Valves 3

Chapter 18
Controlling a Pneumatic
System
Pressure, Direction, and Flow
Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
3
Objectives
Explain the function of the three general types

of control valves used in pneumatic systems.
Describe the methods used to control air

pressure in a pneumatic system.
Compare the design and operation of pneumatic

pressure regulator valves.
Describe the design and operation of pneumatic

system directional control valves.
4
Objectives
Name and compare the various types of

construction used to assure sealing of the
internal passages found in pneumatic
directional control valves.
List and compare the methods used to position

control spools in pneumatic directional control
valves.
Objectives
Describe the structure and operation of flow

control valves used to control actuator speed in
pneumatic circuits.
Explain how flow control valves are used in

pneumatic circuits to control actuator speed.
!
Primary Control Functions
in a Pneumatic Circuit
Control valves are used to establish the level

of force and type of motion needed to operate
a machine
These valves control:
ir pressure
Direction of airflow
!ate of airflow
"
"ressure control valves:
Limit maximum system pressure
!egulate the force or tor#ue an actuator generates

#
Directional control valves control airflow

direction to establish the direction of actuator
movement
$low control valves regulate the rate of airflow

to control actuator operating speed
$
Basic Control Valve
Design and Structure
The body of pneumatic system valves may be

formed from:
%etal casting
&tandard bar stoc'
"recision bores and passageways are machined

into the body
(old component parts
llow airflow that controls the operation of the

valve
%&
Basic Control Valve
Cast valve body

%%
Basic Control Valve
)ar stoc' valve body

%'
Basic Control Valve
The operation of a control valve depends on a

series of control elements in the valve
The elements used depend on:
$unction of the valve
*perating techni#ues preferred by the valve

manufacturer
%3
Basic Control Valve
Control elements include:
$ixed orifices
&pools
"istons
Diaphragms
"recision+machined sliding plates
Needle and poppet valves

%4
Basic Control Valve
$ixed orifice
%
Basic Control Valve
Needle valve
%!
Basic Control Valve
&pool
%"
Basic Control Valve
Diaphragm
%#
Basic Control Valve
"recision+machined sliding plate

!otary Directional Control ,alve
%$
Basic Control Valve
,arying the position of control elements within

a control valve determines:
&etting of the valve
ccuracy of system control

'&
Basic Control Valve
The force used to position the internal elements

of a control valve is provided by:
-nternal springs
-nternal air pressure
External pilot pressure
Electromagnets
%anually applied force

'%
Basic Control Valve
-nternal spring force

''
Basic Control Valve
Electromagnetic force .solenoids/

'3
Pressure Control ethods
and Devices
"ressure control is provided in three specific

areas of a pneumatic system:
ir distribution system
0or'station areas
"ortions of circuits operating within the wor'station

areas
'4
and Devices
The pressure in the distribution lines of a

pneumatic system is controlled by:
)ypass
Compressor+capacity control system

'
and Devices
)ypass pressure control limits maximum

system pressure by bleeding excess air to the
atmosphere through a relief+type valve
The compressor in this system operates on a

continuous basis
The compressor continuously functions at the

maximum pressure setting of the system
'!
and Devices
Compressor+capacity control limits maximum

pressure using one of several different control
methods
Compressor start+stop
-nlet valve unloading
Compressor speed control
Control of the cross+sectional area of the inlet .in

dynamic compressors/
'"
and Devices
&tart+stop compressor capacity control

'#
and Devices
Control of air pressure at the wor'station is

provided by a pressure regulator
-t is often a part of the filter1pressure

regulator1lubricator .$!L/ unit commonly used
at the wor'station

Goodheart
-Willcox
Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
'$
and Devices
"ressure regulator of
an $!L unit
I(I )orgren, Inc.
3&
and Devices
"ressure regulator is re#uired at the wor'station

due to:
ir from the distribution line is at a higher pressure

than desired
,arying distribution line pressure caused by the

compressor+capacity control system
3%
and Devices
variety of pressure regulator designs are

used to control wor'station pressure
Direct operated
)asic2 diaphragm chamber
!elieving
)alanced poppet
"ilot operated
3'
and Devices
0hen sections of a circuit re#uire maximum

air pressures lower than that provided by the
$!L unit2 additional pressure regulators may
be inserted in the circuit to provide the needed
lower pressures

