What are the requirements for valve automation?
Some valves are controlled to maintain a fixed pressure on a system. Others control the level in a tank or vessel while still others actually control the flow rate in a pipe or line. The automatic control of flow through a valve requires a sensor to determine if flow is needed or what the flow rate is. You then need a controller to take this input and then adjust the valve to achieve the desired result. This is called a control loop. Some are all electric/electronic while others are all pneumatic. The valve itself is a specific valve designed to perform the function intended. It is not a good idea to take an existing on/off valve like a gate valve and try to control flow. These type of valves do not have a flow characteristic that is proportion to valve opening while a control valve does.
Valves are commonly available for both liquid and gas. You would begin by determining operating pressure, volume, nature of fluid, and temperature of fluid. The electrical requirements are as simple as supplying power to a solenoid. Mechanically, automatic valves are sophisticated. Begin by researching the water supply valves for a domestic washing machine.
