the valve shut. However, when the solenoid is activated, the water will flow out of the space behind the diaphragm causing the pressure to drop and the pneumatic ball valve will open.
Water will then flow directly through the piping until it closes once again. The industrial pneumatic solenoid valve will close once again once the solenoid has been deactivated. Sometimes a spring is used in these devices which act to close the diaphragm. However, sometimes these diaphragms act as their own spring.
Today there are many different applications where a pneumatic ball valve can be used; however, they are most often found in large industrial valves and controlling cylinders. There are many different variations now offered as well which you have to choose from, such as general purpose, dust collector, and combustion. Although they are also sometimes used in heating systems, this is not really the best choice for them. They have a fast closing speed which can cause water hammering, or there may not be enough drop in pressure in order for them to function properly.
