Where you have pneumatic valves, you’d often need pneumatic shuttle valves. These are components in a pneumatic system that uses air or gas to do specific work as what you’d see in automation, medical, chemical and corrugation.
Pneumatic systems are often chosen for their use of air instead of any other medium that costs more. Gases also tend to cost less. And any leak from either one dissipates harmlessly into the air usually without causing any danger to anyone, except when we’re talking about heating and cooking gases at home.
They also tend to support lighter system performing functions that range from the lightest and most sensitive applications such as in medicine to more robust applications in manufacturing or energy.
Pneumatic shuttle valves allow for control over the flow of gas through the system. A ball inside its housing moves according to determined airflow, plugging one outlet when air from another inlet comes through. It’s a flow control device. A pneumatic shuttle valve is typically used to prevent any backflow.
Another use of the shuttle valve is as a standby emergency solution such as when there’s a need to purge the gas in the system or a release of pressure. It makes for the pressure valve.
A shuttle valve also functions as a brake control when it opens the brake shoes in a pneumatic winch system.
These valves are either bought or custom made according to their uses and what’s needed in the industries.
