New Festo specialty solenoid valves, coils enhance safety in petroleum, chemical operations

New Festo specialty solenoid valves and coils for the chemical and petrochemical sectors like the VOFC increase process safety and cut costs associated with failure and maintenance.

Mississauga, ON, June 2019 – Festo has developed new advanced solenoid valves and coils for the petroleum and chemical sectors that offer enhanced safety and reliability. VOFC/VOFD solenoid valves and VACC solenoid coils increase process safety across the entire system, cutting costs associated with failure and maintenance. VOCD/VOFD solenoid valves can be used in many demanding applications and meet the highest safety standards (up to SIL3, explosion protection). These electric valves are backed by German Technical Control Board (TÜV) certificates up to SIL3 in accordance with IEC 61508.

The surface of the valve housing is treated with the Ematal process for optimum resistance against atmospheric and chemical degradation both indoors and outdoors. Ematal anodizing creates a hard aluminum oxide layer with titanium oxide intercalations, which makes the valves resistant to wear and abrasion and gives these components first-class sliding qualities.

The 3/2- and 5/2-way VOFC/VOFD solenoid valves are intended for controlling and safe deactivation of pneumatic drives in potentially explosive areas of chemical and petrochemical plants. The NAMUR flange pattern makes the solenoid valves suitable for quarter-turn actuators. The integrated spring chamber ventilation function protects quarter-turn actuators with spring return (single-acting cylinders and actuators) against contaminated ambient air and weather influences. The solenoid coils from the VACC series are available for ignition protection types: Ex e mb, Ex ia, Ex db, and Ex d. Local and regional certifications are available.

Festo at a glance

Festo, the world’s leading supplier of automation technology and technical education, is deploying its products and services to meet the challenges of digitization and smart production. Established in 1925, the independent, family-owned company based in Esslingen, Germany, has been a driving force in automation for over 60 years. Some 300,000 customers worldwide in factory and process automation put their trust in the company’s pneumatic and electric drive solutions. In addition, Festo Didactic provides state-of-the-art training solutions for industrial companies and educational institutions.  The Festo Group registered sales of around €3.2 billion in the 2018 financial year and is represented worldwide at 250 locations with a total of 20,200 employees. About 8% of its annual turnover is invested in research and development.