A pinch valve is a type of control valve. It is used in sewage treatment and other applications that require media to be isolated from the environment. It can be used to regulate or stop the flow of abrasive or slurry media. It is also used in medical applications and in laboratory equipment.

Pinch valves are usually made from steel or aluminum. However, they can be made from stainless steel in certain applications. When choosing a pinch valve, it is important to choose one that is lightweight and abrasion resistant. These features make pinch valves ideal for throttling or controlling the flow of corrosive media.

The body of a pinch valve is typically a molded sleeve. The sleeves are usually made of food grade rubber or NBR (nitrile). They can also be reinforced with fiber to increase their strength. The sleeve is often the only part of a pinch valve that comes into contact with the media. The sleeve should be abrasion-resistant and able to withstand application temperatures.

A pinch valve is an effective and reliable way to control the flow of media. They are generally considered to be the most reliable valves on the market. They are also relatively inexpensive. The pinching mechanism is designed to close the tube at a minimum height of 0.75mm. This allows for a 100% tight shutoff. It can be operated by turning a hand wheel or by electrically actuating the valve with a motor actuator.

A pinch valve has three main parts: the body, the rubber sleeve, and the actuation mechanism. The rubber sleeve is the only part of a pinch valve that is in direct contact with the media. The sleeve can be easily replaced. The sleeve is mainly responsible for preventing the entrapment of solids. The sleeve also forms a tight seal around the media that is trapped inside.

The pinch valve operates by using a flexible tube with an inner diameter equal to “d”. The valve is closed by air pressure that travels through the nipple on the outer part of the tube. If the pressure is too great, the sleeve will deform. This pinch valve can lead to high operating power requirements and possible damage to the tubing. The force required to close the tube will depend on the dimensions and material of the tube. If the pressure on the tube exceeds the force necessary to close the pinch valve, the tubing can be damaged.

The pinch valve is not suitable for vacuum applications because the sleeve can be easily damaged. It is also not suitable for pulsing or abrasive media because it will increase flaking. The throttling range of a pinch valve is typically between 10% and 95% of the rated flow capacity. Moreover, pinch valves have limited operating temperatures. They are typically limited to 200degF.

The pinch valve is commonly applied to clinical analyzers, laboratories, and a wide variety of laboratory equipment. It is also common in single-use disposable systems.