Valves for Vacuum Systems
Complete Range
Whatever the application, Edwards has the right solution to meet your process requirements. Well known for its innovation in pump design, Edwards applies the same energy and commitment to its valves. The result is an extensive range of valves, with a choice of actuation methods, materials and size. Materials of construction have been uncompromisingly selected for performance in high vacuum.
Confidence in Edwards valves begins early in the design process. We use techniques such as Finite Element Analysis to optimise the design of the valve. An arduous testing program in our environmental testing laboratory prior to release to production ensures that every valve we supply will meet the needs of your application. Once in production, all valves are subject to stringent quality control and are individually tested with a helium mass spectrometer leak detector.
Bellows sealed pipeline valves are manufactured with 100% grease free O-rings exposed to vacuum delivering unrivalled low contamination levels.
Selection Guide
When you design a vacuum system, your choice of valves will be determined by the need for certain operating parameters. When you choose a valve for your vacuum system, consider all of the parameters listed in the left hand column of the table as describedbelow.
- Actuation The choice is manual, solenoid or pneumatic, which will be determined by your system design and what facilities are available tothe machine.
- Dirty System Tolerance Vacuum valves have a differing ability toremain leak tight in “dirty” vacuum systems. If your system generatesor contains dust or other particulates, choose a valve with a high tolerance.
- Size Choose a valve which complements the size of your vacuumpipeline. To maintain high pumping speeds and throughputs, do notreduce the size of your pipeline to accommodate a smaller valve.
- Pressure Range Both the maximum and minimum pressure ratingare important, particularly if the vacuum system is occasionallypressurized to above atmospheric pressure.
- Port Configuration Depending on the location of the valve, you mayneed either an in-line or a right angle valve.
- Life The mean time to failure is important for solenoid and pneumaticvalves in rapid cycle duties, or where you have extendedmaintenance intervals.
- Position Indication You may need local or remote indication of valveposition as part of your control system.
- Closure Speed Use either a solenoid valve or pneumatic valve if youmust have rapid valve closure.
- Corrosion Resistance Valves are available in stainless steel forthose applications that process corrosive gases.
Range for each actuation type
Manual Operation Isolation valves – Speedivalve, IBV series vacuum ball valves, PVMK Manual Operation Right Angle Isolation valves, IPVMK Manual Operation In-line Isolation valves.
Pneumatic Operation Isolation valves – PVPK Pneumatic Operation Right Angle Isolation valves, IPVPK Pneumatic Operation In-line Isolation valves. SIPVP Soft-start Isolation valves.
Solenoid Operation Isolation Valves – PVEK Solenoid Operation Right Angle Isolation valves, IPVEK Solenoid Operation In-line Isolation valves &LCPVEK Solenoid Operation Isolation valves.
Roughing/Soft-start Valves – BRV Backing/Roughing Valve & SIPVP soft-start Isolation valves.
Gate Valve – Gate valves come in either manual or pneumatic operation. BGV manual/pneumatic gate valves, GV manual/pneumatic gate valves.
Butterfly valves – QSB Quarterly Swing Butterfly valves
Special Valves – AV5A Air Admittance valve, AV10K Air Admittance valve, LV10K Leak Valve, Electropneumatic Control valve.