Depending on the type of application, the choice of valve selection may not be easy for some engineers. To help, one of the most recommended solutions is to select a valve that has a rubber sleeve in its housing because the sleeve is the only component that comes in contact with flow media. This valve option would be a Pinch Valve.
The Pinch Valve’s internal rubber sleeve is the only wearable part and they are known to last longer than other valve types in many applications. Many users are also switching to Pinch Valves as they are becoming more and more preferred, with their simple design and reliable performance. Aside from this, there are many other benefits of choosing pinch valves, such as zero leakage, pressure and temperature control, full bore design, and others.
The Pinch Valve mechanism usually comprises of a simple aluminium bar that is pushed down onto the elastomer rubber sleeve inside the valve body to shut-off the flow of media. The bar is pushed down manually by turning a hand wheel. On the other hand, these bars can also be operated pneumatically using compressed air.
Manual pinch valve with a hand wheel
The pneumatic version of the pinch valve mechanism has one or sometimes two compressor bars which tightly hold the rubber sleeve in the closed position, keeping the valve normally closed. To open the valve, air is applied into each cylinder either side of the body which pulls the bars open, in turn releasing the sleeve into the open position. The valve has a spring return mechanism to close it, which happens when the air supply is let off.
Both manual and air operated versions of these mechanically operated pinch valves are trustworthy with very fast opening and closing times for the best possible performance. Whichever type is chosen depends on the individual application details.
For more information please visit understanding the pinch valve mechanism.
