With over 50,000 solenoid valves available from the ASCO range, T&D really can offer a solution for almost any fluid control application.

ASCO are part of the Emerson Industrial Automation group and their solenoid valves are synonymous with quality and reliability. You can always rely on an ASCO solenoid valve to do the job. This is why ASCO is the most widely specified name in the fluid automation industry. 

A solenoid valve is used for the fluid control of air, water, oil or gas. A solenoid valve usually consists of an operator and valve body. The operator includes the coil, core, core tube, shading coil and spring. The valve body is made up of orifices where a disc, piston or diaphragm is positioned. When an electrical current passes through the solenoid, a magnetic field is created which pulls the core into the open or closed position.

Types of solenoid valves available from ASCO include direct operated, pilot operated and pressure operated. The valves can be configured in a 2 way, 3 way, 4 way or 5 way arrangement.

With direct operated solenoid valves, the core is mechanically connected to the disc and opens or closes the orifice, depending on whether or not the valve is de-energised or energised.  Using direct acting solenoid valves means that operation is not dependent on the line pressure or flow rate. These types of ASCO valves are usually available in 2 way 2/2 NC/NO and 3 way 3/2 NC/NO/U

Pilot operated solenoid valves use the inlet pressure (or full line pressure) to operate. Pilot valves have two orifices, a pilot orifice and a bleed orifice. When this type of solenoid valve is energised, the pilot orifice is opened to release pressure from the top of the diaphragm to the outlet side of the valve. this cause a difference in pressure which opens the main orifice. In contrast, when the solenoid valve is de-energised, the pilot orifice is closed which means the full line pressure is applied  to the top of the diaphragm through the bleed orifice forcing the valve shut. Pilot operated solenoid valves are usually available in 2 way 2/2 NC/NO and and 3 way 3/2 NC/NO.

4 way and 5 way solenoid valves are normally used to operate actuators. (pressure operated valves, cylinders) These solenoid valves have 4 or 5 pipe connections and can be either 2 position (open/closed) or 3 position (open/closed/exhaust).

A pressure operated solenoid valve is used when the control of high pressure fluid is required at low pilot pressures. pressure operated valves are available in a piston valve construction or a diaphragm valve construction. These types of solenoid valves are usually available in 2 way 2/2 NC/NO and 3 way 3/2 NC/NO/U.

Due to the industrial applications where solenoid valves are used, it is common that a valve needs to be certified for use in explosive atmospheres. ASCO offer a wide range of solenoid valves which can be used in explosive atmospheres.  To comply with the various international hazardous area directives, ASCO offer a range of explosion protection methods including flameproof enclosures, encapsulation, intrinsically safe and increased safety valves. 

ASCO invest vast amounts of time and money in research & development. Keep up to date with product launches and application case studies by following our blog: ASCO Solenoid Valves