The Most Common Types of Hydraulic Valves

23 Dec.,2024

 

The Most Common Types of Hydraulic Valves

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The Most Common Types of Hydraulic Valves

In the hydraulics market, you can find different types of hydraulic valves by different manufacturers designed to do different things in different applications. Some hydraulic applications require an individual valve, whereas more complicated hydraulic systems could use a combination of valves to complete its function. Below we highlight some of the most commonly used valves to show how their roles vary.

Directional Control Valves

As the name suggests, directional control valves are used to direct the flow of fluid through the system. These valves can control the start, stop, pause, and change in direction of flow of a pressure medium. For this reason, they are also referred to as switching valves.

The function of a directional control valve is determined by the number of working ports and the number of spool positions. A directional control valve comprises at least two-spool positions and two working ports.

The most common directional control valve is a 4/3-way valve, which means the valve has four working ports and three spool positions. The 2-way directional control valve is the simplest directional control valve that has two ports called inlet and outlet. A 3-way directional control valve has 3 working ports called inlet, outlet and exhaust. They are used in single-acting cylinders and the third working port can block the flow of all ports.

Hydraulic Pressure Control Valves

Pressure Control Valves are the most common valves for controlling pressure. They include relief, reducing, sequence, counterbalance, and unloading valves. The hydraulic pressure control valve plays a vital role in preventing the leakage and bursting of pipes or tubing. Pressure control valves regulate the pressure of the fluid passing through the pipe or tubing by releasing the excess pressure. These valves maintain the pressure as entered manually by the operator.

Pressure-control valves are found in virtually every hydraulic system, and they assist in a variety of functions, from keeping system pressures at safe levels to maintaining a set pressure in part of a circuit.

Hydraulic Flow Control Valves

The purpose of flow control in a hydraulic system is to regulate speed. Flow Control Valves control the speed of an actuator by regulating the flow rate. Flow rate also determines the rate of energy transfer at any given pressure in a system.
Flow control valves are used for controlling and adjusting the fluid or gas flow through the system. These valves can optimize the performance of your hydraulic system. Flow control valves will monitor and regulate pressure fluctuations in the system and prevent flow towards system components.

Not sure why valve to choose?

No matter the type of valve or the application, PHC has a comprehensive inventory of valves from a range of brands. Our high volume of inventory of pneumatic and hydraulic products ensures that we have the valves you need when you need them. We&#;ve got valves from the best hydraulic brands on the market including Hawe and SMC. We update our inventory daily, tracking levels at each of our warehouses. Contact the hydraulic specialists at PHC to discuss your needs and for help choosing the right type and brand of valve for your specific application.

A Guide to Flow Control Valves Types and Use Cases

Flow control is an important aspect of hydraulic system designs as it is used to regulate speed. Various types of flow control valves and other devices can be used which enables the speed of an actuator to be controlled by regulating the hydraulic system's flow rate.

Flow rate also determines rate of energy transfer at any given pressure. The two are related in that the actuator force multiplied by the distance through which it moves (stroke) equals the work done on the load. The energy transferred must also equal the work done. Actuator speed determines the rate of energy transfer (i.e., horsepower), and speed is thus a function of flow rate.

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Directional control, on the other hand, does not deal primarily with energy control, but rather with directing the energy transfer system to the proper place in the system at the proper time. Directional control valves can be thought of as fluid switches that make the desired "contacts." That is, they direct the high-energy input stream to the actuator inlet and provide a return path for the lower-energy oil.

It is of little consequence to control the energy transfer of the system through pressure and flow controls if the flow stream does not arrive at the right place at the right time. Thus, a secondary function of directional control devices might be defined as the timing of cycle events. Because fluid flow often can be throttled in directional-control valves, some measure of flow rate or pressure control can also be achieved with them.

Different Types of Flow Measurement

Controlling flow of a hydraulic system does not necessarily mean regulating volume per unit of time from a valve. Flow rate can be specified three different ways, so it is important to be aware of how flow is to be specified or measured:

  • Volumetric flow rate, Qv, expressed in units of in.3/sec. or  in.3/min. &#; or as cc/sec. or cc/min. in SI metric measure &#; is used to calculate the linear speeds of piston rods or rotational speeds of motor shafts.
  • Weight flow rate, Qw, expressed in units of lb./sec. or lb./min., is used to calculate power using English units of measure.Mass flow rate, Qg, expressed in units of slugs/sec. or slugs/min. for English measure

    &#;

    or kg/sec. or kg/min. in SI metric measure

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    is used to calculate inertia forces during periods of acceleration and deceleration.

    Weight flow rate, Q, expressed in units of lb./sec. or lb./min., is used to calculate power using English units of measure.Mass flow rate, Q, expressed in units of slugs/sec. or slugs/min. for English measureor kg/sec. or kg/min. in SI metric measureis used to calculate inertia forces during periods of acceleration and deceleration.

    Because they control the quantity of fluid that flows through the valve per unit of time, the same control valves are used for all three types of flow rates.

    Control of Flow Rate with Valves

    There are eight types of flow control valves which are used most often in hydraulic circuits. 

    Orifices 

    A simple orifice in the line, shown in Figure 1 (a) below, is the most elementary method for controlling flow. (Note that this is also a basic pressure control device.) When used to control flow, the orifice is placed in series with the pump. An orifice can be a drilled hole in a fitting, in which case it is fixed; or it may be a calibrated needle valve, in which case it functions as a variable orifice, Figure 1 (b). Both types are non-compensated flow control devices.