Pinch valves are used in a wide range of manufacturing and industrial applications. They can be used to control abrasive, corrosive or fibrous media. They are mainly used in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical and cement industries. They can also be used in wastewater treatment plants and in power plant pipelines to regulate the flow of fluids containing solid particles or contaminants.
A pinch valve consists of three main components: the valve housing, an internal rubber sleeve and end connections. The valve sleeve is the only part of the valve that comes in contact with the flow medium, so it is resistant to corrosion. The sleeve also prevents fouling of the other parts of the valve.
The rubber sleeve of the valve is the part that creates the pinch effect when compressed air is applied to it. When the sleeve is fully pressed down, it stops the fluid flow and closes the valve.
Air actuated pinch valves are a cost-effective solution for controlling flow in many applications. The secret is in the rubber sleeve, which acts as a built-in actuator and eliminates costly hydraulic, pneumatic or electric operators.
Because the sleeve is flexible, it can close tight around solids that would normally entrap and cause damage to globe, diaphragm, butterfly or ball valves. This drop-tight shutoff is a huge benefit in slurries or processes that contain entrained solids.
Pinch valves are used to segregate abrasive or corrosive material, such as slurries, water systems, process food, sewage treatment and many other applications where contamination of the fluid is a problem. The sleeve is the only part in contact with the flowing media, and because of this isolation, it can effectively control the flow.
These valves are suitable for abrasive, corrosive and fibrous material in powder, pellet, granular and aggregate form. They are also widely used in the water and sewage treatment, mining, chemical process control and pulp, powder and pellet production industries.
They are easy to clean and are hygienic. They are also durable and reliable, making them a popular choice for many industries.
A pinch valve is also available in a variety of configurations to meet specific needs. These valves are available in a two-way or a three-way configuration, and can be manually operated, electrically operated or pneumatically operated.
In addition, pinch valves can be specified as normally-closed (NC) or normally-open (NO). These settings reflect the state of the valve when no power is being applied to it.
When a pinch valve is installed in an aseptic environment, it can be used for high-purity production lines and applications where product purity is crucial. However, these valves are not suited for liquids that transport at a high temperature.
In addition, pinch valves are ideal for regulating and shutting off liquid and gaseous media. They are inexpensive, durable and easy to operate. They can also be used in single-use batch applications such as bioreactor and fermentation tanks, tangential flow filters (TFF), chromatography skids and other drug discovery labs.