Introduction to Control Valves in Hydraulic Systems
In the world of industrial, mobile and aerospace equipment, hydraulic power systems are very popular. They enjoy a high power-to-weight ratio in addition to being able to be stalled, operated intermittently and even reversed. They can also accelerate fast and are quick to respond. Another attractive feature of the fluid power system is that they can be very long lasting in addition to offer reliable operation rates.
Hydraulic systems are able to work as they contain incompressible liquid. In many situations, it’s much preferred to use hydraulics to move machinery. For one, fluid systems do not produce the same amount of wear as a dryer method would. It also does not require so many moving parts as a different type of system would.
The pressure of fluid in the hydraulic system is controlled by the valve. They also handle the flow rate and which way the flow is going. The funny thing about hydraulic valves is that they can change name depending on how they are being used and according to which system that are part of. Used in combination with cylinders and hydraulic pumps to control the flow of liquid, hydraulic valves are powerful.
The classification of hydraulic valves is determined by how much pressure they can handle. It is also related to the flow and how many directional control valves there are in them. They may also be classified on their looks and extra features such as needle valves, spools and poppets.
Apart from their ability at moving very heavy objects, one of the reasons that hydraulic systems are so popular is because they can operate at very low noise levels. In the manufacturing industry, a low noise level is sought after, in particular at less than 70dB. The hydraulic system and pump is able to accomplish this.
The hydraulic control valve is a clever piece of kit.