What are the Different Types of Valve Actuators Used in Industries

Whenever there is a need for valves in a process, the actuation of the valve also comes into play. Although in some cases, you can manually turn on/off the valve, in a large industrial setup it is impossible to do it manually. This is where actuators come into play.

There are different types of actuators used in the industries and according to the type of valve used and the precision of actuation required, the application differs.

So, in this blog post, we shall discuss the different types of industrial valve actuators and how they are operated.

Types of Actuators Used in Industries

Industrial Valve Actuators can be classified majorly into six different types. They are:

•Manual

•Electric

•Pneumatic

•Hydraulic

•Solenoid

•Hybrid

Among these, you can find manual actuators in all industries only in specific critical areas. But in many areas, you can find automated actuators that are operated by electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, and solenoid. We shall now discuss these actuators and how they help in controlling the valvulas industriales.

Electric Actuators

We know that every valve has a stem to operate the opening and closing of it. This stem is turned with the help of electric motors and this actuates the valves whenever required.

This type of actuator is used in areas where you need easy control and high precision to control the valves.

Electric-type actuators are classified into two types. They are Multi-turn and Quarter Turn. Multi-turn actuators are used in valves that require multiple turns to open or close them. While quarter-turn valves only require a 90-degree turn to operate them. So, accordingly, the electric actuators are chosen.

Pneumatic and Hydraulic

Pneumatic actuators use compressed air to operate the valves in linear or rotary motion. These actuators use a separate mechanism along with compressed air to turn the valves accordingly.

Similarly, hydraulic actuators use liquid to generate a mechanical force that aids in the valve operation.

Pneumatic actuators are used in applications where high torque and a large turning angle or force are required. While hydraulic actuators are used in areas where a large force is required to actuate a particular valve or a system.

Solenoid Actuators

These actuators use electromagnetic coils to operate the valves in linear motion. This type of actuator is only used in areas where you need quick opening and closing of valves.

Solenoid actuators are powerful enough to operate valves faster but they can only operate in linear motion.

Conclusion

Actuators are also part of industrial valves and they play a critical role in handling the opening and closing. According to the application, type of valve, and requirements, the actuator type changes. So, when choosing the actuators, you have to keep these types in mind.