Burkert's AirLINE Quick Provides a Flexible, Time Saving Solution for Pneumatic Control of Actuators in Hygienic Processes

Burkert’s new AirLINE Quick offers a reliable, compact and time-saving solution for the direct mounting of Burkert’s type 8640 valve islands and AirLINE 8644 automation system into control cabinets, eliminating the need for bulkhead connections and internal piping. Manufactured in a high-quality stainless steel version, and incorporating features such integrated exhaust check valves, the AirLINE Quick adapter allows an altogether smaller design of control cabinet for hygienic process actuation in the food, beverage or pharmaceutical industries.

The AirLINE Quick mounting system consists of an adapter plate integrated at the pneumatic connection of the AirLINE automation system. The adapter plate enables fast and easy mounting directly on the wall or floor of the control cabinet. An additional plate on the outside provides for added stability.
With AirLINE Quick, all pneumatic connections can be mounted directly on the control cabinet base or side eliminating the need for bulkhead connectors. Also integrated is the fieldbus communication and modular I/O for an altogether smaller design of control cabinets. Additional components such as pipes, cables or control cabinet connections are eliminated, due to direct mounting, further reducing the time needed for installation and commissioning.

For use in hygienic processes, the AirLINE Quick adapter plate and connections are available in a stainless steel (1.4301) version. However, for less critical applications, a lower cost anodised aluminium model is available, with pneumatic connections manufactured from nickel-plated brass.

The AirLINE Quick adapter is a complement to Bürkert’s valve terminals and automation systems, which are designed for use in many different areas of hygienic processes and readily fulfil the high standards of the market segment.

This compliance is ensured by the integrated process safety features of the type 8640 valve terminals and type 8644 automation system: features that are especially important in hygienic processes.

For example: check valves integrated in the exhaust air galleries ensure that during system emergency stop situations all actuators are shut down simultaneously and safely. These units also prevent back pressure accumulation in a valve block, which could result in unwanted switching of a valve, with serious consequences for the process. In addition, Burkert’s time-tested HotSwap function allows replacement of faulty valves, even during operation, without the risk of loss of air pressure on the entire valve block.

Can reliable distributed valve control be achieved retrospectively at a cost effective price?

The answer is an emphatic YES with Bürkert's retro-fittable valve controller for distirbuted or decentralised valve control or automation.

Distributed Control Valve :

Decentralised or distributed process control can bring with it many distinct advantages to optimising a plant design. Having valve switching and control occurring local to the valve can bring about many tangible benefits. These benefits can range from the cost reductions achieved through removing the need for centralised switching panels and the need for lengthy control and switching circuits, through to savings of compressed air and the faster switching response times of both valves and actuators. Operational constraints such as reliability and overall performance are nearly always achieved through a delicate balance with installation and operational costs, coupled with maintenance response times.

Whilst decentralise or distributed valve control is often a simple concept to address at the time of plant design and installation, the question is often asked; ‘how can it be successfully achieved after the event?’  - on an existing plant that has been constructed and optimised under a centralised control philosophy and is perhaps part way through its operational lifecycle?

Answer: Bürkert may have the answer in the form of its 8681 universal valve control head.

Burkert Valve Controller :

This is an intelligent valve control head or positioner that can be retrofitted to almost any manufacturer’s valve through a series of adaptors and kits that are readily available from Bürkert. This allows intelligent valve control to be applied local to the valve actuator at a fraction of the cost of a new valve controller assembly. It also significantly reduces the overall installation time. These retro-fittable controls heads have been optimised for applications within the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, brewery, dairy and personal health sectors. The valve controller heads already come with universal adaptors for many third party manufacturer’s valves already successfully deployed into these sectors, such as Alfa Laval, Definox, Kieselmann,  Aseptomag and many others.

Field Bus & Profibus Compatible :

The 8681 intelligent control head is compatible with many standardised communication and network protocols such as Fieldbus, Profibus, Asi and Devicenet and so will comfortably integrate with existing communication protocol installations. The controller is easy and inexpensive to install and is entirely non-intrusive. The valve position is determined automatically by a fast reliable intelligent function that makes use of an inductive analogue position sensor to determine valve position. The control heads come as standard with IP65/67 ingress protection and also provide an instant visual diagnostic facility for users.

As a design philosophy, decentralised automation of your plant process valves can provide a fast, economical and reliable improvement to your plant operation. The Bürkert 8681 universal valve control head can make those benefits retrospectively available to your operation with a cost effective, reliable and easy to install modular solution.

For more information on Bürkert’s full range of valve controllers, control heads and positioners, click here.