With no need for compressed air, early electric actuators could operate with less sound and less maintenance than the predominant pneumatic actuator. Of course, the standard pneumatic option offered its own apparent benefits – performance in extreme temperatures, for example, and an elegant simplicity. As a result, the flow control industry has stubbornly clung to pneumatic actuators, specifically in the American market, for decades.
To read the full Valve World Americas Journal October 2019 tech talk, please contact Brittani Schroeder (b.schroeder@kci-world.com) for the full PDF version.