Pressure-control valves are found in practically every pneumatic and hydraulic system. They help in a variety of functions, from keeping system pressures below a desired limit to maintaining a set pressure level in part of a circuit. Different types of pressure control valves include relief, reducing, sequence, counterbalance, safety, and unloading. All of them are typically closed valves, except for reducing valves, which are usually open. For most of these valves, a restriction is necessary to produce the required pressure control. One exception is the externally piloted unloading valve, which depends on an external signal for its actuation, which normally comes from a proportional pressure regulator or digital pressure regulator. In certain applications, like ventilators and anesthesia machines, the flow must be consistent at all times. Variations in the flow of gases can lead to serious injury or death. That’s why control valves are so important.
In this part, we will be introducing you digital pressure regulator, which is also known as an electro-pneumatic regulator. As can be seen from the name itself, it is a type of pneumatic pressure regulator that can be digitally controlled. In terms of methods of digital control, it can be either analogue or digital. KaoLu provides 0-10VDc, 4-20mA, and RS485 modbus commanding signal methods. However, a digital pressure regulator is also known for proportional control, meaning that the control signal is proportional to the amount of output pressure. Take our QKL-B3H as an example, given that the adjustable pressure range is 0 – 30 bar ( or 0 – 435 psi), with an input signal of 2VDc, the output pressure would be 6 bar ( 87 psi) and with an input signal of 8VDc, the output pressure would be 24 bar ( 348 psi). Compared with a mechanical pressure regulator, the output pressure of a digital pressure regulator is extremely repetitive and precise, and adjustable resolution is much high than a manual pressure regulator.
What type of digital pressure regulator does KaoLu offer?
KaoLu offers digital pressure regulator that is suitable for a wide range of pneumatic pressure, from 116 psi, 261 psi, 435 psi, and up to 1,015 psi, and we can even customize your pressure requirement as high as 100 bar! Please check the photo and link below for our standard selections:
- QKL-B1T/B3 – available in the 0 – 8 bar adjustable range.
- QKL-B1S / B3H – available from 0 – 30 bar adjustable range. Customizable pressure range is possible with up to 3500 L/min of flow.
- QKL-B4H – available up to 70 bar
Apart from these standard digital pressure regulator selections, our regulators are extremely flexible in pairing with accessories to achieve a variety of requirements, such as boosting flow rate when you want to fill a big closed container, or pairing with an external pressure transducer when you want to distant the regulator away from you target tank. We love to hear you challenge and solve your issues ! Furthermore, you could check on KaoLu’s youtube channel to learn more about our products and applications:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjQ9bjuSOT_csnVA9if4_EQ
What should you consider when purchasing a digital pressure regulator?
From the name itself, you should consider 3 main factors:
- What pressure range
- What type of digital command
- How proportional is the output pressure to the command signal
First, KaoLu offers digital pressure regulator with controllable pressure up to 1,015 psi (70 bar). With this range we are capable of customize the pressure range if you decide to use a 0 – 500 psi, that corresponds to 0 – 10 VDc. Next, you have to check what digital command signal fits your system. We are currently offering 0-10VDc, 4-20mA, or RS485 modbus selections. The regulator also comes with a feedback signal which you could read to know the outlet port pressure. Apart from the control side, it is important to know the performance of the regulator, i.e. how proportional it is to the command signal.
This refers to some important parameters: accuracy, repeatability, linearity, resolution, and even flow rate. Please refer to our specific product specification to understand our capability.
https://www.genndih.com/proportional-pressure-regulator.htm
Last but not the least, digital pressure regulator plays an important role in modern pneumatic industry. Users are able to adjust pneumatic pressure using digital method and it provides many great advantages over mechanical pressure regulator. We hope you enjoy reading the article and understand more about how KaoLu’s products can offer you a solution.