Goodheart
-Willcox
Co., Inc.
33
and Devices
dditional wor'station
regulator provides
lower pressure
34
and Devices
&ubcircuit is provided with lower pressure

3
and Devices
0hen sections of a circuit re#uire a pressure

exceeding that available from the system
distribution line2 an air+to+air or air+to+oil
booster unit can be used to produce the higher
pressure
3!
and Devices
ir+to+air booster provides higher pressure

3"
and Devices
safety valve prevents excessive air pressure

in distribution lines due to failure of
compressor capacity control components
positive+acting2 relief+type valve large

enough to exhaust the output capacity of the
compressor is used for this application
3#
and Devices
&afety valve on a small compressor

3$
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
Directional control valves can be grouped into

four categories:
&hut+off valves
Chec' valves
Three+way valves
$our+way valves
4&
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
&hut+off valves used in pneumatic systems

include:
3lobe
3ate
)all
&pool
Needle
These valves are used to allow or bloc' airflow

in circuit lines
4%
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
Chec' valves automatically allow the free flow

of air in one direction and bloc' airflow in the
opposite direction
They are commonly used to bloc' or allow air

to flow around control valves during different
phases of circuit operation
4'
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
Chec' valve allows unrestricted retraction

43
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
&pring+assisted chec' valve

44
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
Three+way directional control valves:
"ressuri4e a single+acting cylinder during extension
,ent air during retraction to allow the cylinder to be

returned to the initial position by external forces

Goodheart
-Willcox
Co., Inc.
4
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
*peration of a
three+way valve
4!
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
$our+way directional control valves direct

compressed air to power a cylinder during both
extension and retraction
They also power air motors during both

directions of rotation
4"
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
$our+way directional control valves are

available in four+port and five+port
configurations
common exhaust is used in the four+port design
The five+port design uses separate exhaust ports for

the extension and retraction positions of the valve
4#
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
$our+ and five+port2 four+way valves

4$
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
-n most directional control valves2 resilient

materials are used to seal the space between the
bore and the spool
-n pac'ed+spool designs2 sealing materials are

attached to the valve spool lands
-n pac'ed+bore designs2 sealing materials are

attached to the bore in the valve body
&
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
"ac'ed+spool directional control valve

I(I )orgren, Inc.
%
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
"ac'ed+bore directional control valve

'
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
$our+way directional control valves are

normally available providing two or three
positions of operation
Two+position valves power an actuator in one

direction in the first position and in the opposite
direction in the second position
Three+position valves provide additional operating

options using the middle valve position
3
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
Center position provides additional options

4
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
Three center position configurations are

commonly available for pneumatic three+
position2 five+port valves
)loc'ed center
*pen center
"ressure center
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
)loc'ed+center configuration
!
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
*pen+center configuration
"
Directional Control
ethods and Devices
"ressure+center configuration
#
Flo! Control ethods
and Devices
The most common methods of controlling

pressuri4ed airflow in pneumatic circuits are:
$ixed+si4e orifices
Needle valves

Goodheart
-Willcox
Co., Inc.
$
Flo! Control ethods
and Devices
Needle valve with

integral chec' valve
!&
Flo! Control ethods
and Devices
"referred method of flow control in pneumatic

circuits is the meter+out design
-nvolves the placement of the flow control valve in

the outlet line of the actuator
$avored due to the compressibility of air

!%
Flo! Control ethods
and Devices
%eter+out and meter+in circuits

!'
Flo! Control ethods
and Devices
%eter+out circuits with four+ and five+port

valves
!3
Special"Purpose Control
Valves and Other Devices
5uic' exhaust valves allow exhaust air from a

cylinder to be vented directly to the atmosphere
without passing through the directional control
valve
This reduces bac'pressure in the exhaust line2

increasing the efficiency of circuit operation
!4
Circuit with a #uic'+exhaust valve

!
&tructure of a #uic'+exhaust valve

!!
&huttle valves automatically select the higher

pressure of two sources
llows a circuit to always be connected to the

highest pressure
!"
&tructure of a shuttle valve

!#
Timing+volume reservoirs are used to time the

shifting of pilot+controlled pneumatic valves
The rate of airflow and the volume of the

reservoir determine the time it ta'es to shift the
piloted valve

Goodheart
-Willcox
Co., Inc.
!$
Circuit with timing+

volume reservoir
"&
Exhaust mufflers:
!educe the level of air exhaust noise
"revent the entrance of dirt and li#uids into the

exhaust ports of directional control valves and
actuators
"%
Typical exhaust mufflers

