A solenoid control valve directs the flow of gas or liquid and can be activated electronically. It uses an electromagnet to push or pull a mechanical valve or flexible diaphragm. Valves can be designed to fully open or gradually regulate flow, and can have spring returns or be manually or automatically controlled. Solenoid valves are used in industrial lifting equipment and appliances like washing machines.
A solenoid control valve is a mechanical device that is used to direct the flow of a gas or liquid. This type of valve can be activated electronically via a solenoid. Different varieties of solenoid valves can turn the movement of a fluid on or off or redirect the flow in a different direction.
The solenoid found in a control valve is similar to an electric motor. An electromagnet is activated when power is applied. Unlike a motor, however, the electromagnet causes a solenoid to push or pull rather than rotate.
This linear motion can be used to move a mechanical valve directly. The valve moves back and forth like a revolving door according to the movement of the solenoid. This motion is simple, but isn’t always powerful enough when high pressure is involved.
High pressure solenoid controls sometimes do not have a direct mechanical connection to the valve. In this variety of valves, the solenoid moves a flexible diaphragm instead. The pressurized fluid on one side of the diaphragm helps force this flexible part open. A valve using this mechanism usually requires less power to move than a direct solenoid connection.
Control valves can be built to fully open or close whenever the solenoid actuates. This is useful when a fast stream is needed. Valves can also be designed to open gradually, based on the amount of electrical signal sent to the solenoid. Such a valve can be used to precisely regulate the amount of flow.
Some solenoid control units use springs to automatically return the valve to the closed or open position. Others do not have a spring return, but remain in place even if the power fails. Solenoid valve models are available in both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC).
Many valves are manually controlled. This means that an operator must physically use a button or switch to activate the electric solenoid. A solenoid control valve can also be part of an automatic system. In this configuration, an electrical sensor can activate the solenoid when a preset temperature or pressure is sensed. This feature is often useful in factories or automated machines.
Several applications rely on solenoid operated control valves. Industrial lifting equipment, for example, commonly uses these valves to enable or disable the flow of hydraulic fluid to a cylinder. Appliances that use large amounts of water, such as washing machines, often use solenoid valves to control the flow of fluids.
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