Manipulating Flow with Motorized Control Valves
The amount of liquid flowing through a system is vital for the entire operation. Regardless of the ultimate factory production goal, liquid flow needs to be both controlled and maintained in order to successfully complete all operations. Motorized control valves allow for flow to be stopped, started, and adjusted as necessary to ensure that operations continue as scheduled.
Motorized control valves work to control flow by either opening or closing an opening within a pipeline. When the valve is open, liquid is able to pass through freely. When the valve is closed, liquid flow is stopped and prevented from entering that section of pipe. It is essential that motorized control valves are ordered in the appropriate size for a system application, as this allows for them to create a reliable seal that liquids cannot penetrate.
There are several different types of motorized control valves available, and each company is able to select the option that will work best for their particular factory needs. The different valves have different manners of opening and closing to allow liquid to pass through, as some operate by sliding, others by rotating, etc. There are also several different materials that can be used to compose these control valves, and a material can be selected that will safely interact with the substances already flowing through the rest of the system. Sometimes, motorized control valves are needed at busy piping intersections, where more than one pipe will meet at a point in the system. These sections require motorized control valves with multiple ports available, so that the valve can effectively control the flow of liquid through a system that has several options for flow direction.
Motorized control valves are powered by different types of actuators, which work to move the valve to the appropriate position for flow needs. These actuators respond to sensors, and as a result change the amount of flow. An actuator may be set to respond by providing more liquid flow when a temperature reaches a certain amount, or the actuator could be set to lesson flow if pressure levels get too high. A company can determine these specifics based on their particular operations. Actuators can respond to sensors immediately during the course of operation, and adjust the flow amounts right away to ensure that conditions remain optimal for effective running procedures.
The different kinds of actuators available for powering motorized control valves include electric, pneumatic, and hydraulic actuators. Electric actuators are generally the easiest to wire into a system, and are best for determining diagnostic issues. Pneumatic and hydraulic actuators are powered by gas or liquid, and they are able to provide more pressure power than many electric actuators. A pumping system is required to operate pneumatic and hydraulic actuators, and a company will need to have enough space available to install that system when the actuator is being implemented with the motorized control valves. The ability of the actuators to respond to sensor conditions and automatically adjust the amount of flow allows for production to run smoothly and seamlessly.