Digital flow control valve: advantages and applications

A digital flow control valve replaces the electromagnetic core of a conventional solenoid valve with a digitally controlled actuator and an onboard closed-loop system. Dolphin Fluidics builds its digital flow control valves around a proprietary Shape Memory Actuator (SMA) combined with a 32-bit microprocessor that manages the control loop directly inside the valve. The result is a component that dispenses, doses, and mixes air, gas, and liquid with closed-loop accuracy, without the noise, heat, and mechanical wear that come with electromagnetic actuation.

Advantages of digital flow control valves

• Up to 20 times lower power consumption. Dolphin Fluidics' digital flow control valves draw significantly less power than conventional solenoid valves of equivalent performance, a direct consequence of the SMA actuator, which holds position without the continuous current draw of an electromagnetic coil. For battery-powered or energy-constrained systems, this changes the power budget of the whole application.
  
  
• Closed-loop control onboard, no external controller. Each valve embeds a 32-bit microprocessor with memory that runs the control loop internally. There is no need for an external PID controller or signal conditioner: the valve receives a setpoint and manages flow rate, pressure, or temperature control on its own, simplifying the bill of materials and the wiring of the host system.
  
  
• No electromagnetic coil, so operation is totally silent and drift-free. Closed-loop control keeps accuracy stable across the valve's operating life, without the drift that affects mechanical and solenoid-based flow control valves.
  
  
• Full medium separation. A reliable sealing system keeps the fluid path completely isolated from the electronics, for high hygiene and zero contamination risk, a requirement in food & beverage dosing and healthcare applications alike.
  
  
• Native IoT connectivity. Analog, PWM, RS-485 and I2C interfaces are built in, so the valve can report real-time data and be remotely configured or monitored without adding external communication hardware, a fit for Industry 4.0 architectures and predictive maintenance strategies.
  
  
• Fully customisable for OEM integration. Port geometry, connectors, pressure range, control algorithm and materials can be adapted to the specific application, which is why Dolphin Fluidics' digital flow control valves are typically specified directly into OEM systems rather than bought off the shelf.

The technology behind

Dolphin Fluidics digital flow control valves boast smart features that enhance precision and efficiency, such as: 

• Shape memory actuator: it ensures ultra-accurate, finely-tuned operations, stabilizing the valve while regulating flow rate and pressure. This actuator also reduces noise for silent operation. 
  
  
• 32-bit microprocessor: this is an essential component in air or gas proportional valves. It features built-in memory for closed-loop control and customizable settings tailored to specific industry needs. 
  
  
• Hardware interface: a crucial element for integrating external sensors. It enables control loop closure on circuit physical quantities, enhancing valve stability and accuracy for long-lasting performance. 
  
  
• Real-time reporting: it facilitates device monitoring with precise data management, preempting troubleshooting, minimizing maintenance needs, and ensuring consistent reliability.

Applications of digital flow control valves

Digital flow control valves are used wherever a system needs to dose, dispense, mix or regulate the flow of air, gas or liquid with repeatable accuracy and minimal maintenance. Typical applications include:

• Health tech — diagnostic instruments, respiratory devices, sterilisation equipment and dental applications, where full medium separation and stable dosing accuracy are critical.
  
  
• Food & beverage — water dispensers, post-mix and syrup dosing, coffee and milk dispensing systems, where silent operation and hygienic sealing matter as much as precision.
  
  
• Industrial automation — dispensing, mixing and process control lines that benefit from closed-loop accuracy without adding external controllers to the panel.
  
  
• Agriculture — precision fertigation and irrigation systems, where low power consumption extends the autonomy of remote or battery-powered installations.
  
  
• Analytical instruments — gas chromatography and environmental monitoring equipment that require stable, low-drift flow control at a compact form factor.

To see the full range of sectors Dolphin Fluidics serves, explore all Dolphin Fluidics applications.

How does a digital control valve work?

A digital control valve like Dolphin Fluidics' models replaces the spring-and-solenoid mechanism of a traditional valve with a Shape Memory Alloy actuator driven by an onboard 32-bit microprocessor. The microprocessor reads the desired setpoint, compares it against feedback from internal or external sensors (pressure, flow rate, temperature), and drives the SMA actuator to open or close the valve proportionally, all inside a closed loop that runs directly on the valve, without an external controller.

Where traditional solenoid and proportional valves fall short

Conventional proportional and solenoid valves stroke a spool using an electromagnetic coil: accurate flow control usually requires either a mechanical pressure compensator or feedback from external power elements, which adds cost and complexity to the system. 

Dolphin Fluidics' digital flow control valves take a different approach: the SMA actuator and the embedded closed-loop electronics are integrated into the valve itself, so the accurate, pressure-compensated flow control that a traditional system needs external hardware for is built in from the start. This is also why Dolphin Fluidics valves run silently and with a fraction of the power draw of an electromagnetic solenoid of equivalent performance. For a deeper technical breakdown, read our full comparison of proportional and solenoid valve engineering.

The digital valve models by Dolphin Fluidics

Single-channel valves

The single channel lineup includes: 

Are you interested in our single-channel proportional valves?

Dual-channel valves

The dual-channel valves entail: 

Which digital flow control valve fits your application?

Six models cover single- and dual-channel control across air, gas and liquid media, from 0 bar up to 20 bar. Backed by 70 years of fluidics engineering and 25 years in smart actuators, the Dolphin Fluidics team can help you match the right model, or customise one, to your pressure range, media and communication protocol. Tell us about your project and get technical support directly from the engineers who designed the SMA actuator platform.

Do you want to know more about our digital flow control valves?