What is a smart valve: revolutionizing fluid control

Smart valves represent a cutting-edge advancement in the world of fluid control and dosing, combining digital precision with mechanical reliability. Designed for both gases and liquids, smart valves ensure precise control over the flow, pressure, and overall handling of fluids in various applications. This technology is fundamental in industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to manufacturing, where the accurate dosing, dispensing, or mixing of fluids is critical.

What will you find on this page?

• Smart Valve applications and benefits
• Integration with IoT and Digital Platforms
• Environmental and Economic Benefits
• Spotlight on Dolphin Fluidics Smart Valve Products
• Single-Channel Smart Valves
• Dual-Channel Smart Valves
• Smart Mixing Valves
• Applications
• Why choose Dolphin Fluidics?
• FAQ

Smart Valve applications and benefits

To understand what is a smart valve, it's essential to recognize its role as a fusion of mechanical engineering and digital technology. 

A smart valve is an advanced type of valve that incorporates digital technology, allowing it to perform its functions with high precision and efficiency. Unlike traditional mechanical valves, which typically operate based on manual adjustments or simple mechanical processes, smart valves are equipped with sensors, actuators, and control systems that enable them to regulate the flow of fluids (gases or liquids) more accurately and responsively.

Find out more about the working principle of our proportional gas valves.

Smart valves are utilized in a wide range of applications, underscoring their versatility and efficiency. From industrial processing to healthcare, these valves offer unparalleled precision, ensuring accurate fluid dispensing without drift, thereby guaranteeing consistency over time. The adaptability of smart valves allows for their integration into diverse systems, meeting the specific needs of each application through customization of interface, fluid performance, and control electronics.

In particular, the main benefits of smart valves include:

• Precision Control: They offer precise control over fluid flow, allowing for accurate dosing, dispensing, or mixing of liquids and gases.
• Reduced Drift: Smart valves maintain consistent performance over time, minimizing drift and ensuring reliability in processes where precision is critical.
• Digital Integration: Easily connectable to IoT and mobile platforms for remote monitoring, control, and diagnostics, enhancing system management and efficiency.
• Customization: They can be customized to meet specific requirements regarding interface, fluid performance, and control electronics, making them adaptable to a wide range of applications.
• Energy Efficiency: Smart valves are designed to operate efficiently, often resulting in reduced energy consumption compared to traditional valve systems.
• Cost Savings: Their precision and efficiency can lead to significant cost savings by reducing waste, minimizing the need for maintenance, and extending the service life of the system.
• Space and Weight Reduction: Especially significant in dual-channel valves, the integration of multiple functions into a single device can save space, reduce weight, and simplify wiring in complex systems.
• Enhanced Safety: With precise control and the ability to integrate with advanced monitoring systems, smart valves can contribute to safer operation environments, especially in industries dealing with hazardous materials.
• Innovative Technology: Incorporating the latest in digital electronics and connectivity, smart valves represent the forefront of technology in fluid control, offering capabilities beyond traditional mechanical valves.
  
  

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Integration with IoT and Digital Platforms

Smart valves, especially those developed by Dolphin Fluidics, stand out for their seamless integration with the Internet of Things (IoT) and other digital platforms. This connectivity opens up a new realm of possibilities for remote monitoring, control, and diagnostics of fluid control systems. 

By enabling data exchange and management through wireless protocols, users can achieve a level of oversight and precision previously unattainable. This digital integration facilitates real-time adjustments, predictive maintenance, and comprehensive system analytics, ensuring that fluid control processes are not just precise, but also intelligently adaptive to changing conditions and requirements.

Environmental and economic benefits

The precision and efficiency of smart valves contribute significantly to both environmental conservation and economic savings. By minimizing waste through accurate dosing and dispensing, these valves help reduce the consumption of valuable resources, leading to a lower environmental footprint. 

Additionally, the enhanced efficiency and reliability of smart valve technologies reduce the need for frequent maintenance and replacements, translating into significant cost savings for businesses. Dolphin Fluidics emphasis on reducing space, weight, and wiring further contributes to these advantages, making smart valves a sustainable and economically viable choice for industries committed to innovation and environmental responsibility.

Spotlight on Dolphin Fluidics Smart Valve Products

Single-Channel Smart Valves

Single-channel smart valves are digital, 2-way valves offering full separation with both on/off and proportional closed-loop control. They stand out for their precise dosing capabilities, making them ideal for applications where accuracy is paramount. Thanks to their design, these valves maintain consistent performance over time, eliminating the concern for drift. The customization options available for these valves ensure that they can be tailored to meet the exact requirements of various applications, from the interface and fluid dynamics to the control electronics.

