V-Flow Solutions Bespoke Valve Solutions For Applications
Our engineers are always happy to look at customer’s specific requirements and offer bespoke valve solutions tailor-made for the application.
V-Flow has provided valve solutions for a vast range of applications and is always keen to solve engineering problems due to our experience and knowledge of flow control, and our knowledge of bespoke solutions.
A company who was working with a major manufacturer of commercial vehicles approached V-Flow for their input.
Their requirement was for a simple solenoid valve, but the parameters that they needed to work with were not quite so simple.
Bespoke Valve Solutions for Automotive Application
V-Flow’s role in the project included assisting the development of a bespoke valve solution.
This solution would implement in the AdBlue emission control system of trucks and commercial vehicles.
AdBlue is a non-toxic solution of water and urea. The urea and water solution combine with exhaust emissions. This produces nitrogen and oxygen – harmless gases that occur naturally in the environment.
This occurs by breaking down mono-nitrogen oxides (gases that are harmful and found in diesel exhaust emissions).
The AdBlue solutions is sprayed in microscopic amounts into a vehicles catalytic converter to help break down the harmful gases in addition to improving the emissions.
Using AdBlue in high-temperatures can affect performance and greatly reduces its efficiency.
Another disadvantage is that at low temperatures (below -11 degrees Fahrenheit) the solution can freeze.
The purpose of the valve would be to control the glycol in the AdBlue heating system.
This would help prevent the Adblue from freezing but not allow the solution to overheat.
The Valve
The valves that we were to develop, needed to meet our client’s requirements with regards to process and electrical connection.
The valves were manufactured from reinforced PA6.6 in order to withstand some very extreme temperature conditions, plus it had to reliably function in damp and potentially saliferous environments.
We collaborated with two of our main suppliers to produce the complete solution.
The valve features a special automotive standard clip and flange system with its own unlocking device.
The coil was a modified version of our standard component except with some small modifications, such as:
- small changes to the shape to integrate with a mounting clip
- additional protection of the coil windings for improved performance in extreme conditions.
The electrical connection featured an IP67 plug which had its own integrated gasket material on the mating face, two core cables connected to an automotive specific two pin connector.
Once prototypes had passed all the rigorous testing production commenced. Working closely with our client we had to ensure that we met the production schedules.
In conclusion, this was a very interesting project for us to be involved with and we are very proud to be involved with manufacturing a product for such a high profile customer. As a result, the solution that we provide is of exceptional quality and is a good example of our capabilities.
If you have a bespoke flow control requirement please feel free to speak with our engineers.
Telephone: 01234 855888
Email: sales@v-flowsolutions.co.uk
