Solenoid valve 3 way

When it comes to three-way solenoid valves, many people immediately imagine the simplest fluid control schemes, but in reality there are a lot of nuances that become obvious only after several years of working with automation systems. In particular, in smart agriculture projects, where we collaborate withShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltd, we have to deal with situations where incorrect valve selection leads to failures in the entire irrigation circuit. I remember how in one of the projects to create smart greenhouses near Ufa, we initially installed standard two-way valves, but quickly realized that for precise control of the mixing of fertilizers and water we neededthree way solenoid valvewith the possibility of proportional regulation.

Design features of three-way valves

If we talk about physical implementation, three-way valves come in two fundamentally different types: mixing and distribution. In the fertigation systems that we develop together withlyzhihuinongye.ru, we more often use mixing modifications, where one input and two outputs allow precise dosing of the concentration of nutrient solutions. A critical parameter here is not only the throughput (Kvs), but also the material of the seals - in aggressive environments with mineral fertilizers, standard EPDM quickly fails, so you have to use Viton or Teflon.

From my own experience I was convinced that saving on housing material leads to catastrophic consequences. In 2021, in the Krasnodar Territory, a batch of valves with brass bodies had to be completely replaced with stainless steel ones, since highly mineralized water literally “ate” the valve seats within six months of operation. It is interesting that the solenoid itself rarely fails - the main problems arise precisely in the mechanical part.

As for the electrical part, it is important to consider not only the coil voltage (24V DC or 220V AC), but also the degree of protection. For field conditions, IP65 is the minimum acceptable, although in some cases, especially for underground installations, we additionally install protective covers. I remember how in the project forShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltdthe valves had to be urgently modified after spring floods flooded the installation shafts - water penetrated through the cable entries, which seemed quite sealed.

Application in smart agriculture systems

In the context of agricultural process automation, three-way valves are becoming a key element. When implementing a smart irrigation project in the Stavropol Territory, we used a cascade of three valves to prepare multicomponent nutrient solutions. The system made it possible to independently control the supply of water, basic fertilizers and microelements, whilesolenoid valve 3 wayperformed the function of precise mixing in real time.

Features of working with the companyShandong Lingyao Intelligent Agriculture Technologyis their demand for monitoring the condition of equipment. They are implementing a predictive maintenance system that monitors not only valve performance, but also parameters such as response time, current consumption and coil temperature. This makes it possible to predict possible failures several weeks before a critical situation.

An interesting incident occurred during the setup of a drip irrigation system in the Rostov region. Local filters could not cope with mechanical impurities, and small sand particles jammed the plungers of three-way valves. We had to develop a multi-stage filtration system with automatic washing, and we moved the valves themselves to the area after the fine filters. This increased the cost of the project, but completely eliminated emergency stops.

Typical errors during installation and operation

The most common mistake is incorrect orientation of the valve during installation. Three-way valves often have a strictly defined 'up' position; failure to comply with this requirement will result in premature seal wear. In my practice, I came across a situation where installers, in a hurry to hand over an object, installed valves at an angle of 45 degrees - after a month they had to change the entire batch.

Another critical point is the lack of bypass lines. In complex systems like those designedShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltd, there must always be a workaround in case of valve failure. In one of the projects to create an intelligent agricultural park in the Moscow region, we initially saved on bypasses, which led to a complete shutdown of the irrigation system while replacing a failed valve.

Underestimation of water hammer is a separate topic for discussion. When closing abruptly3 way solenoid valveIn long pipelines, pressure surges occur that can destroy not only the valve itself, but also neighboring equipment. We learned to deal with this problem by installing dampers and smoothly adjusting the response speed, but in the first projects the losses were significant.

Integration with control systems

Modern three-way valves rarely operate autonomously - they become part of complex SCADA systems. In company projectsShandong Lingyao Intelligent Agriculture TechnologyWe integrate valves via industrial buses (usually Modbus RTU or Profibus), which allows not only to control them remotely, but also to collect detailed telemetry.

An interesting nuance was discovered when working with frequency converters. It turned out that electromagnetic interference from emergency situations can cause false activation of the solenoid valves, especially if the power and signal cables are laid in the same tray. We had to develop special shielding and grounding schemes, which have now become standard for all our projects.

The software part also brings surprises. For example, in an irrigation control system for a greenhouse complex in the Lipetsk region, we were faced with the fact that standard PID controllers do not cope well with the nonlinear characteristics of three-way valves. We had to develop custom algorithms with adaptation to real flow and pressure characteristics.

Development prospects and new solutions

There is now a clear trend towards miniaturization and increased speed of three-way valves. New projects, especially vertical farms, require compact solutions with response times of less than 100 ms. Together with engineersShandong Lingyao Co.,LtdWe are testing piezoelectric actuated valves that have the potential to replace traditional solenoid solutions in precision applications.

Another promising area is 'smart' valves with built-in diagnostics. We are experimenting with pressure sensors on each port, which allows us to monitor not only the condition of the valve itself, but also the parameters of the system as a whole. This is especially true for smart agricultural field projects, where maximum equipment autonomy is important.

Don't forget about energy efficiency. Modern three-way solenoid valves consume significant power during constant operation, so we are gradually moving to pulse control circuits, where the coil is energized only at switching moments. This is especially important for remote sites where electricity is supplied from solar panels or generators.