Dolphin Fluidics Dual-Channel Valves

Dolphin Fluidics takes the concept of smart valves further with its dual-channel valves. These valves feature two independently controlled channels, allowing for more complex fluid handling tasks such as dosing, dispensing, and mixing with high accuracy. The integration of dual channels into a single device not only enhances functionality but also reduces space, weight, and wiring needs, leading to cost savings. The digital control of these valves facilitates easy connection to IoT cloud and mobile platforms for remote data exchange, management, and diagnostics, emphasizing their role in modern, connected environments.

Discover our proportional flow control valve water

Smart Mixing Valve Dual-Channel

Dolphin Fluidics' mixing smart valves are 2-way, normally closed, full-separation valves designed for precise dosing, mixing, and dispensing of liquids and gases.

The dual-channel smart mixing valve features two independent channels for controlling liquids, each equipped with an integrated temperature probe and flowmeter to regulate the flow within two closed-loop circuits. This architecture enables highly accurate regulation or dosing of fluids with varying viscosities, and with the temperature probes, it allows for precise mixing of two liquids by controlling the outlet temperature with great accuracy.

This valve functions as an integrated digital feeder or mixer, requiring no external components for adjustment or control.

Application Sectors of Smart Valves

Smart valves play a key role in revolutionizing fluid control across multiple industries, thanks to their precision, programmability, and efficiency. These technologies support innovation and sustainability in the following sectors:

• Health Tech: sanitary smart valves are used in medical devices such as dialysis machines and diagnostic equipment, ensuring safe, precise, and silent fluid control.
• Food & Beverage: smart valves optimize dispensing, mixing, and flow control processes to maintain quality and consistency in production lines.
• Agriculture: used for precision irrigation and nutrient delivery, smart valves enable more efficient and sustainable farming practices.
• Industrial: in manufacturing and automation, smart valves ensure accurate dosing and flow regulation, reducing waste and improving overall process control.

Other applications: these include customized solutions for smart appliances, laboratory equipment, and various OEM (original equipment manufacturer) uses.

Why choose Dolphin Fluidics?

Dolphin Fluidics is at the forefront of digitalizing fluidics, merging precision fluid control with digital and wireless communication technologies. Their commitment to innovation is evident in their use of shape memory smart actuators and digital control electronics, marking a significant shift in the electronically controlled fluidic valve market. 

By partnering with leading manufacturers and technology centers, Dolphin Fluidics continuously integrates cutting-edge technologies into their products, ensuring they remain leaders in intelligent fluid dynamics. Their approach to customer collaboration, from concept to production, guarantees solutions that are not only highly effective but also respectful of intellectual property and industry standards.

Dolphin Fluidics is not just a provider of smart valves; it's a pioneer in intelligent fluidic solutions, offering products that redefine the standards of precise fluid control. Through innovation, customization, and a commitment to quality, Dolphin Fluidics empowers industries to achieve more efficient and accurate fluid handling, paving the way for advancements in numerous fields.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Smart Valves

What does a smart valve do?
A smart valve automatically manages the flow of fluids using integrated sensors, actuators, and control software. It allows precise regulation, real-time feedback, and remote management for greater efficiency and automation.

Are smart valves worth it?
Absolutely. Smart valves offer increased accuracy, reduced waste, lower maintenance needs, and seamless integration with digital systems. They provide long-term cost savings and process optimization across various industries.

What does a smart water valve do?
A smart water valve regulates water flow with high precision. It can detect leaks, shut off the supply automatically in case of anomalies, and be controlled remotely—enhancing both safety and water conservation.

How does a digital valve work?
A digital valve operates using electronic control systems to adjust fluid flow. It receives signals from sensors or control units, then uses actuators to open, close, or modulate the valve position with exceptional precision.

What are the different types of smart valves?
Smart valves come in various types, including proportional valves, on/off valves, solenoid valves, and motorized valves. Each type is suited for specific applications, such as dosing, flow control, or safety shut-off.

How do I choose a valve type?
Choosing the right valve depends on your application's requirements—such as fluid type, pressure, flow rate, control precision, and integration with digital systems. Consulting with a fluidics expert can help identify the ideal solution.

Do you have other questions? Contact our technical team and we will meet your needs.