Modulating Gas Valve

[kmroepke]

Hey everyone! A couple friends from school and myself are working on a semi-automated home brewery for a spring project at college. We need a modulating gas valve to electronically control the flow of propane from our tank to the burner for the HLT. We plan on using a controller implemented with software to control this valve. Has anyone had any experiences with these valves? Is there a certain brand you have used that works better than others? I have done some searching for a modulating gas valve, but don't know which to go with. If anyone has any input, please let me know. Also, the ones I have looked at are rather expensive for our budget, so if anyone has a used one they would sell for a cheaper price...I would be very interested. Thanks!

 

[CodeRage]

You need to find a valve actuator and mate it to what ever control valve you will be using. It wont be easy to find something explosion proof and rated for LP though.

I did find
http://cgi.ebay.com/Electric-Valve-...ryZ87087QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
you may be able to machine a fitting to mate it to your flow control valve but do it at your own risk

I thought about doing the same thing and decided to go with an electric heat source. Water heater elements and SSRs are much easier to work with and relatively inexpensive.

Good luck.

 

[kladue]

If you want to control gas flow to a burner with an electronic signal you can use a mass flow controller in the 20-50 LPM flow range. I have 2 units by STEC, models 4500 (20 LPM) and a 4550 (30 LPM) that take a 0-5 VDC control signal and require +15V and -15V power. The up side of mass flow is accurate control but no positive shutoff at 10 PSI input pressure, and dual power supply inputs for all but models made by Sierra. Here is a picture of the smaller of the two mass flow controllers with fuel shut off solenoid and direct spark ignition module http://picasaweb.google.com/kevin.ladue/IgnitionModuleAndMassflowController

 

[CodeRage]

Good lord kladue, you're the instrumentation guru.

 

[kmroepke]

thanks for the input.