Solenoid Valve Applications: Compressed Air

Solenoid valves have a wide variety of uses.
The amount of solenoid valve variants means that they can cover nearly any type of application for fluid or material.

In this blog we will be discussing some of the applications that a solenoid valve could fit in compressed air applications.

Solenoid valves in air compressors

The way the solenoid valve will work in the compressor is as follows:
When the system is operating, the electric motor runs the compressor, which takes in filtered air, compresses it, sends it to the refrigerator and finally to the tank. During this stage the solenoid valve is energized and closes the circuit keeping it under pressure. When the tank reaches the requested pressure reading, a pressure switch stops the motor and the check valve keeps air inside the tank. To prevent the compressor from remaining under pressure for too long and so getting damaged, the solenoid valve is then de-energized and it allows exceeding air still in the circuit to be exhausted.  




There are three variants of solenoid valves that would be used in this application, the RD236, the RB214 and the RB203.

The RD236 and RB214 are direct acting solenoid valves whilst the RB203 is a pilot operated solenoid valve.


Here is a PDF file with a bit more detail about solenoid valves in this application: 
Solenoid Valves In Air Compressors

Solenoid valves in metering valves

The system operates as follows: first corn is ground and flour is stocked into the silos. The flour is then taken from the silos to be put into a tank and mixed with water. The mixture thus obtained is distributed to the network by a pump. The MV intercepts the feedstuff and regulates its distribution to the manger thanks to the elastic diaphragm. The diaphragm is operated by the pressure of air let into the upper chamber of the solenoid valve. As a matter of fact, when the solenoid valve (assembled on the cover of the MV) is de-energised, air flows from P to B, pressing the diaphragm and closing the MV; when it is energised air from the chamber is exhausted from B to R and the MV opens



The variant of solenoid valve that would be used in this applications is:


Here is a PDF file with a bit more detail about solenoid valves in this application: 

Solenoid valves in press safety valves

Two 3-way solenoid valves are used in this application. When they are de-energized (Picture 1), they close the inlet of pressurized air from P (red) and connect outlet A to the exhausts R. The value of pressure inside the pipes is controlled by pressure gauges CP. The two solenoid valves are operated at the same time by an electronic panel (Picture 2). They close their own exhausts allowing air to flow through the pipes to the piston chambers, which are pushed downwards by pressure. At this time air can flow from P to A. If a failure was simulated, for example by de-energizing only the valve on the right, the piston on the left would be pushed upwards by the spring because of a lack of pressure and would open the exhaust. Air (yellow) from P would flow towards R thus blocking the valve, which would operate again only when the system was safe. The valve would reset automatically when the stand-by position was restored. 


The variant of solenoid valve that would be used in this application is:


Here is a PDF file with a bit more detail about solenoid valves in this application: 

solenoid valves in vibrating feeders

A circular vibrator consists of a vibrating base, a container and a separate electronic controller for setting the excursion of the vibration. Containers can be of various shapes: cylindrical, conical, or stepped; they have a spiral guider in the internal wall that allows small parts to ascend to the linear feeder. A magnet operates a pulsating force on the container and the vibrations thus produced move the small parts forwards along a track inside the container. A series of traps at the end of the track select parts in a wrong position and let them fall at the centre of the container, so that only properly positioned parts are ejected. A solenoid valve intercepts compressed air from the system and shoots it against the small parts to push them into the assembly machine. A photocell is positioned at the mouth of the feeder. When the container is empty, the system detects a failure, the vibrator stops, a warning light turns on and the de-energized solenoid valve interrupts the blast of air. Only the intervention of an operator can reset the process. The most frequent failures are due to not properly positioned parts getting stuck or to the container being empty.



The type of solenoid valve that would be used in this application is:



Here is a PDF file with a bit more detail about solenoid valves in this application: 


You can use the M&M range of valves that V-Flow Solutions can offer here:


You can read the rest of V-Flows blogs here.

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