The Many Uses of a Pneumatic Valve Actuator

Pneumatic valve actuators are found in countless industrial settings all over the world. There are various types of construction applications, oil and chemical plant, deep water and water management facilities that put these tools to use. These pneumatic valves are typically used for the delivery and control of liquids and compressed air through complex piping systems.

Made From a Variety of Materials

Depending on the particular application, pneumatic valves can be manufactured from plastics, aluminum or stainless steel. Stainless steel pneumatic valves for example, are typically found in oil or chemical plants where the flow of liquids and corrosive fluids are the primary product moving through their pipes.

Other Common Uses of Pneumatic Valves

Precise pneumatic valves such as turtorq actuators are used to regulate a required amount of compressed air. These types of systems are typically operated from remote locations for safety reasons. Usually away from the hazardous chemicals and liquids are flowing. With safety in mind in chemical plants, butterfly valves are sometimes used right inside the pneumatic valve or as a separate system altogether. It should be noted that if used separate, these systems would be placed along the same section of pipe when working in a hazardous liquid or chemical plant. Installing sensors in the pneumatic valve actuators can also monitor the flow of liquids.

Higher Benefits

Unlike hydraulic actuators, pneumatic valves have the capability to store energy so they can be used in emergency situations such as power interruptions. They can also work under larger energy payloads. Although these systems do not do very well in sub-zero temperatures, there are varieties of pneumatic valves that deliver compression using heated air. These systems will not compromise the performance of the valve. It’s always nice to know that fluid delivery system in cold weather locations use some sort of back up in order to minimize any unscheduled down time.

A Reliable System

It is very important that any liquid or fluid directional flow system, especially those that move potentially hazardous material, have some sort of fail-safe system. The ability to override and regain control of a system from a remote location in the event of an emergency is just what a pneumatic valve actuator is capable of.