Motorized valves, such as gate, ball, butterfly, and globe valves, use electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic actuators to open or close. They come in various designs and sizes for different applications, but most differ only in actuation method. Gate valves are suited for large straight flow installations, while ball valves are ideal for fast response cut-offs. Butterfly valves have fast operation and a good seal, but are not suitable for flow regulation. Globe valves are stable and precise, making them suitable for flow regulation and frequent opening/closing.
The different motorized valves include gate, ball, butterfly and globe variants, each with its own advantages and specific areas of use. A motorized valve is a valve that opens or closes by remote means, typically an electric, pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, rather than manually. Motorized valves are available in a wide range of designs, sizes and actuator types suitable for applications ranging from small domestic systems to large industrial installations. Most motorized valves differ only in the method of actuation with the valve itself being exactly the same as its manual counterparts.
One of the most common types of motorized valve is the gate valve. Also known as a gate valve, it uses a flat plate that is raised or lowered to open or block a flow of material. The plates can be round or rectangular and slide in a series of grooves or guides on either side of the valve body. When fully open, these motorized valves offer no restriction to the flow path and are particularly suited to large straight flow installations. Due to disc or plate vibration near the closed point, these types should only be used for fully open/fully closed applications and not as flow regulators.
Another popular motorized valve design is the ball valve. This type of valve features a polished ball with a hole in the center that rotates within the valve body. When the hole is aligned with the pipe, it allows material to flow through it. When rotated at right angles to the tube, the ball stops the flow. Motorized ball-type valves belong to a family of products known as quarter-turn valves due to their short actuating stroke. This makes their operation very fast and ideal for fast response cut-offs. The ball valves also offer exceptional shut-off values with the medium arrangement of the balls achieving a perfect seal.
The butterfly valve is also part of the motorized quarter-turn valve family. This type of valve has the same plate type as a gate valve but opens or closes by turning the gate through a 90 degree angle. These gates, or butterflies, are typically round with the actuator spindle in the center. The gate closes against a shoulder machined into the valve body and allows for fast operation and a good seal. These valves are also not suitable for use as flow regulators.
The globe valve is another model of motorized valve that is common and often used as a flow regulator due to its stability and precision. The globe valve consists of an internal channel or baffle that directs flow through an opening. A conical cork is moved in and out of this opening to open or close it. The tapered profile of the shutter allows for a very accurate and progressive restriction of the flow. These motorized valves are also suitable for applications where the valve opens and closes frequently.
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