Kinetrol Rotary Vane Actuators. Simply the Best.

Kinetrol rotary vane actuators have a well earned, and long established, reputation for  performing where other pneumatic actuators fail. With outstanding cycle life, smooth and precise operation, and an environmentally rugged design, Kinetrol actuators are "simply the best" quarter-turn valve and damper actuator on the market today. Period.

For more information, contact Kinetrol USA. Call them at 972-447-9443 or visit their website at https://kinetrolusa.com.

Kinetrol Vane Actuators

Kinetrol manufactures the most comprehensive range of high performance pneumatic double-acting and spring-return rotary vane actuators in the world.

In addition, Kinetrol also manufactures a full range of positioners, limit switch boxes, fail-safe and fire fail-safe spring units, I to P transducers, spring-to-center 90° and 180° actuators, gearboxes and other engineered products from foundry to finished goods in our own ISO 9001-2008 certified factories.

Kinetrol is the inventor of the quarter turn pneumatic vane actuator and manufactures 16 sizes with torque outputs ranging from 8 lb inches to 168,000 lb inches when supplied with 100 psig.

Kinetrol’s exclusive direct-mount modular concept eliminates expensive and unnecessary tubing, fittings, brackets and couplings, which provides virtually hysteresis-free and extremely compact, automated assemblies. Unlike cylinder actuators, Kinetrol’s one piece vane and shaft design move as one resulting in extremely precise modulating and on/off control. Kinetrol actuators use double opposed polyurethane lip seals instead of O-ring seals typically used in quarter turn actuators. Kinetrol’s lip seal design isolates the shaft seal from plant air pressure and also acts as wiper for any foreign material which dramatically extends the service life of these actuators in all applications.

Knock off and copy attempts have come and gone over Kinetrol’s 60 plus year history, but none have come close to Kinetrol’s stellar track record of quality and reliability. Truth is in the performance and Kinetrol actuators have developed the reputation as the most reliable severe service, high cycle actuators the world over since 1958.

Kinetrol USA

https://kinetrolusa.com

972-447-9443

A Review: Why Kinetrol Actuators Are the Most Reliable 1/4 Turn Pneumatic Actuator on the Market Today

With millions of actuators performing reliably around the world, the Kinetrol vane actuator's are the best choice for valve and damper actuation applications that require long life and ultra-dependable performance. Here's a review as to why:

Click on image for larger view.

• Durable epoxy stove enamel exterior finish.
• Long life epoxy or PTFE internal finish.
• Integral vane/shaft casting - only one moving part: Simplest and most reliable mechanism for quarter-turn rotary actuation.
• Manual override square and position indicator.
• Stainless steel expanders ensure long term lipseal / case contact.
• Double opposed, Polyurethane, lip seals for effective sealing and long maintenance free life.
• Space filling/energy absorbent sideplates (polymer or metal).
• Corrosion resistant zinc (non-incendive) or aluminum alloy case.
• Easy stop adjustment at each end of stroke for accurate seating.
• Close couple control modules. Fail-safe spring returns, limit switches, positioners and solenoid valves all close couple to the actuators.
• No cranks or gearing. No power loss or backlash - allows accurate positioning.
• Long maintenance-free life. Up to 4 million operations guaranteed.
• Compact - space saving - efficient. Best torque/size package available, fast operating speeds, best air consumption, proven design.
• Unique serial number for identification and traceability.

For more information, visit https://kinetrolusa.com of call 972-447-9443.

9 Kinetrol Features Providing Unmatched Actuator Performance

1. Long life epoxy or PTFE internal finish
2. Easy stop adjustment at each end of stroke for accurate seating
3. Corrosion resistant zinc (non-incendive) or aluminium alloy case
4. Integral vane/shaft casting - only one moving part
5. Manual override square and position indicator
6. Stainless steel expanders ensure long term lipseal / case contact
7. Double opposed, Polyurethane, lip seals for effective sealing and long maintenance free life
8. Space filling/energy absorbent sideplates (polymer or metal)
9. Durable epoxy stove external enamel finish

Kinetrol USA - http://www.kinetrolusa.com | 972-447-9443

Dampers and Louvers Used in Power Plants, Refineries, Boilers, and Furnaces

Parallel damper with electric actuator.

