Pneumatic ball valves, as key components in industrial automation control, are widely used in water treatment, chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and other fields. However, many engineers tend to overlook key factors during the selection process, leading to reduced system efficiency or even operational failures. This article will address the three most common mistakes in pneumatic ball valve selection and provide practical advice to help you make an accurate choice.

Mistake 1: Ignoring Media Characteristics

Many people focus solely on caliber and pressure when selecting a pneumatic ball valve, overlooking the media's corrosiveness, viscosity, or particulate content.

Consequences of this error: Mismatched valve body materials can lead to corrosion, blockage, or seal failure.

Solution: Determine the media type before selecting a valve and select the appropriate valve body material (such as stainless steel, PVC, or PTFE seals).

Covna recommends: For corrosive media, prioritize 316 stainless steel ball valves with corrosion-resistant seals.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Actuator Parameters

The actuator for a pneumatic ball valve needs to be matched to the operating pressure, frequency of operation, and control method.

Consequences of Errors: Insufficient or excessive actuator thrust, resulting in sluggish operation or damage.
Solution: Select an appropriate double-acting or single-acting pneumatic actuator based on the system air pressure and valve torque requirements.

Covna Recommendation: Use the Covna Torque Calculator to quickly match actuator models to avoid overload or underactuation.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Control Methods and Signal Feedback

In automation systems, the need for solenoid valve control, position feedback, limit switches, etc. is a key consideration when selecting an actuator.

Consequences of Errors: The system cannot achieve remote control or status monitoring, impacting overall operational efficiency.
Solution: Clarify control requirements and select pneumatic ball valves with solenoid valves, feedback sensors, or intelligent positioners.

Covna Recommendation: For PLC control systems, pneumatic ball valves with feedback sensors and NAMUR interfaces are recommended for precise feedback.

Covna Pneumatic Ball Valve Solutions

Covna offers a variety of pneumatic ball valves, supporting customized materials, interfaces, and control accessories to meet diverse operating requirements. Whether it's high-corrosion, high-frequency operation, or intelligent control systems, we can provide you with professional selection support.

In industrial automation systems, electric and pneumatic valves are widely used actuators for controlling flow remotely. While they share similar control functions, their operating principles, performance characteristics, and suitable applications differ significantly.

This guide walks you through the core distinctions, helping you make confident choices for your projects.

Different Driving Mechanisms

Electric Valve: Operated via electrical signals, commonly using AC220V, AC110V, or DC24V. Ideal for areas with stable power supply.

Pneumatic Valve: Powered by compressed air, making it suitable for environments where quick action and existing air systems are common.

Selection Tip: If no air source is available, go electric. If rapid actuation is needed, pneumatic is your friend.

Response Speed and Control Accuracy

Pneumatic valves offer faster response times, perfect for frequent switching operations

Maintenance and Cost Overview

Application Scenarios

Electric Valves: Chemical plants, HVAC systems, building automation.

Pneumatic Valves: Food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, explosion-risk areas (no electrical sparks).

Safety Note: For hazardous environments, pneumatic valves reduce risk of spark-related incidents.

How Covna Supports Your Selection

Covna offers a wide range of electric and pneumatic valves, including ball, butterfly, and gate types—with custom options to meet your specific needs.

Three-way solenoid valve

As the name implies, the three-way solenoid valve has three interfaces (usually marked as A, B, and C), which can form two different flow path connection methods. Generally speaking, it can switch between two states: one state directs the medium from the input end to the output end, and the other state discharges the medium into the exhaust port.
This design makes the three-way valve particularly important in control systems that need to switch media or convert exhaust and supply. For example, in hydraulic or pneumatic systems, three-way solenoid valves are often used to control the reset of actuators or perform two-way action control. Its efficient on-off switching function can achieve higher system flexibility and response speed.

