Direct-acting solenoid valves

Flow control specialist, Bürkert, has launched a new range of tool-free, easy to service valves for the control of liquids and steam.

Long-lasting and able to withstand high temperatures, the range also achieves FDA approval for use in food and beverage as well as medical applications. The valves are actuated directly by a solenoid, and design simplicity enables cost efficiency for high-volume OEM procurement. The new valve range is ideally suited to OEMs of a wide range of equipment, such as commercial coffee machines and hot drink vending machines. The valves can channel detergents, and they’re also suitable for applications including medical machines that need to control the flow of water or a saline flush.

The valves provide on/off control and the range includes the two-port (2/2) 7015 plunger valve, the three-port (3/2) 7016 plunger valve, as well as the three-port (3/2) 7017 rocker valve for media separation, such as milk dosing. The powerful solenoid enables a compact valve design while the core can endure up to 100,000 cycles. The valves feature robust push-in connections and a highly durable body, constructed from PPS food-grade plastic. This enables them to handle media temperatures up to 100°C, and the valves are pressure-resistant up to 12 bar.

The new range has been developed according to Bürkert’s renowned design and manufacturing quality, yet its material construction and direct action enables it to achieve a competitive price point. This makes the valves ideally suited to high-volume OEMs that place a high priority on cost efficiency.

For fast and simple maintenance that can minimise downtime, all of the valves feature tool-free opening and closing. The 7015/16 valves include screw tops that can be quickly removed, enabling easy replacement of the magnetic core during servicing. To maintain the 7017 media separation valve, only the diaphragm requires replacement as opposed to the complete fluidics unit. The diaphragm is also reached via a quick-release, tool-free mechanism, that offers easy access and inspection.

To simplify initial OEM installation, a hose connection directly on the valve means that no additional adaptors, seals, or push-in fittings are required. The valves can also be mounted directly onto a backplane.

To optimise hygiene, the valves are also fast and simple to clean, including the 7017 valve with rocker technology used for media such as milk. The range achieves hygienic compliance and meets FDA and NSF approvals, as well as EC 1935/2004.

“The new range of direct-acting valves are easily serviceable and extremely cost effective,” says Troy Stehr, Industry Account Manager for Lab & MedTech applications at Bürkert. “This makes the range very well-suited to commercial drinks machines, but with FDA and hygienic approvals, combined with high durability, the new valve range is equally suited to medical equipment that requires the flow of liquids, such as water or saline.”