SOLENOID VALVES:

A valve is a mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid or a substance. A solenoid valve is an electromagnetic valve for use with liquid or gas controlled by running or stopping an electrical current through a solenoid, which is a coil of wire, thus changing the state of the valve.

PRINCIPLE OF WORKING:
The operation of a solenoid valve is similar to that of a light switch, but typically controls the flow of air or water, whereas a light switch typically controls the flow of electricity. A solenoid valve has two main parts: the solenoid and the valve. The solenoid converts electrical energy into mechanical energy which, in turn, opens or closes the valve mechanically. Solenoid valves may use metal seals or rubber seals, and may also have electrical interfaces to allow for easy control. A spring may be used to hold the valve opened or closed while the valve is not activated When current flows in the coil, magnetic field is generated and it reduces the air gap. Generally spring is used to create gap when coil is not energized. Small signal can operate solenoids. Large back emf is generated when coil is switched off. Diode is used to suppress the back emf and it prevents the control electronics from damage.

VALVE WORKING:

CLASSIFICATION OF SELENOID VALVES:

Types of Solenoid Valves: Solenoid valves may have two or more ports: in the case of a two-port valve the flow is switched on or off; in the case of a three-port valve, the outflow is switched between the two outlet ports. Multiple solenoid valves can be placed together on a manifold. A two-way valve has two ports. When power is applied, the pressure flows from one port to the other. With pressure off, the flow ceases.

A three-way valve has three ports. When power is on, one of the ports is connected to the common port, and pressure flows through to extend the pneumatic cylinder. When power is off, the other port is connected to the common port, and pressure is exhausted to reset the cylinder This is the pneumatic equivalent of a single-pole single-throw electrical switch.

 A four-way valve has four ports. With power on, one set of ports is connected straight through to the other set of ports. With power off, the connection is reversed.

If a valve has more ports than you need, you can plug them up to get a lesser configuration. A four-way valve can act as a three-way by plugging one of the ports.

A three-way valve can act as a two-way by plugging one of the ports.

SELECTION CRITERIA FOR SELENOID VALVES:

Coil voltage, current, AC or DC, and intermittent versus continuous duty. Valve type Aperture size Pressure rating, such as "50 PSI" Materials (medium) that it can control, such as "air/water" Type of connection to each port, such as "1/4" NPT".

APPLICATIONS:
Solenoid valves are also used in industry to control the flow of all sorts of fluids. A common use for 2 way solenoid valves is in central heating. These are controlled by an electrical signal from the thermostat to regulate the flow of heated water from a heat pump to the in room radiators. Such valves are particularly useful when multiple heating zones are driven by a single heat pump.