A damper (otherwise known as a louvre) is a multi-element flow control device generally used to throttle large flows of air at low pressure. Dampers find common application in furnace and boiler draft control, and in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems.

Radial damper.

Common damper designs include parallel and radial. Parallel-vane dampers resemble a Venetian blind, with multiple rectangular vanes synchronously rotated to throttle flow through a rectangular opening. A photograph of a parallel-vane damper is shown above, part of an induced-draft (suction) air fan system on a separator at a cement plant. The vanes are not visible in this photograph because they reside inside the metal air duct, but the electric actuator mechanism and linkages connecting seven vane shafts together are visible.

Pneumatic vane actuator damper drive.

Radial-vane dampers use multiple vanes arranged like petals of a flower to throttle flow through a circular opening. A photograph of a radial-vane damper is shown here (note the levers and linkages on the periphery of the tube, synchronizing the motions of the eight vanes so they rotate at the same angle).

Dampers are opened and closed by electric or pneumatic drives. In recent years, the pneumatic vane actuator  has earned an reputation for modulating dampers. Used in critical applications commonly found in power plants, refineries, boilers, and furnaces, these unique damper drives provide precise combustion gas management, are proven to increase boiler efficiency, lower fuel consumption, reduce emissions, and reduce maintenance cost.


Parts of this post are reprinted from Lessons In Industrial Instrumentation by Tony R. Kuphaldt – under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License.

Industrial Dampers and Drives

Round dampers with
pneumatic vane type drives.

By definition, a damper is a device used to control pressure, flow, or flow direction in an air or gas system. Different types of dampers can be used, depending on specific functional requirements. Table 5.7 below lists the types of dampers and their functions, and Table 5.8 lists the damper configurations. Selection of the proper damper type and blade configuration is important to achieve the required damper performance. The type and configuration of damper can significantly impact pressure drop, leakage rates, and controllability.

Click table for larger view.

Click table for larger view.

Pneumatic vane damper drive.

A very important part of damper design is determination of damper torque and sizing and selection of damper actuator for the maximum torque. Actuator torque should be selected for a minimum of 1.5 times the damper maximum torque to provide margin and allow for degradation over the life of the damper. Actuators should be evaluated for damper blade movement in both directions, at the beginning of blade movement, and while stroking blades through the full cycle of movement.

Damper operators can be one of three types: pneumatic, electric, or electro-hydraulic, as described below.

1. Pneumatic. These damper operators are used whenever controls rely primarily on compressed air (pneumatic) for moving operators or transmitting control signals.
2. Electric. These damper operators are used whenever controls rely primarily on low voltage electric circuits to transmit control signals.
3. Electrohydraulic. These damper operators are the same as the electric type described above, except they have the ability to modulate. They use an electric control signal to position a hydraulic system that, in turn, positions the damper.

Electrically operated damper drives have historically been favored, but the shift to retro-fit electric drives with pneumatic damper drives has been significant in the last two decades. When pneumatic vane actuators were first introduced for damper drive service, their virtues were quickly discovered. Their inherent design and operating advantages apply perfectly for precise damper control. These design and operating advantages are:

• Damper drives on round dampers.
• Precise, smooth signal to movement response.
• 100 percent duty cycle.
• Continuous modulating service.
• No overheating.
• High speed/high-torque.
• Fast full stroke open/close.
• Very easily serviced.
• Excels in harsh, high-temperature operating environments.
• Effectively zero air consumption in resting state.

For more information on any damper drive application, contact Kinetrol USA at 972-447-9443 or visit http://www.kinetrolusa.com.

Kinetrol Product Line Video

A short overview of the Kinetrol product line.

