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The ball valve is the most common example of a whole family of valves that include rotary valves, piston valves and other valves that use selective positioning of an inner core with one or more through-holes or cavities to direct flow from one or more inlet ports to one or more outlet ports. I realize that the … Continued
The preceding blog described the benefit of part agitation in a cleaning process. But, it is not always possible to provide adequate part agitation with a simple agitation of the part parallel to its central axis. With a little creativity, it is possible to provide effective agitation of even very long parts. In fact, there … Continued
Inadequate or improper agitation of parts in a cleaning tank is a common problem in industrial cleaning. Agitation, if properly applied, can be a very powerful aid to cleaning. The result of improperly applied agitation, however, can range from disappointing to disaster. The basic reason to agitate a part in a cleaning tank is to provide or … Continued
The specification of automated valves requires certain considerations that are not of concern with typical manually operated valves. The blog Valves – Automated Valves – What’s Different? provided a glimpse of automated valves with a very simple (but typical) example. There are, of course, innumerable variations used in the design of automated valves so the … Continued
Today’s highly automated industrial cleaning equipment relies heavily on valves remotely actuated either by an operator or by an automated control system. Although performing basically the same function as manually operated valves, automated valves operated by electricity, air, hydraulics or other means are considerably different than manual valves not only in their construction but their mode … Continued
I’ve been “playing” with ultrasonics for over two-thirds of my life now and am absolutely convinced that there is still more to know about the technology than anyone knows. The “fish tank” in the lab continues to reveal more questions than answers when it comes to this complex technology. The Ultrasonic Fish Tank in the Lab Still, … Continued
Today we are, again, going to bring ultrasonic sounds into the realm of human audibility by lowering the frequency to ones that most people with normal hearing can hear. Several preceding blogs have discussed the effects of varying the pulse width and pulse period of an ultrasonic generator in an ultrasonic cleaning system. If you’ve … Continued
Pressure regulating valves were discussed in the preceding blog Valves – Pressure Reducing Valves. Pressure reducing valves, although commonly used where pressure is an issue, are not always the best alternative. The pressure reducing valve has a close cousin called a “Back Pressure Regulating Valve” which monitors and controls pressure in a similar but different … Continued
It is not an uncommon practice to use flow restricting valves in an effort to reduce and/or control pressure in even the most sophisticated industrial cleaning machines. In the blog “Reducing Flow vs. Reducing Pressure – Which is it?” the risks of using flow restricting valves to control pressure were discussed in some detail. Reliable pressure control … Continued
There is always a temptation to use solvents in cleaning applications. Although it is a “no-brainer” that there is a risk of fire or explosion when using a flammable solvent, it won’t hurt to review what flammability is all about. You may be familiar with the “Combustion Triangle.” In simple terms, there are three things … Continued