Pneumatic solenoid valve

Pneumatic solenoid valves are mainly used in compressed air systems, and their function is to accurately control air flow and pressure. This type of valve is driven by a solenoid coil and can respond quickly to control signals, achieve rapid opening and closing, and reduce energy loss in the system.
In automated production lines, robotic systems, and engineering machinery, pneumatic solenoid valves play a vital role. Its design usually takes into account durability and sealing to ensure stable performance under high-frequency operation, effectively improving the working efficiency and reliability of the entire pneumatic system.

Air solenoid valve

Air solenoid valve can be regarded as a specific manifestation of pneumatic solenoid valve in specific application scenarios, which is mainly aimed at the control of air medium. Many air control systems, such as air conditioning equipment, air purifiers and conveying systems, use specially designed air solenoid valves.
This type of valve body design not only ensures fast opening and closing action, but also pays attention to noise control and energy consumption optimization during gas circulation. Thanks to its fine flow regulation function, the air solenoid valve can not only provide precise control, but also effectively avoid system vibration and wear caused by gas impact, thereby extending the service life of the equipment.

Application fields and technical prospects

Whether in industrial automation, robot control, production line equipment, or in the field of air conditioning and environmental control in life, solenoid valves have shown an irreplaceable role.
System control: The flexible switching function of the three-way solenoid valve makes it shine in the construction of reset, reversing and circulation control systems.
Energy efficiency optimization: The high responsiveness and sealing of pneumatic and air solenoid valves provide technical support for system energy saving and consumption reduction, and the characteristics of low energy consumption and high efficiency opening and closing regulation also make this type of equipment more widely used in the future.

As a key component in the automation control system, solenoid valves are of various types and have complete functions. Whether it is the application of three-way solenoid valves in complex switching control, or the precise regulation of pneumatic solenoid valves and air solenoid valves in compressed air systems, they all demonstrate the continuous pursuit of precise control and stable performance in modern industry.

Solenoid valves play an extremely important role. We will analyze solenoid valve technology from principle, design, application to maintenance, and focus on specific applications in pneumatic, hydraulic and irrigation fields.

Pneumatic application: Features and advantages of Pneumatic Solenoid Valve
In pneumatic systems, pneumatic solenoid valves are mainly responsible for controlling the flow and pressure regulation of gases. This type of valve usually has the advantages of fast response speed, good sealing performance and long service life, and is suitable for automated production lines and micro pneumatic systems.

Fast response: suitable for high-frequency switch control.

High reliability: able to work stably in a variety of environments.

Easy installation: easy to integrate into existing automation control systems.

Hydraulic system: Technical analysis of Hydraulic Solenoid Valve
Compared with pneumatic systems, hydraulic systems require solenoid valves to accurately control the flow and direction of high-pressure liquids. Hydraulic solenoid valves are designed to meet large flow and high pressure conditions. It usually adopts a more robust structure and sealing technology to ensure safety and stability in complex hydraulic environments.

High-pressure seal: ensures no leakage during high-load operation.

Strong wear resistance: suitable for long-term, high-load operation.

Precise control: realize efficient conversion of fluid flow and hydraulic pressure.

Innovation in the agricultural field: Application practice of Irrigation Solenoid Valve
In modern agriculture, water-saving irrigation systems have gradually become an important means to improve agricultural production efficiency. Irrigation solenoid valve is widely used because it can accurately open and close the water source in the irrigation system.

Effective water saving: realize automatic and timed irrigation to avoid water waste.

Easy maintenance: compact structure design, easy daily maintenance.

Intelligent control: linked with sensors, adjust irrigation volume in real time according to soil moisture.

Solenoid valve technology is developing towards higher efficiency, longer life and smarter direction. In the future, with the maturity of the Internet of Things and intelligent control technology, various types of solenoid valves will realize advanced functions such as remote monitoring and adaptive adjustment. Whether in industrial automation or agricultural intelligent irrigation, technological progress will drive the improvement of the overall performance of the system.