Choosing the Right Valves for Oxygen Control
Valves used for the control of oxygen are to be made of compatible materials to provide reliable performance. They are designed to open and close to a tight seal delivering oxygen only when demanded and not drain oxygen sources when at rest. This is important in all applications and uses, especially in medical.
Factors in Selecting Oxygen Control Valves
The application: Oxygen is commonly used in rugged industrial applications, such as metal manufacturing, chemical production, papermaking and water treatment to name a few. Conversely, it is also a critical media in medical applications and patient care.
Flow capacity: Adequate flow capacity directly affects system performance and efficiency. Flow control ensures proper oxygen delivery during operation, which is essential in medical applications.
Pressure rating: A valve must be designed to withstand operating pressures used in oxygen control applications. Oxygen sources can be provided at higher pressures, so a valve must be able to withstand such conditions without leaking or failing. Pressure regulators are used to reduce the high pressure of bottled oxygen to safe levels for use in many applications, particularly medical.
Material compatibility: Oxygen is a reactive medium, so valves must be made of compatible materials for the application. This includes elastomer materials as some rubber compounds, including Buna Nitrile, will degrade with pure oxygen. In those cases, an alternative sealing compound such as a fluoroelastomer (ie Viton™) is necessary.
Durability: Difficult operating environments such as industrial and outdoor applications can increase the risk of additional wear and damage to the valve. Consider the potential for corrosion when selecting valves in outdoor applications. Ease of maintenance should also influence your choice, especially in high cycle and rugged applications.
Medium cleanliness: Oxygen in high concentrations can serve as an accelerant and ignite materials, so valves should be free of oil, grease and manufacturing debris. Keeping the valve free of contaminants reduces the risk of combustion, malfunction and flow inaccuracy.
Special Considerations for Oxygen Delivery Valves
Some media can require special consideration before selecting a valve. Ozone is often used to extend life of fresh produce, but it’s a strong oxidizer and highly reactive, making it challenging to manage certain applications. Oxygen control valves can be constructed with ozone-resistant materials like stainless steel and Viton elastomers to prevent degradation.
Size can be important when selecting a valve for oxygen control. Portable medical equipment today is designed to be lightweight for ease of use and patient comfort. Miniature solenoid valves allow efficient operation and precision oxygen delivery without the significant weight of oxygen tanks and concentrators.
Poppet Valves are Ideal for Oxygen Control
Poppet-style valves are typically preferred for oxygen control as they lack the sliding seals of spool type valves. They can be custom produced to suit oxygen application requirements and capabilities. They offer efficient fluid flow and minimal friction for wear resistance.
Poppet valves open to full flow capacity quickly to support precision flow control and to prevent media waste. Because they have few sliding components, poppet valves tend to offer greater life in oxygen control applications.
Medical Oxygen Control Applications
Oxygen therapy: Oxygen delivery systems help maintain safe blood oxygen levels for those with respiratory conditions such as COPD, pneumonia, asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.
Mechanical ventilation: Patients who are unable to breathe on their own require ventilators. Control valves regulate the rate at which oxygen is delivered to the lung.
Hyperbaric chambers: Patients may require pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Oxygen control valves ensure the appropriate concentration and pressure are provided during operation.
Oxygen concentrators: Separates nitrogen from room air to deliver high concentrations of oxygen to patients requiring therapy and portability.
Non-Medical Oxygen Applications
Metalworking: Oxygen is crucial for processes like oxy-acetylene welding, metal cutting and flame cleaning, where it combines with a fuel gas to generate high heat.
Chemical manufacturing: Since it’s a reactant, oxygen is in various chemical applications to produce different compounds like ethylene oxide and chloroethene.
Combustion enhancement: In industrial furnaces and combustion processes, oxygen can improve burning efficiency and achieve higher temperatures.
Pulp and paper production: Oxygen can be used as a bleaching agent in the papermaking process.
Wastewater treatment: Oxygen facilitates the breakdown of organic matter via aerobic bacteria in wastewater treatment applications.
Aerospace applications: High-purity oxygen is essential for life support systems in spacecraft and submarines.
Miniature ON/OFF and Proportional Valves from Humphrey Products
Humphrey Products has a long history of oxygen control solutions for medical applications. Our new ProControl® proportional valve series offers excellent variable flow control in a compact design for precision oxygen regulation. Contact our technical team to learn more about our products for oxygen control.