What Are Actuator Valves and Their Common Types?
Valves are components found in countless applications and industries, serving for the regulation, direction, and management of fluid flow. Depending on the type of valve, such devices may operate by opening, closing, or partially obstructing the path of fluids. While many valves are manually operated, a wide number of applications benefit from automation and actuation systems that make the adjustment of valve settings much easier. In this blog, we will be specifically discussing valve actuators and their common types, allowing you to better understand the importance and usefulness of such devices.
The valve actuator is the mechanism of a valve that actually conducts the opening and closing movement. While manual valves may be actuated through a direct or geared mechanism that is hand-operated or power-operated, automatic valves will generally require gas pressure, electricity, or hydraulic pressure for actuation. Valve actuators are crucial for standard process control automation, coming in a number of designs to accommodate power plants, water treatment plants, mining, refineries, and much more. Additionally, these valves can be as small as a tenth of an inch, or may be several feet in size.
Manual actuators serve the most simplistic types of actuator valve components, and they are able to make their adjustments through levers, wheels, and gears. True to their name, manual actuator valves must be powered by hand, but this is balanced by their very low price point, ease of operation, and self-contained design. While manual valves may be beneficial for many settings, they are not feasible in environments where heat, toxicity, or other dangerous conditions may detract from the safety of the operator.
Pneumatic actuator components rely on air pressure, and they are most commonly used for linear and quarter-turn valves. To make an adjustment, air pressure is exerted onto a spring, and once overcoming its force, the valve will open or close as necessary until the pressure ceases. If one implements a double-acting pneumatic valve actuator, gas will be provided at different inlets based on whether the intention is to open or close the valve.
The working of an actuator valve using hydraulics is fairly similar to one using pneumatics, albeit fluids are used in lieu of gasses. Hydraulic actuators are also used for quarter-turn valves, and they utilize the pressure of fluid acting against a piston to create linear thrust. This then results in rotary motion that adjusts the position of the valve, allowing for a change to be made. Hydraulic actuator valves are often self-contained with their own hydraulic pressure pump, and they commonly serve applications such as water pumping where their power ensures proper fluid flow as required.
Electric valve actuators are one of the most recent types that have been developed, and they operate valves through torque that is generated by an electric actuator. Despite using electrical power for their operation, electric valve actuators are actually one of the most energy efficiency options in the market. This is coupled with their quiet operation and non-toxic functionality, making them a good choice when such issues are a concern. Despite this, they require a source of electricity for their functionality, though this may be supplied in the form of batteries.
Beyond such common examples, another option that one may have for an actuator valve is the spring-based actuator. These actuators are designed to hold back a spring, and they are released once power is lost or when an anomaly is detected, causing an adjustment in the valve. Unlike many of the previously discussed options, spring-based actuators are only able to be operated a single time before requiring manual resetting, and as such, they are primarily used for emergency settings and various one-time use applications. While this is a major drawback for most industrial uses, their benefits lie in the fact that they do not require a large source of power, instead only needing restricted battery power or none in the case of actuation being a result of a power loss.
Now that you better understand the working of actuator valve components, you can best procure fitting parts for the benefit of your operations. At One Click Aviation, we have many actuator valve components readily available for purchase, all of which have been sourced from trusted manufacturers from across the globe. Take the time to explore our current set of offerings as you see fit, knowing that all listed items can be procured today. To kick-start the process, we ask that you first fill out and submit an RFQ form as provided on our website with as much detail as you can regarding your requirements. Once we receive a completed form, our team will rapidly formulate a customized solution that takes your unique constraints into account. As team members are available around the clock, we promise a response to your request in as little as 15 minutes! See why customers continuously rely on One Click Aviation for all their operational needs when you connect with a representative today!
Share
