What Is a Direct-Acting Solenoid Valve?
It’s a device used to control the flow of fluids, such as gases and liquids. Direct-acting solenoid valves convert electrical energy into magnetic energy to control the media flow through its ports. The valves have a copper coil, a plunger and a valve seat, or seal.
When electricity flows through the coil of a direct-acting solenoid valve, it produces an electro-magnetic field that attracts the plunger, drawing it away from the valve seat. That instantaneous event opens the valve so fluid can flow through. Once the electrical current is removed, the plunger returns to its original position, closing the valve.
Common Direct-Acting Solenoid Valve Applications
Factory automation: Direct-acting solenoid valves are suitable for industrial automation in manufacturing plants and assembly lines to control the flow of air, vacuum pressure, gases, fluids and chemicals for robotics, fixturing, test and measurement, cleaning and sanitizing.
Pneumatic and hydraulic systems: The valve’s ability to handle compressed and hydraulic fluids makes it ideal for enabling rapid actuation of cylinders and other actuation components.
Medical devices: Analytical systems, fluid control equipment and other medical devices that require control of liquids or gases for patient handling and medical procedures.
Automotive: Direct-acting solenoid valves can be used in fuel, transmission, braking and engine control systems to regulate fuel, oil, compressed air and other fluids.
HVAC systems: Solenoid valves can control refrigerants, air and water regulation, condensers and air-handling equipment in heating and ventilation systems.
Benefits of Direct-Acting Solenoid Valves
The top benefits of using a direct-acting solenoid valve include:
- A compact, lightweight design
- Simple operation
- Application versatility
- Energy efficiency
- Responsiveness and reliability
- Precision fluid control
- Immune to pressure fluctuations
Types of Direct-Acting Solenoid Valves from Humphrey Products
Humphrey offers a broad, comprehensive line-up suitable for a variety of gas and fluid control needs:
- Two and Three Way Types, Normally Open and Normally Closed at rest
- Four Way, Directional Control Types
- ON/OFF Types and Proportional (Variable) Control Types
- Compressed Air, Vacuum, Mild Liquids and Gases, or Aggressive Liquids and Gases
- Miniature, Small and Large Sizes (Flow Capacity)
Our Custom Valve Solutions
Humphrey Products has the expertise to provide custom valve solutions you need to suit your exact application requirements. We have decades of experience producing fluid-handling and pneumatic control valves and valve systems and thrive on collaborating on an engineering peer-to-peer level. We utilize advanced engineering tools to tailor our extensive selection of proven valve designs and sealing technologies.
Humphrey’s Life Science Group is dedicated to creating medical valve solutions for pneumatic and liquid control components and systems. Solutions for oxygen concentrators, respiratory devices, diagnostic devices, patient handling, medical device reprocessing and dialysis equipment have been successfully produced.
Browse our solenoid valve products and contact us to request more information.
