An aeration company developing the sustainable and energy-efficient effective use of microbubbles in aeration, mixing, separation, and change of state technologies are very happy with their use of the AKO air operated Pinch Valves.
The company initially used air operated ball valves to vent the base ports of their hydrocyclone sludge pods, but found them unsatisfactory and switched over to the AKO pinch valves which are proving “very good indeed”. – Peter, Managing Director.
Their systems are attached either as standalone or embedded units into machine tools, CNCs, precision grinders, mills, plus many more sectors. The coolant or other fluid containing particles is pumped into the hydrocyclones, which then separate out the particles from the carrier fluid. The separated particles are normally collected in a ‘sludge pod’, and that item needs a normally closed valve on the base port.
VMP model, air operated, POM body, POM BSP internal thread end connections, natural rubber sleeve.
The sludge pod filling cycle is then timed, and they check the time the valve is open for, The pinch valve dumps the collected particles or waste into a skip or other receptacle. In one case the waste was titanium, another diamond dust, another brazing powder etc.
“We have two in a plant in South Wales coupled up to our hydrocyclones which have been in intermittent use for two years without any issue. We have others on equipment elsewhere with no reported instances of a failure.”
SOLUTION: Too much air was being used to shut off the rubber liner inside the pinch valve, so we advised for this to be reduced to prevent the liner from deforming. Please see deformed sleeve case study for more information.
