New stainless steel electrohydraulics is speeding up the diffusion of "water" hydraulics into motion control and automation markets.

Water electrohydraulics is the fluid motion technology based on uninflammable, eco-compatible and non-toxic fluids as 100 per cent pure tap water or specific HFC and HFA oil-in water emulsions with minimum 80% water (Figure 1).

Atos has developed a broad range of stainless steel valves available with ISO 4401 subplate mounting for compact system design and an easier assembling and maintenance.

Directional solenoid valves, modulars and proportionals (Figure 2) are strictly derived from Atos standard range of industrial oil hydraulics valves (over 75 per cent of component parts are standard) to grant superior functional performances, and expected life over 10 million cycles.

Stainless steel solenoid valves are also available in explosion proof construction certified according to European ATEX 94/9/CE, North American standards cULus and International IECEx.

Stainless steel cylinders - round heads with counterflanges - conform to ISO 6020/1 and are available in a wide range of sizes and options including magnetostrictive, potentiometric and inductive built-in rod position transducers (Figure 3). Atos stainless electrohydraulics perform high resistance in aggressive ambient (>1000 hours in neutral salt spray) and fully comply with the most severe water fluid critical issues:

• Quick oxidisation of the hydraulic system
• Higher leakage rates due to the low water viscosity demands more accurate coupling's tolerances, and
• Higher fluid speed requires special rugged and reinforced design to withstand the greater flow forces and the lower water lubrication properties.

Typical "water" hydraulic applications are steel industry, light alloy die castings, oil & gas applications according to API norms (American Petroleum Institutes), petrochemical plants and food industry; however thanks to its nonmagnetic properties, the stainless steel can be applied to specific military applications like submarine and minesweeper.

New stainless steel electrohydraulics is thus speeding up the diffusion of "water" hydraulics into motion control and automation markets.

Inoxidisable Valves

The broad range of Atos stainless steel valves and cylinders is specially designed for oil & gas, steel and petrochemical plants, food industry and also military applications thanks to:

• High resistance in aggressive ambient (>1000 hours in neutral salt spray)
• Compatibility with uninflammable, eco-compatible fluids as well as 100 per cent pure tap water
• Expected life over 10 million cycles
• Ruggedised and reinforced design, and
• Non-magnetic properties.

Directional and proportional valves have ISO 4401 subplate mounting for compact system design and stainless steel solenoids with ex-proof construction, certified according to ATEX, CULUS standards and International IECEx directives. Stainless steel cylinders conform to ISO 6020/1 - round heads with counterflanges - and are available in a wide range of sizes also with optional with built-in rod position transducer.