CHOOSING THE

RIGHT VALVE

There are two basic kinds of solenoid valves: 2-way and 3-way valves.

Valves can be designed as normally-open or normally-closed.

Valves can be designed to accommodate short or long cycle times.

C H O O S I N G T H E

TYPE OF

VALVE Y O U N E E D

The most common voltages are 24 VAC, 120 VAC, 240 VAC, 6 VDC, 12 VDC, and 24 VDC, but Solenoid Solutions can accommodate other voltage requirements.

Consider whether the valve needs to operate on battery power.

There are three factors to consider when designing a solenoid valve to conserve energy:

CHOOSING THE

RIGHT VOLTAGE F O R T H E V A L V E

D O E S T H E

VALVE NEED TO

CONSERVE ENERGY?

Coil selection

Bump and hold circuitry

Latching options

Will the valve operate in gas or liquid?

Different seal materials are used for different media.

Different mediums have different specific gravity and viscosity, which can affect the flow rate and need to be considered when choosing valves.

CHOOSING THE

RIGHT VALVE FOR THE MEDIUM

2 Series Solenoid Valves with Standard Buna N Seal Material

• What is the normal range and maximum amount of pressure that the valve will operate under?

• Flow rate is determined by the pressure and the size of the orifice.

• Also consider the specific gravity of the medium, the viscosity of the medium, and the temperature of operations.

WHAT

PRESSURE WILL THE VALVE NEED TO OPERATE IN?

C O N S I D E R

FLOW RATE

• The larger the size of the orifice and the greater the pressure, the more power it requires to open the valve against the pressure of the flow.

• The greater the power requirements for the valve, the greater the wattage required in the coil.

• Solenoid Solutions offers a variety of coils in molded or tape-wrapped designs.

• Coil designs for electrical connections include:

• Coils with wire leads

• Coils with spade connections

• Coils with DIN connections

• Coils with conduit electrical connections

D E T E R M I N I N G T H E

P R O P E R C O I L T Y P E

• Ports are where the plumbing connections attach to the solenoid valve.

• Large valves containing large port sizes are generally more expensive than smaller valves.

• Remember, port size does not determine the rate of flow. Flow rate depends on pressure and the orifice size.

• Solenoid Solutions offers a variety of types and sizes of connections.

D E T E R M I N I N G

P O R T S I Z E

These operating conditions factor into what valve is best suited for your application:

• High temperatures

• Corrosive substances

• High vibration levels

• Limited energy available

• Limited space available

• Any agency approvals required

C O N D I T I O N S I N T H E

OPERATING ENVIRONMENT T O C O N S I D E R

• Sometimes, a system requires more than one solenoid valve.

• Are there multiple controls, fittings or sensors associated with the valve?

• In some cases, a manifold may be best suited to the application.

• Manifolds might be more cost-effective and space-efficient in some systems.

I S M O R E T H A N

ONE VALVE N E E D E D ?

Do you need sub-assembly assistance?

• Solenoid Solutions can manufacture your valves, and then ship with properly torqued components.

• We can clock the fittings at precise angles for you.

• We can prepare the electrical leads for you.

NEED VALVE A S S E M B L Y ?

Solenoid Solutions, Inc. offers high-quality standard or customized solenoid valves, manifolds, and similar products for a variety of industries, including healthcare, vehicle manufacturing, instrumentation, food service equipment manufacturing and repair, and many others. Visit www.solenoidsolutionsinc.com today to find out your options and choose the ideal valve for your application.

Summary

Choosing the right solenoid valve includes considering voltage requirements, what media will flow through the valve, the amount of pressure, what the flow rate should be, what type of coil is needed, and the environmental conditions.