Electric Butterfly Valve

Electric Butterfly Valve

Electric butterfly valves use a motor as the actuator instead of a manual control. They are usually constructed from a metal like stainless steel or cast iron because those materials offer the most strength and durability against harsh chemicals, solvents, detergents and other liquids. Butterfly valves range from a few inches to a few yards in diameter depending on the application. Different situations call for different kinds of butterfly valves; electric valves are not a separate category by themselves but can be virtually any style of valve. For example, triple offset butterfly valves are used for pipe lines that require more control and tighter seals while AWWA butterfly valves are used in water pipes because they meet strict standards. High performance butterfly valves are constructed to exceed the standards of regular valves. Electric butterfly valves can be used in many situations that transport water, chemicals, slurries and gases.

Electric butterfly valves are classified as rotary valves because they use radial motion to open and close. They are simple devices; a disc is mounted on a shaft and enclosed in the housing. The shaft is connected to a lever or wheel outside of the enclosure. When the actuator is turned, the disc is rotated to fit tightly against the seal. These valves can be used as a throttle that controls the speed and pressure of the current by remaining partially open and forcing the fluid through a smaller opening. Electric valves use a direct mount electric actuator to do the work of moving the shaft. They eliminate the need for an operator to physically crank the wheel and are generally more accurate in terms of when the valve is open, partially closed and fully closed. The motors that replace levers or wheels can run on AC or DC power and are available in varying speeds. Electric actuators are useful for very large pipes that would require many turns of the wheel to close or for lines in an area that is difficult to access, such as underground pipes. Electric butterfly valves run little risk of being tightened too much or too little because the human error factor is minimized.