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A butterfly valve actuator is a device used to remotely open and close butterfly valves, which only require a quarter turn. They are typically electric or hydraulic and have limit switches to control the range of motion and overtorque protection. Butterfly valves are commonly used in industrial and domestic installations and can be manually operated or remotely operated with an actuator.
A butterfly valve actuator is a remotely operated device used to open and close butterfly valves. These actuators are widely known as quarter-turn actuators as butterfly valves only require a full quarter turn to fully open or close. They are typically rotary types and have a range of power sources, with electric and hydraulic types being the most common. The actuation range of these devices is typically controlled by a series of limit switches which stop the throttle actuator when the valve is fully actuated. They also typically include an overtorque protection device designed to shut down the actuator if the valve is clogged.
As one of the most commonly encountered fluid control devices in industrial and domestic installations, the butterfly valve belongs to a family of similar devices known as quarter-turn valves, as they require only a quarter turn to fully open or close. These valves are placed in line with a pipe and have a central chamber with a turntable in the centre. When the plate is rotated parallel to the direction of fluid flow, the valve is open and the flow is unrestricted. When the plate is rotated perpendicular to the flow, it blocks the chamber and the flow of fluid effectively closing the valve.
Many butterfly valves are manually operated using a straight handle or gear control wheel. Where valves require large amounts of torque to operate, are located in inaccessible locations or in environments hazardous to the operator, a butterfly valve actuator can be used to facilitate remote operation. These devices use an electric motor or compressed hydraulic oil source to drive an output shaft connected to the valve stem. Generally, hydraulic actuators are used in applications such as high pressure oil and gas lines where the driving torque is very high. In these applications, the butterfly valve actuator can also use a high pressure gas supply vented directly from the pipeline for actuation.
The range of motion that the butterfly valve actuator generates with each cycle is usually controlled by a series of limit switches, one each for the open and closed positions of the valve. These switches will signal the actuator controller to stop when the valve fully opens or closes. The control circuit also usually includes some sort of protective device designed to shut down the actuator should the valve stick or plug. These switches and limits prevent the actuator from over cycling and damaging itself or the valve.
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