Directional Control Valves

Myounggyu Noh Dept. Mechatronics Engineering Chungnam National University

Spring Semester, 2004

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Check Points of this Chapter

1. Directional control valve terminology 2. Symbols for DCV 3. Functions of two-way, three-way, and four-way DCV as well as check valves and deceleration valve 4. Dierent center positions of three-position DCVs 5. Various types of actuators for DCVs 6. Pilot-operation

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Directional Control Valves

Introduction
Hydraulic systems have one or more control vales for various control functions between the power input device (pump) and the power output device (actuator). Three groups of control valves: 1. Directional control 2. Pressure control 3. Flow control The primary function of a DCV is to control direction, but can aect pressure as well as ow.

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Directional Control Valves

Directional Control Valve Terminology

Ports (ways): number of ow paths through the valve in the working position. Positions: open, closed, forward, reverse, etc. Normally open vs. normally closed - the meaning is exactly the opposite to the electrical equivalents.

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Directional Control Valves

Check Valves

light spring

Free Flow

No Flow ball spring retainer

One directional valve that allows the ow in only one direction. The directional control is achieved by using a ball, poppet, spool, or apper.

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Directional Control Valves

Functions of check valves

1. facilitate maintenance 2. bypass 3. safety bypass
Isolation

Safety Bypass

Component Bypass

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Directional Control Valves

Pilotoperated Check Valve

1. Pilottoopen 2. Pilottoclose
Free Flow

Pilot Flow Vent Reverse Flow

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Directional Control Valves

Shuttle Valve

Primary In

Emergency In

Out

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TwoWay Directional Valves

Usually used as shuto valves Normally open vs. normally closed Symbol can fully describe of a valve (for example, twoway, twoposition, normally closed, manually actuated, springreturned, directional control valve)

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Directional Control Valves

TwoWay Normally Closed DCV

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TwoWay Normally Open DCV

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Three-Way Valves

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Example of Three-Way Valves

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FourWay Valves

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Example of Four-Way Valves

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Four-Way Three-Position DCV

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Example of Four-Way Three-Position DCV

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Center Conguration

Closed Center

Tandem Center

Open Center

Float (Motor) Center

Regenerative Center

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Parallel Circuit Using Closed-Center DCV

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Tandem-center DCV
Signicant energy saving Brief time delay before pressure is available to the actuator when the valve is shifted. Parallel circuit is not possible. Instead, series circuit can be used.

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Directional Control Valves

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Circuit Using Tandem-center DCV

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Tandem-center in Parallel Circuit

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Tandem-center in Series Circuit

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Power Loss and Heat Generation Rate (HGR)

Power is lost when there is a pressure drop across valves. The lost power results in the heating of the uid. In general, the power loss in the system is directly related to the heat generation rate. HGR = HPLOST 42.4Btu/min
In the SI system, no conversion factor is necessary.

The temperature of the uid rises as a result of the power loss. T = HGR cp W

where cp is the specic weight of the uid and W is the weight ow rate.

The weight ow rate is obtained by multiplying the volume ow rate with the specic weight of the uid. W = Q

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Open-Center DCV

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Float-Center DCV

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Regenerative-Center DCV

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Regeneration Circuits

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Load Creep

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Deceleration Valve
A deceleration valve is used to provide automatic speed control for a cylinder. A variety of symbols are used to represent a deceleration valve.

In Out

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Deceleration Valve Example

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Valve Actuator Symbols

Manual actuators Pilotoperated actuators Electrical actuators
Push Button Hand Lever Foot Pedal Mechanically Actuated Hydraulic Pilot Air Pilot Servo Solenoid Proportional Solenoid

Spring

Detent

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PilotOperated Valves
Pilotoperated valves employ a pressure source to move the valve mechanism in response to either a pressure buildup in some other portion of the system or the shifting of a small valve that sends a pilot signal to a larger valve. Using a pilotoperated directional control valve, it is possible to automatically switch between the regenerative and normal modes.

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Pilot-operated DCV

Pilot

Main

T B P

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Pilot-operated DCV Example

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Directional Control Valves