In any type of system, having the right components is essential for optimal performance. When it comes to valves and regulators, having the correctly sized and designed parts also adds to the life cycle of the parts and reduces the risk of component failure or inaccuracies.
When choosing a valve, it may be possible to find a standard valve that is ideal for the application. However, in many new system designs, or to replace existing specialized types of valves, a custom-made valve may be required. In these cases, custom valve solutions from top manufacturers are the most cost-effective and efficient option.
When designing custom valve solutions for any type of application in any industry, there are several important factors to know before starting the design. Ideally, using an online tool to design the valve speeds up the process and also ensures the final design meets all necessary parameters and standards.
The Role of the Valve
It is important to understand what the valve is needed to do in the system. For example, is the valve designed to turn the flow of the media on and off or is it needed to regulate the flow? Is there a need for the valve to be used in mixing and is there a need for one, two, three, four or five-way valves for redirection of media through the valve?
Part of the role of the valve is also in the conditions under which the valve has to operate. Temperature, pressure, flow volume and other factors can impact the material used in the design of the valve from plastics to metals.
Flow Volume Requirements and Pressure
All valves are designed to operate with specific flow volumes and particular types of liquids or gasses through the system. Some valves may be designed only for high- or low-pressure applications for gases while other valves may be used in food and beverage production and must be able to handle liquids, slurries or semi-solid materials.
Pressure requirements for the system, which means the upper and lower range and not just the average pressure, needs to be carefully considered when designing custom valve solutions to avoid problems with leaks and valve failure.
