Iris Valve opens from and closes toward the center of its opening to create a gradual flow or restriction of materials. This design ensures an even discharge of materials and allows manual control over flow rates. The Iris Valve’s fabric sleeve and gradual closing action protect delicate and friable materials from degradation. When fully closed, the Iris Valve’s fabric sleeve is twisted to the point that it becomes a flat, tight barrier to hold back materials.
The valve has a metal-cased body that encloses two concentric rings. A flexible sleeve material connects these rings. One end of the sleeve is attached to the valve body, and the other is connected to the control ring. An external handle manipulates the ring. The valve’s handle rotates through a 180-degree angle, and the sleeve turns and becomes a flat and tight concrete barrier.
Stainless Steel Iris Valves is the same as a traditional sliding gate or butterfly valve with a blade and disc that crosses the flowing material column. Here, the iris valve has a circular opening that closes toward the midpoint of the column. After opening the iris valve, its opening produces a small conical shape of material that flows directly into the container and allows easy filling of containers. Iris valves are operated manually and offer two options as an external twist and quick-lock handle.
Using the twist handle, the operator moves the handle to control the valve’s opening in different positions across the 180-degree angle. Here, the quick-lock handle allows the locking system and actuation to occur to a limited point on the iris valve body. Iris valves consist of a pneumatic (electric actuator) available at significantly higher costs than standard manual valves.
Advantages of Iris Valve-
- They contain a compact and low-maintenance design that requires no lubrication
- They are cost-effective among all of the valves
- The biggest advantage of ball valves is that they have poor throttling characteristics that can cause the seat of a ball valve to easily erode.
- They provide leak-proof service.
- They open and close quickly.
- Ball valves have multi-way design flexibility.
Disadvantages of Iris Valve-
- Ball valves are not suitable for permanent throttling.
- In residual fluids, the particles in the fluid collide with the surfaces and stick to them. This may cause leakage, abrasion, and other problems.
- Poor control
- Cavitate at low-pressure drops
- Cannot be used for throttling
- Relatively low-pressure limitation – general pressure limitations are 150 psi at maximum.
Application of Iris Valve-
Iris valve has versatile applications in several industrial sectors, including food and dairy products, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, minerals, and plastics. They are also useful in aeration for wastewater treatment plants, corporation water management plants, control the flow of slurries and dense materials. Besides, the paper and pulp suspension flow control are established through the iris valve. Iris valves are useful in the separation of pellets with particle sizes more than 0.5mm.