For over 50 years Kinetrol has been providing trouble-free valve and damper actuators to the chemical, biofuel, food & beverage, metal, mineral, oil, gas, pharmaceutical, power generation, paper, textile, water, wastewater, and transportation industries.

Boiler Damper Drives: Pneumatic Vane Actuators Excel

Damper drive with pneumatic
vane actuator (Kinetrol).

Industrial and commercial boilers burn much more efficiently when the combustion air is accurately controlled. Reduced emissions and higher BTU/Fuel ratios are achieved through precise draft control. One method to control draft air is with dampers to manage volumetric airflow.  Another role of the damper in industrial boilers is to control the recirculation of flue gases for tighter emissions control. In both cases, improved combustion, through proper air/fuel mixing and controlled recirculation, greatly improves combustion efficiency and also lowers fuel cost (saves money).

Damper drive (side mount) installed.

The mechanical devices used to open, close and modulate dampers are critical to precise control. The “motors” used to move the louvers and dampers can be electrically operated or pneumatic operated. Electrically operated damper drives have historically been favored, but the shift to retro-fit electric drives with pneumatic damper drives has been significant in the last two decades. When pneumatic vane actuators were first introduced for damper drive service, their virtues were quickly discovered. Their inherent design and operating advantages apply perfectly for precise damper control. These design and operating advantages are:

Damper drives on round dampers.

• Precise, smooth signal to movement response
• 100 percent duty cycle
• Continuous modulating service
• No overheating
• High speed/high-torque
• Fast full stroke open/close
• Very easily serviced
• Excels in harsh, high-temperature operating environments
• Effectively zero air consumption in resting state

Along with these performance features, pneumatic vane drives can replace electric damper drives in-place, with the same footprint and mounting dimensions, making retrofit fast and easy. Considering all of the above, one can argue it makes sense to replace all electric drives with pneumatic vane actuator drives.  In the movement toward better environmental control, and greater operating efficiencies, upgrading to pneumatic vane actuator damper drives for boiler damper control is an excellent choice.

Rugged Design Makes This Vane Actuator the Best Choice for Any Valve or Damper Automation Job

Watch the video below for a quick understanding of why Kinetrol Vane Actuators provide the longest service life in the toughest valve and damper applications.

Rotary Vane Valve Actuators

Rotary vane actuator

A rotary vane actuator is simply a part of an automated valve assembly: its role is to change the position of the valve, converting the motive force of fluid pressure into torque and applying it to a valve stem.

Quarter turn valves are widely used in industrial process automation. Their application is primarily for operations requiring fully open or fully closed valve trim positions, although some do provide modulating service. A rotation of the valve stem through a 90 degree arc will reposition quarter turn valve trim between open and closed positions. A rotary vane actuator is well suited for driving this type of valve, with its own 90 degree arc of movement.

A rotary vane actuator operates quarter turn valves, dampers and louvers. A pressure tight housing contains a movable vane which is sealed to the sides of the pressure chamber by means of a low friction gasket. Inlets into the chamber on opposing sides of the vane allow a controller to produce a pressure differential across the vane. The vane will move, in response to the pressure differential, in either direction. A shaft is connected to the vane and the vane acts like a lever to rotate the shaft as the vane is moved by fluid pressure. The torque produced by the actuator assembly is primarily dependent upon the applied fluid pressure.

Hydraulic rotary vane actuators have the ability to handle large amounts of fluid and dynamic motions, exhibiting also qualities of durability and compactness. Pneumatic vane actuators use plant air pressure as the motive force. Both types generally have few moving parts and require little regular maintenance. A variety of typical automation accessories and options are available to customize a unit for a particular application.

The Toughest Pneumatic Actuators on Earth

Kinetrol's reputation for performing flawlessly in the harshest conditions is known around the world.

The Kinetrol vane actuators' outstanding cycle life, smooth and precise movement, and environmentally rugged design makes it the best choice for all of your valve actuation and damper drive requirements.

For more information visit http://www.kinetrolusa.com or call 972-447-9443.

Review: Vane Actuators

An internal view of a vane actuator allowing you
to see the one piece vane and shaft, lip seals,
travel stops, and the clam shell  design.

