IP67-Rated Balanced Solenoid Valves are Built for Harsh Conditions

Harsh manufacturing environments, such as those found in the food and beverage sector, call for the use of durable, waterproof, and dust-proof solenoid valves in flow control applications. IP67-rated valves can sometimes meet the criteria and can help extend the life of equipment used in challenging conditions.

This blog will explore pressure balanced solenoid valves, why an IP67-rated valve is important in wet, dusty manufacturing environments and profile the benefits of Humphrey solenoid valves in these applications.

What is a Solenoid Valve?

Solenoid valves provide pneumatic control in many industrial applications. In operation, an electrical current is applied to the solenoid to create magnetic force, which influences the position of a spool, plunger or poppet within the valve body. As the spool, plunger or poppet moves, the valve regulates and directs flow through the system.

A pressure-balanced solenoid valve is designed to neutralize internal forces generated by pressurized media, allowing the shifting forces of the coil and return spring to be optimized because they need only seal the poppet to meet tight leakage specifications . They are generally compact and can achieve high flows, fast response times and tight seals.

Thanks to the balanced design and the solenoid magnetic circuit, balanced valves can achieve greater internal flow and are capable of high performance in a variety of media, including air or inert gases that may be clean, dry, lubricated or contain airline impurities.

Because they are a robust solution for flow control, balanced solenoid valves are often found in factory automation, packaging and testing equipment used in manufacturing operations.

When and Why an IP67-Rated Balanced Solenoid Valve is Important

Ingress Protection, or IP, ratings are established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and are used to classify the degree of protection from the intrusion of solid objects, dust and water or moisture into sensitive electronics. IP ratings help standardize protection levels, ensuring suitability for specific industrial applications and helping to prevent the failure of electronics related to dust and moisture entry in challenging industrial conditions.

IP ratings include two numbers: The first specifies the level of protection against dust ingress, while the second number designates the level of protection against water ingress. Under the rating system, an IP67-rated balancing solenoid valve offers complete protection against dust ingress – meaning no dust can enter the valve and interfere with its components. And, the valve can tolerate immersion in water up to 1 meter deep for up to 30 minutes before water will enter, preventing damage from moisture.

What this means in application is that an IP67-rated balanced valve is dust-tight and can withstand temporary immersion in water, making it a solid choice for many dirty and wet applications.

The benefits of using and IP67-rated balanced solenoid valve in tough, wet and dusty conditions include:

• Reliability: In wet, dirty industrial installations, IP67-rated balanced valves are protected against dust and water ingress, so they will operate without failures caused by external debris or moisture. This will help ensure reliable operation of both the valve and the equipment, even in challenging applications.
• Reduced maintenance: The ability of an IP67-rated balanced solenoid valve to operate without malfunctions in wet and dirty environments will minimize unscheduled maintenance activities, reducing costs.
• Increased safety: Because IP67-rated balanced valves are protected from water and dust ingress, the risk of electrical safety hazards is reduced, providing safer operation.

A New, Reliable IP67-Rated Balanced Solenoid Valve

Because solenoid valves are integral to uptime in manufacturing applications, they should carry an IP67 rating where necessary and should always be purchased from a reliable manufacturer, such as Humphrey Valves or a Humphrey Valve distributor.

Humphrey solenoid valves are known for durability and reliability, and the company has recently introduced an environmentally protected IP67-rated model to its balanced solenoid valve family of 3- and 4-port direct-acting valves.

The company’s IP67-rated balanced valves are available with DIN electrical entry and without override. Fluorocarbon elastomers have been added to the balanced valve offering, providing additional durability in applications where chemical and temperature compatibility are required.

These solenoid valves are versatile and offer many functions, including normally closed or normally open; 2- or 3-way; diverter or selector; and pressure range of vacuum to 125 psig. Internal flow path management has been maximized to offer a high flow capacity. The balanced design is coupled with an optimized magnetic circuit to offer greater flow within a reduced size.

To determine whether a Humphrey solenoid valve with an IP67 rating is right for your application, please reach out to JHFOSTER, a Humphrey Valve distributor.