Bürkert has increased pilot valve installation options with the launch of the Type 8653, an intelligent pneumatic valve island. The device is designed for installation outside a control cabinet, bringing the valve island closer to process control valves and actuators. Meeting the needs of process automation applications in the pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, cosmetics and water treatment sectors, the Type 8653 offers a fieldbus interface and an ingress protection rating of IP65/67.
Generally, valve islands are utilised to control process valves and actuators from within control cabinets. With facilities becoming more interconnected, Bürkert has introduced the Type 8653 to provide status information, diagnostics and transmit information to superordinate controls, such as PLCs. Model variants offer native support for communication via büS and CANopen, with the addition of a Type ME43 Fieldbus gateway also allowing integration with EtherNET/IP, PROFINET, Modbus-TCP and CC-Link.
The new device has been designed to be installed as closely as possible to valves or actuators, which, matched with its high ingress protection rating, means it can operate independent of an electrical cabinet. This reduces the emphasis on specifying costly control cabinets, pipework and cabling – adding value to the installation. Maintenance requirements are consequently simplified, with additional time savings. Proximity to the process also serves to minimise air and energy consumption.
The liquid crystal display (LCD) allows operators to assess important process information at a glance. Diagnostic functions can be visualised in both text and symbols. The result is easy access to process status information and faster troubleshooting – all important in reducing maintenance downtime. In terms of operation, the Type 8653 offers consistent reliability. Non-return valves in the exhaust air ducts ensure there is no unintentional valve switching due to uncontrolled pressure peaks. The LCD can also display pre-set warnings when thresholds are exceeded. This allows preventative maintenance to be employed, increasing overall uptime. A robust manual override is also included in the design, with optional blocking tabs for unwanted actuations.
The Type 8653 is ideal for hygienic environments that do not require high pressure washdowns. Suitable water treatment applications include chemical dosing, filtration, ion exchange, pH setting as well as disinfection and oxidation. Other relevant applications include clean-in-place (CIP), dosing, pasteurisation, ultra-high temperature processing, clean utilities, process heating and cooling.
A unique combination of fieldbus interface, an intuitive LCD, installation flexibility and a high ingress protection rating ensures that the Type 8653 is optimised to deliver savings throughout its operational lifetime. Backed by Bürkert engineering support that can adapt solutions to meet the needs of each individual system requirement, end-users can further capitalise on the inherent advantages of the Type 8653 – a competitive valve island with intelligence built-in.