The vane actuator is a simple and elegant mechanism for quarter-turn valves, dampers, and other rotary motion applications. The vane actuator produces rotary motion through the application of air pressure to a "vane' attached directly to an output shaft. In higher quality vane actuators, the vane and shaft are machined from a single piece of steel. Because of this, any motion from the vane is transferred directly to the shaft, without backlash or lost motion.

The vane includes “lip seals” that isolate the vane and shaft from the air supply. The lip seal design provides several advantages, namely eliminating the need for shaft seals and an inherent cleaning action internally. A split, or “clam-shell” housing is assembled around the vane, totally enclosing it. When supply air is applied to one side of the vane, torque is produced moving the vane in one direction. Accordingly, there is direct rotary motion transfer to the shaft, with 100% efficiency. Torque is controlled by surface area of the vane and the differential pressure on either side of the vane. Bi-directional over-travel is limited by the use of travel stops mounted in both sides of the housing.

The Kinetrol Vane Actuator

Single acting vane actuators use a spring to return the actuator to its resting position. By adding a spring, vane actuators can fail-open or fail-closed in the event of power failure. Double acting actuators use supply air on either side of the actuator to dictate clockwise or counter-clockwise movement. Other types of pneumatic actuators generally require high quality air as their power source, but vane actuators can accept poorer quality supply air, as the vane design uses the vane’s “wiping action” to push dirt and grime out of the way. Vane actuators are generally more compact that other types of actuators and come in many sizes, producing a wide range of torques.

For more information about vane actuators visit http://www.kinetrolusa.com or call 972-447-9443.

Tighter Boiler Emissions Control with Pneumatic Vane Actuator Damper Drives

Pneumatic rotary vane damper drive.

In order to ensure efficient, reliable, and safe boiler operation, it is critical to accurately control the flow of the boiler's combustion air and flue gas. Poor control of airflow results in inefficient burning (wasting money), erratic cycling, flame-outs and even the possibility of toxic and hazardous emissions. In order to reduce the likelihood  of these situations, accurate airflow control is critical.

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency's introduction of the MACT (Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology) Rule requires operators to institute maintenance procedures annually or bi-annually in an effort to force plant operators toward compliance. This strict new legislation has a large impact on how companies' control their emissions from industrial boilers, process heating systems and furnaces. 

Typical drive applications and designs
(click for larger picture).

Industrial boilers use dampers and louvers to control the quantity of air admitted to the furnace. Tighter boiler draft control significantly improves combustion. Any improvement in controlling the position of the dampers and increasing the positioning speed improves boiler efficiency. Damper operation needs to be precise and fast for the accurate control. 

There are an estimated 15,000 boilers, furnaces, and process heaters running in the USA, and many are using an outdated primary component to control their lovers and dampers - the electric damper drive. Electric damper drives utilize motors and gear-boxes to move and position flue gas and combustion gas dampers. However, because of the inherent movement (sometimes referred to as hysteresis) between gears, linkages and other assorted mechanisms, these drives may not provide the accuracy, power, or signal response time required for optimum control.

Enter the pneumatic vane actuator damper drive. Pneumatic vane actuator drives are a newer, but still proven, method to provide high speed, accurate, and continuous modulation of air dampers for precise control. Replacing outdated electric damper drives with fast acting, pneumatic rotary vane damper drives offers measurable improvement to burner efficiency and cleaner emissions.

Switching out electric drives with their better performing pneumatic cousins is fairly simple. Downtime is not an issue.  The old drive footprint, lever positions, connecting rods, and operational envelop are considered with every design. Any existing mechanical or electrical connection placements are matched. Since the new drive mates to all existing mounting and connections, and the envelope size is typically smaller, installing the pneumatic drive is usually a matter of pulling the old one out, and dropping the new one in.

