A pressure regulator reduces the high inlet pressure and lowers it to a required pressure that is necessary to perform a task. Nowadays, electronic pressure regulator comes in several sizes and types that are created for different applications and systems. Choosing the right device for your system requires you to have the proper knowledge of its types, working and operational components. The primary purpose of all the pressure regulators is the same. They have to deliver constant and accurate pressure to a system or equipment.
Below we have listed three operating components of an electric pressure regulator:
Loading Element:
In most pressure regulators, a poppet (valve) is used as the pressure-reducing element. A poppet contains an elastomeric seal or sometimes a thermoplastic seal is used in high-pressure designs that have to deal with high pressure. It makes a seal on the seat of the valve. The force applied by the spring changes the position of the seal and allows the fluid to pass. Whenever a small change starts happening in the outlet pressure this loading element of the pneumatic pressure regulator do the necessary changes in the passage according to the signal of the controller. So that the required pressure can be retained in the system.
Sensing Element:
Nowadays, three types of sensing elements (piston, diaphragm or bellows) are available that are used in electronic pressure regulator and serves the whole functionality. This component is used to measure the pressure passing through the inlet and sent a signal to the control element so that it can perform the necessary changes to maintain the required pressure in the system.
The piston style is used when you have to maintain high output pressures according to the need, and you don’t have to maintain a tight tolerance for the outlet pressure. The friction of the piston seal and the regulator body makes them a bit sluggish. But when you have to maintain a low pressure with the help of the low pressure regulators and accuracy is the key concern then diaphragm style is used. It is in the form of a disc plate that senses the pressure changes.
Controlling Element:
This component performs the actual work in an electronic pressure regulator. It is responsible for maintaining the set value of the pressure. This component reads the signal of the sensing element and understands the actual pressure coming from the sources and the fluctuations of the pressure. After that, it sends a signal to the loading elements for performing the necessary changes in the passage of the fluid so that the user-defined pressure can be maintained.
A controlling element is the main operational component of a digital pressure regulator because it plays the key role of performing the necessary changes according to the need so that the pressure can not rise up or drop down from the set limit.
Final Words:
The electronic pressure regulator reduces the high pressure and maintains a constant state of pressure within a system. A pressure regulator not only manages the pressure but also controls the other process variables like temperature with the help of the operational components that we have discussed above.