In a cement mixing and loading plant, a modular solenoid valve combination was implemented for controlling pneumatic filling valves. The objective was a pre-assembled, operationally reliable solution that can be flexibly adapted to different plant sizes and significantly reduces the effort required for assembly and commissioning.
At a glance
Industry: Cement industry / Plant engineering for bulk materials
Application: Cement mixing and loading plant for truck loading
Medium / process: Pneumatic actuation of pinch valves in continuous loading operation
Challenge: Reliable, compact and scalable valve control with variable number of silos and limited installation space
STASTO solution: Pre-assembled, modular solenoid valve combinations for the pneumatic actuation of the filling valves
Result: High operational reliability, reduced assembly and procurement effort, and flexible adaptation to different plant concepts
The challenge
In the application under consideration, trucks are loaded with cement in a cement mixing plant via pinch valves. The valves are actuated pneumatically and controlled via solenoid valves. Depending on the expansion stage of the plant, the number of silos varies and thus also the number of required filling and control valves.
For the plant manufacturer, this resulted in several technical and organizational requirements:
- variable number of valves depending on system size
- limited installation space in the area of the loading unit
- robust design for dusty industrial environments
- reliable continuous operation with reproducible switching operations
- the lowest possible installation and wiring effort on the construction site
A conventional implementation with individually procured and assembled solenoid valves would have resulted in a high assembly effort, a confusing pneumatic installation, and an increased error potential. Therefore, a compact, standardized and yet flexible solution was required.
The STASTO solution
STASTO Automation developed a project-specific solenoid valve combination together with the plant manufacturer, which is precisely tailored to the requirements of the cement loading system. The basis for this was the customer’s technical specifications regarding the number of valves, pneumatic connections and installation situation.
The solution consists of pre-assembled valve combinations equipped with one to six solenoid valves, depending on the respective system configuration. The solenoid valves are mounted on a common support structure, pneumatically tubed, and prepared for electrical connection.
Particular attention was paid to:
- a compact design for optimal use of the available installation space
- short and clearly defined pneumatic paths
- a maintenance-friendly arrangement of the components
- a robust design for industrial use
The solenoid valve combinations are fully assembled and tested at STASTO and then delivered to the customer as ready-to-use functional units. Close coordination with the plant manufacturer ensured that the solution can be seamlessly integrated into the overall system concept.
The result
By using the pre-assembled solenoid valve combinations, the pneumatic actuation of the filling valves could be significantly simplified. For the plant manufacturer, the installation effort is considerably reduced, since assembly, tubing and functional testing are already carried out in advance.
The solution is particularly convincing due to:
- high operational reliability in continuous operation
- clear and well-structured pneumatics layout
- reduced assembly and commissioning times
- reliable operation even under harsh environmental conditions
- simplified procurement through a defined assembly
In addition, the organizational effort is reduced, as the ordering process is limited to a single line item and internal assembly work is eliminated.
Added value for machine builders
- Reduction of parts variety through pre-assembled pneumatic assemblies
- Relief for Design, Purchasing and Assembly
- Clear interfaces and reproducible quality
- Shorter project lead times thanks to pre-validated solutions
- Increased process and operational safety
This solution is particularly suitable for
- Cement and bulk material plants with pneumatically controlled filling processes
- Process systems with a variable number of silos or valves
- Machine and plant manufacturer with a focus on modularization
- Applications with limited installation space
- Standard and special systems for which assembly time is to be reduced
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