*)orgren, Inc.+
"'
Selecting and Si#ing
Pneumatic Valves
great deal of technical information is

available about pneumatic components from
manufacturer catalogs
"ressure ranges
$low rates
"hysical dimensions
3raphs illustrating performance under various

conditions
"3
Pneumatic Valves
"hysical dimensions
"4
Pneumatic Valves
3raphs illustrate performance

"
Pneumatic Valves
&everal approaches are available to determine

the si4e of the control valves needed in a
specific pneumatic circuit
"rocedures2 formulas2 and online calculators are

available from manufacturers that can be used
to select an appropriate valve
"!
Pneumatic Valves
Typical data re#uired for valve selection:
Cylinder piston area
Cylinder stro'e
&ystem compression
&ystem pressure drop
Cylinder stro'e time

""
$evie! %uestion
List the three factors control valves regulate to
produce a desired performance in a pneumatic
circuit.
6/ ir pressure
7/ Direction of airflow
8/ !ate of airflow
"#
$evie! %uestion
0hat is the most common method used to
control the maximum operating pressure in the
distribution line of a pneumatic system9
compressor+capacity control system.
"$
$evie! %uestion
List five designs of air pressure regulators.
Direct operated: basic2 diaphragm
chamber: relieving: balanced poppet:
and pilot operated.
#&
$evie! %uestion
Name the two basic functions of the center
position of a three+position2 four+way2
directional control valve.
6/ &top actuator movement
7/ "rovide additional operating characteristics.
#%
$evie! %uestion
List five primary types of information available
about pneumatic components found in
manufacturer catalogs.
6/ 3eneral valve description
7/ "ressure2 flow2 and temperature operating ranges
8/ Drawings providing dimensions and fitting si4es
;/ &chematic symbols for valve variations
</ 3raphs showing performance at various pressures
and flows.
#'
$evie! %uestion
List four sources of internal and external force
that are used to operate the control elements in
pneumatic control valves.
6/ &prings
7/ ir pressure
8/ %anual force
;/ Electromagnets.
#3
$evie! %uestion
The two most common basic flow control
devices used in a pneumatic system are fixed+
si4ed orifices and ===== valves.
needle
#4
$evie! %uestion
The ===== flow+control circuit is the preferred
method to use for controlling the operating
speed of cylinders in pneumatic circuits.
meter+out

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Chapter 18

Explain the function of the three general types

Describe the methods used to control air

Compare the design and operation of pneumatic

Describe the design and operation of pneumatic

Name and compare the various types of

List and compare the methods used to position

Describe the structure and operation of flow

Explain how flow control valves are used in

Control valves are used to establish the level

These valves control:

"ressure control valves:

Limit maximum system pressure

!egulate the force or tor#ue an actuator generates

Directional control valves control airflow

$low control valves regulate the rate of airflow

The body of pneumatic system valves may be

&tandard bar stoc'

"recision bores and passageways are machined

(old component parts

llow airflow that controls the operation of the

Cast valve body

)ar stoc' valve body

The operation of a control valve depends on a

The elements used depend on:

$unction of the valve

*perating techni#ues preferred by the valve

Control elements include:

"recision+machined sliding plates

Needle and poppet valves

"recision+machined sliding plate

,arying the position of control elements within

&etting of the valve

ccuracy of system control

The force used to position the internal elements

-nternal air pressure

External pilot pressure

%anually applied force

-nternal spring force

Electromagnetic force .solenoids/

"ressure control is provided in three specific

"ortions of circuits operating within the wor'station

The pressure in the distribution lines of a

Compressor+capacity control system

)ypass pressure control limits maximum

The compressor in this system operates on a

The compressor continuously functions at the

Compressor+capacity control limits maximum

-nlet valve unloading

Compressor speed control

Control of the cross+sectional area of the inlet .in

&tart+stop compressor capacity control

Control of air pressure at the wor'station is

-t is often a part of the filter1pressure

"ressure regulator is re#uired at the wor'station

ir from the distribution line is at a higher pressure

,arying distribution line pressure caused by the

variety of pressure regulator designs are

)asic2 diaphragm chamber

0hen sections of a circuit re#uire maximum

&ubcircuit is provided with lower pressure

0hen sections of a circuit re#uire a pressure

ir+to+air booster provides higher pressure

safety valve prevents excessive air pressure