Hydraulic valves that are operated by proportional solenoids are referred to as proportional control valves and are commonly used in automated control applications. These valves are especially useful in situations where the system speed needs to be tightly controlled or where ramping up and down is needed to avoid sudden starts and stops. Proportional control valves offer precision control resulting in increased production and decreased downtime by limiting the number of shocks that occur from sudden changes in the system. Types of proportional control valves include proportional directional valves, high response proportional directional valves, proportional flow control valves, proportional pressure relief valves and proportional pressure reducing valves. Industries use proportional control valves in water treatment, chemical processing, utilities, semiconductor manufacturing, food and beverage and pharmaceutical production.
Proportional control valves in water treatment are used to control the amount of chlorine added to water that is being treated while in industries where cooling is essential, the temperature of the cooling water is maintained at a preset value using proportional control valves. Water used for cooling purposes is exposed to higher temperatures allowing it to absorb more heat where proportional control valves are employed. Consequently, there is reduced cooling agent and energy consumption and a subsequent saving in capital costs. Another use for proportional control valves in water based industries is the testing of hot water heaters where they are used for precise control of the minimum flow depending on the number of units being tested. The paper industry also uses proportional control valves for water that is temperature controlled in order to maintain the measuring head used to ensure paper quality at a stable temperature.
Though proportional control valves in water treatment and other water utilizing industries are used to control temperature and amount of fluid, these valves can also be used to control direction, velocity and position. Additionally, they are used to control the amount of pressure within a system where they limit or regulate the pressure according to a set value that is electronically controlled. Proportional control valves can be used in open loop and closed loop control applications depending on what system they are being utilized in. Using proportional control valves for water treatment, chemical processing and other production processes replaces the need to manually check your systems that would otherwise require a lot of manpower and be impractical.
While most types of proportional control valves can be used in water treatment and other applications it is important to select the correct valve required for a particular job. Important specifications to consider include flow range, pressure range and compatibility with temperature, corrosion resistance and fluid pressure. It is also important to consider the availability and price of the valves you are interested in. You can find a wide selection of valves and actuators at www.hanbayinc.com as well as information you may require on how to go about determining what proportional control valves are suited to your needs. Hanbay was established in 1986 in Montreal, QC, Canada and has since become a leading manufacturer of miniature electric actuators and a key provider of turnkey solutions for process automation and control of all kinds. When you buy from Hanbay, you are buying quality products designed and made by professional engineers using state-of-the-art technologies and methods. How could you ever be disappointed? Turn to Hanbay (www.hanbayinc.com) today for your process automation and control solutions.
