| Question: | Exactly what kind of power signal must be given to a 6, 12 or 24VDC unit? |
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| Answer: | Regardless of the voltage, each valve can run on a straight DC signal and maintain linearity. (PLC's) and computers produce either 1-5 volts, 2-10 volts or 4-20 milliamps therefore, when these are used for control, a signal amplifier must be used to boost the signal. Signal amplifiers are available through iQ Valves. |
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| Question: | What does a Signal Amplifier do? |
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| Answer: | It boosts a low power signal [such as those produced by PLCs or computers] to the power level required for proper operation of the valve (between 30 mA and 800 mA). |
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| Question: | Does the signal amplifier require a separate power supply? |
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| Answer: | Yes. |
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| Question: | What's the difference between balanced and unbalanced valves? |
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| Answer: | Outlet balancing is required for proper valve functioning in those applications where the outlet pressure is more than 25% of the inlet pressure. When the outlet pressure is relatively high compared to the inlet pressure, the normally closed poppet will sometimes be pushed up off the internal orifice by the back pressure on the valve. Outlet balancing prevents the backpressure from acting on the poppet. |
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| Question: | What do I need to provide IQ Valves to calculate the proper valve size? |
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| Answer: | Inlet pressure, outlet pressure, media (specific fluid type) and desired flow rate. |
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| Question: | If I place an in-line check valve downstream of the proportional flow
control valve, will it still work? |
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| Answer: | Yes it will work. |
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| Question: | Is the flow path through the proportional flow control valve isolated from
the electrical elements? |
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| Answer: | In all of our valves electrical coil is separated from the flow path. In most valves isolation diaphragm is used separating the solenoid from the fluid path. Some valves are offered without the isolation diaphragm. |
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| Question: | Do IQ Valves proportional valves work with liquids and gasses? |
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| Answer: | Yes, they work with either. |
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| Question: | What is hysteresis? |
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| Answer: | Hysteresis is a measure of the difference between flows plotted with increasing current and decreasing current. IQ Valves proportional valves have a hysteresis of 10% or less which can be corrected to less than 2% by using pulse width modulation (PWM). |
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| Question: | My application is over 150 PSI. Can I still use the IQ Valves proportional
flow control valve? |
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| Answer: | The amount of pressure a valve can withstand depends on the model. The highest pressure model available is 120 psi. The valve may not operate linearly above 120 psi. |
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| Question: | How does inductance affect your proportional flow control valve? |
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| Answer: | Inductance affects the frequency response characteristics of the valve. |
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| Question: | We bought a proportional flow control valve and a signal amplifier. How
do we hook them up to our controller? |
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| Answer: | Installation instructions should have been shipped with the product. If not, the Connection Diagram and all other information is available on the website. |
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| Question: | Will holding the valve in wide-open position damage the proportional flow
control valve? |
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| Answer: | No. IQ Valves proportional valves are designed for a 100% duty cycle. |
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| Question: | Can I use IQ Valves proportional flow control valve as a pressure
regulating valve? |
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| Answer: | Yes with a properly designed and instrumented control system. |
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| Question: | Can the valve be mounted upside down or sideways and still operate properly? |
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| Answer: | Yes. Orientation has no affect on valve performance. |
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| Question: | Can your proportional flow control valves be used in vacuum applications? |
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| Answer: | Yes. |
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| Question: | What industries use IQ Valves proportional flow control valves and what are the typical applications? |
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| Answer: | Medical Respiratory Care (ventilators), Energy (energy co-generation, stationary engines and fuel cell technology), Alternative Fuels (vehicles) and Environmental (air sampling) to name a few. |
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| Question: | Will IQ Valves customize proportional flow control valve units for Original
Equipment Manufactures? |
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| Answer: | Yes! That is IQ Valves specialty. |
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| Question: | What does the term 鈥渂ubble tight鈥 mean? |
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| Answer: | The sealing capability within the valve which is undetectable during a ten second soap bubble test; approx. = 2 x 10 鈥 3 cc/min of air. |
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| Question: | What is Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)? |
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| Answer: | A control system technique, which employs a modulated wave function to control analog devices such as solenoids and motors. |
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| Question: | What materials are the wetted parts made of? |
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| Answer: | Aluminum models contain anodized aluminum and 303 stainless steel wetted parts and the stainless models contain 303 stainless steel wetted parts. |
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| Question: | What types of wires and connectors do the proportional valves come with? |
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| Answer: | Flying leads are standard and others are available. |
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| Question: | What is polarity? |
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| Answer: | It means the coil wires have a positive and a negative. IQ Valves coils have no polarity. |
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| Question: | What is the difference between flow control and pressure control? |
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| Answer: | Flow Control controls volume and Pressure Control controls force. |
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