Actuators

Prepared by Prof. Vidita Tilva IC. Dept

Actuators

The purpose of the valve actuator is to accurately locate the valve plug in a position dictated by the control signal. The actuator accepts a signal from the control system and, in response, moves the valve to a fully-open or fully-closed position, or a more open or a more closed position depending on !hether "on # off" or "continuous" control action is used$.

Types of Actuators

There are several !ays of providing this actuation. Pneumatic %lectric %lectrohydraulic &anually also

'election criteria

Pressure drop across the valve Process ha(ards Valve si(e )esponse re*uirement Valve distance from controller &aintenance +perating medium %,isting plant practice

Pneumatic actuators - operation and options

Pneumatic actuators are commonly used to actuate control valves and are available in t!o main forms'pring-diaphragm actuators piston actuators

'pring and Diaphragm actuators

Diaphragm actuators have compressed air applied to a fle,ible membrane called the diaphragm.

These types of actuators are single acting, in that air is only supplied to one side of the diaphragm, and they can be either direct acting spring-to-retract$ or reverse acting spring-to-e,tend$.

Direct Acting Actuator

The direct acting actuator is designed !ith the spring belo! the diaphragm, having air supplied to the space above the diaphragm. The result, !ith increasing air pressure, is spindle movement in the opposite direction to the reverse acting actuator. Direct acting -.ail to open Air to close$

)everse Acting

The operating force is derived from compressed air pressure, !hich is applied to a fle,ible diaphragm. The actuator is designed so that the force resulting from the air pressure, multiplied by the area of the diaphragm, overcomes the force e,erted in the opposite direction$ by the spring s$.

)everse Acting

The diaphragm is pushed up!ards, pulling the spindle up, and if the spindle is connected to a direct acting valve, the plug is opened. The actuator is designed so that !ith a specific change of air pressure, the spindle !ill move sufficiently to move the valve through its complete stro/e from fully-closed to fully-open.

Direct acting #)everse acting

Advantages and Disadvantage

'imple ,easy to maintain %conomical 'afe in electrical ha(ards locations 'ufficiently fast response in ma0ority of operation 1arge actuators re*uired for some applications

Piston type Actuator

Piston actuators are generally used !here the stro/e of a diaphragm actuator !ould be too short or the thrust is too small. The compressed air is applied to a solid piston contained !ithin a solid cylinder. Piston actuators can be single acting or double acting, can !ithstand higher input pressures and can offer smaller cylinder volumes, !hich can act at high speed.

Piston actuator

Advantages

%,act positing relative to control signal )elatively fast response Accommodates large stem force re*uirements 'afe in electrically ha(ardous locations

Disadvantages

)e*uires high pressure air supply &ore e,pensive then spring-diaphragm type 'ometimes difficult to achieve fail-safe conditions.

%lectric Actuators
3here a pneumatic supply is not available or desirable it is possible to use an electric actuator to control the valve.
2

2 %lectric actuators use an electric motor !ith voltage re*uirements in the follo!ing range4 567 Vac, 887 Vac, 59 Vac and 59 Vdc.

%lectric Valve actuator

%lectric Actuator !or/ing

3or/ing
2 system !here the for!ard and reverse travel of the actuator is controlled directly from any e,ternal 6-position or t!o 5-position s!itch units. The s!itches are rated at the actuator voltage and may be replaced by suitable relays.
2 electric actuator has three states4

8. Driving the valve open. 5. Driving the valve closed. 6. :o movement.

Advantage

%conomical !hen air or gas is not available as a po!er medium.

Disadvantages

'lo! response &ore costly compared to pneumatic actuators &ore difficult to maintain in ha(ardous areas

%lectrohydrualic Actuator
2 %lectrohydraulic valve actuators and hydraulic valve actuators convert fluid pressure into motion in response to a signal. 2 They use an outside po!er source and receive signals that are measured in amperes, volts, or pressure. ;ydraulic actuators can be used !hen a large amount of force is re*uired to operate a valve.

3or/ing
2 The piston-type hydraulic actuator is the most common and consists of a cylinder, piston, spring hydraulic supply and return line, and stem. 2 The cylinder is separated into t!o chambers. The top chamber contains the spring and the lo!er chamber contains the hydraulic oil. The piston moves vertically along the stem inbet!een the top and bottom chambers.

2 3hen there is no hydraulic fluid pressure, the spring force holds the valve in the closed position. 2 As fluid enters the lo!er chamber, pressure in the chamber increases and moves the bottom of the piston up the stem and against the force caused by the spring. 2 As the piston moves up!ards and compresses the spring, the valve opens. The valve is closed again !hen the hydraulic fluid is drained from the lo!er chamber.

2 ;ydraulic valve actuators can be used for throttling by ad0usting the amount of fluid in the lo!er chamber.

Advantages

%,tremely fast response Develops ma,imum po!er for actuation %nsures accurate positioning of valve

Disadvantages

%,pensive ;ydraulic system re*uires e,tremely clean and !ell-filtered piping systems &ore difficult to maintain