Solenoid Valve Vs Ball Valve: An Essential Comparison

  What Is Solenoid Valve

An electric current is used to operate a solenoid valve. In a valve system, the solenoid regulates the current flowing through the valve. A solenoid is a cable coil that functions as an electromagnet. The solenoid valve is closed, and the aperture is blocked by a plunger when it is at rest. A straightforward electric current passes through the solenoid and generates a magnetic field, which opens the valve. The plunger is raised, and the valve is opened by this magnetic field.

The most often utilized control components in fluidics are solenoid valves. Their duties include turning off, releasing, dosing, distributing, and mixing liquids. They are utilized in numerous fields. Quick and secure switching, long service life, high durability, reasonable medium compatibility of the materials employed, less control power, and compact design are all advantages of solenoids.

The properties of the electric current used, the intensity of the magnetic field produced, the method used to control the flow of liquid, and the kind and qualities of the liquid are all different between solenoid valves. From linear action, plunger-type actuators to pivoted-armature actuators and rocker actuators, the mechanism differs.

The valve may have a two-port configuration to control a flow or a three-port configuration, or more to change flows between ports. On a manifold, several solenoid valves can be grouped together. The way solenoid valves function is another way to identify them. A tiny solenoid can only provide a modest amount of force. One can acquire the best solenoid valves from an industrial valve manufacturer. 

What Is Ball Valve

In order to control flow, ball valves utilize motors to rotate a ball with a gap in the middle. The valve is completely open when the hole is parallel to the flow, and it is shut down when it is twisted in the opposite direction. Unlike solenoid valves, the majority of electric ball valves do not need the power to maintain their position. A few ball valves with electric actuators can be manually opened or shut down.

Ball valves perform admirably when there is a lot of flow. For instance, airports employ them to de-ice planes, managers of greenhouses utilize them to water the facilities, and farmers employ them to irrigate vast crops. Ball valves are used in buildings equipped with fire suppression systems to open and shut down the sprinkler heads.  

Electric controls can pass liquid, gas, or air through ball valves. To handle huge systems, a few retain numerous valves. Industrial ball valves are dependable, operating well even after numerous cycles and lengthy duration of inactivity. They are frequently preferred to gates and globe valves for shutdown and control applications because of these characteristics.

Floating balls are frequently chrome plated for durability, and valve bodies are constructed of plastic, metal, or metal with ceramic. A ball valve’s drawback is that, when utilized to regulate water flow, it traps water in the center cavity when it is closed.

How To Choose

Before selecting a valve, one must determine its intended application. Ascertain whether it will be used to control or stop a fluid’s flow. Then it is necessary to validate the type of material that will be broadcast through the system. If the medium is corrosive, chemically neutral, a food product, a medicinal fluid, or all of the above, determine whether special sanitary conditions are required.

Regarding the operating system, it is essential to know whether the valve is powered manually or automatically. To control the valve in one circumstance, a human must be present; however, in other situations, the valve can be controlled remotely.

It is also important to think about the type of assembly or installation that will be used, especially if the valve needs to be bolted through flanges or tightened in. After establishing these numerous components, one can focus on the installation’s technical aspects, particularly the flow and pressure that will allow one to determine the size of the valve.