1. ‘Pilots’ are pneumatic valves that are used like a light-switch to turn field valves on and off pneumatically.
2. Pneumatic pilot valves may be used as single units or manifold ‘valve banks’ for control of numerous devices, driving on/off control of many field instruments.
3. Pilot valves with seats are more robust and reliable (even with lower quality compressed air), and avoid the ‘Monday-itis’ effect common with spool-type pneumatic pilot valves.
4. Correctly installed and operated with quality compressed air, pilot valves and valve banks require negligible servicing and maintenance.
5. Pneumatic pilots may be located nearby or up to some hundreds of meters away from the actuated field instrument (depending on flow-rates).
6. Pilots are suitable for all processes in environments including hazardous (Ex), hygienic, contaminated, dirty and dusty.
7. Pneumatic pilot valve banks are available with hot-swap features that allow the exchange of individual pilot valves without interrupting the process or turning compressed air supply down.
8. Pneumatic pilot valve banks may be individually programmed for distributed plant control, or integrated on a fieldbus network for centralised control.
9. In addition to pneumatic on/off signals, pilot valve banks can integrate to electronic fieldbus based remote IO systems to deliver analogue and digital electric IO signals, with IO from leading suppliers including Allen Bradley (Rockwell), Siemens and Wago.
10. Distributed valve terminals for piloting (with and without integrated IO) are used successfully in Australian wineries, breweries, dairies, mines, mineral processing plants, water treatment plants and manufacturing plants.
Burkert Fluid Control
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