At the heart of the pneumatic damper drive is the stalwart pneumatic rotary vane actuator. With hundreds of thousands of these devices operating in the toughest process applications around the world, their reputation is well earned. These actuators are known for their incredibly long life, ability to withstand very high cycle rates, and smooth “bump-less” control. They are also designed to handle high ambient temperatures, high vibration, and very dusty environments, typical of where boiler dampers are located. Additionally, rotary vane actuators are available with direct mount pneumatic and electro-pneumatic positioners, manual overrides, network communication modules, limit switches, and spring modules. The direct mount design eliminates external brackets and coupling, and keeps the overall package size small.

Pneumatic vane actuator damper drives are a significant improvement over traditional electric damper drives. They provide fast response to input signal changes, very accurate positioning, a reduction in plant air consumption, and they lower fuel consumption. Engineers tasked with increasingly rigorous boiler emissions requirements must consider pneumatic vane style drives as a compelling alternative to the electric drive. They truly are an example of better form, fit, and function.

The Virtues of the Pneumatic Vane Actuator Damper Drive

Pneumatic damper drives

Pneumatic damper drives significantly improve the reliability, precision, and efficiency of industrial boilers and furnaces. Accurate control of combustion air and flue gas provide many cost savings benefits to plant operators. A pneumatic damper drive’s precision and rapid response greatly improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, lower fuel consumption, and provide better boiler draft control.

Recent “Boiler MACT” (Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology) regulations require regular maintenance to optimize boiler performance. Air-to-fuel mixing and CO emissions are two areas where fine tuning and precise control yields dramatic improvement in burn efficiency. Old electric drives do not provide the precision, speed or torque needed for accurate control, so a retrofitting program that replaces electric drives with pneumatic units is an easy way to improve efficiency and gain better performance.

In the application outlined below, several dual-arm damper drives, using Kinetrol Model 18 actuators, were specified to replace aging Bailey electric damper drives in a power plant in the southwest USA. These specific drives are used to control the desuperheater and reheater temperature at a gas fired plant. Not only was there a need for optimized performance for better fuel consumption and lower emissions, but the customer was also very concerned about reliability. The plant needed to know the new Kinetrol-based damper drives were immediately available, and ready for drop-in replacement as the Bailey drives failed. This was easily managed by designing pedestals and frames that matched the bolting patterns and envelope size of the existing Bailey units. The Kinetrol drives were designed to match the legacy footprint exactly, have the drive shaft and drive lever in the exact position, and provide a drive shaft and lever with the same dimensions as the Bailey drive.

The result is a high duty cycle, highly precise, long-life, fast acting, responsive, easily maintained, and easily automated damper drive.

Bi-directional Positioning of Large Dampers Using Rotary Actuators and Declutchable Manual Override Gearbox

Rotary Actuator with declutchable
manual override gearbox

Rotary actuators are used in a great variety of applications. There are many designs of rotary actuator, including examples actuated by hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure and electric drives. It is also known to use position controllers to modulate the position of the actuator. All of these various designs have in common the purpose of providing an output torque which can be utilized to drive another device or mechanism.

One common application for bi-directional rotary actuators is the positioning of large damper valves controlling the flow of air and other gases along ducting in power generating plants. These dampers are often inaccessible, so it is not possible to install drives immediately adjacent the valve. In such circumstances, the rotary actuator drives the damper valve via a mechanical linkage. The rotary actuator will, in most cases, be used in conjunction with a position controller to provide for accurate control of the position of the damper valve.

In this, and other applications of rotary actuators, it can sometimes be desirable to provide for manual adjustment of the position of the actuator, for example during the initial set-up of a mechanism, or on failure of automatic actuator function. This is generally accomplished by using a so called declutchable manual override gearbox. The gearbox is mounted adjacent to the actuator and is connected to the output of the actuator. Drive is transferred via the gearbox to a drive shaft connected to the gearbox output. The gearbox includes a manually operable override, typically a wheel or lever, selectively engageable with the drive train in the gearbox. In normal operation, this manual override is de-clutched from the drive train. However, if it is desired to manually adjust the position of the actuator and the mechanism it drives, the manual override can be engaged.