Float valve for Dirty conditions???

[StoneCold]

I have a shallow pan type of tank that is open on the top. Water and salts from the shallow pan run to a collection pipe (2") and then down into an open top collection drum, where it is pumped out on level control. However sometimes the level control fails. Sad but true. The drum will over fill and spill nasty water all over the place. I need a float style overfill protection valve. The trouble is that none of the valves I have found yet will work with a dirty fluid. I don't want to use a float switch and a solenoid valve due to the location. The solution will pretty much have to be mechanical. Any suggestions on suppliers? Right now my best bet is a valve from

http://www.morbros.com

but it requires 5psi of inlet pressure that I don't have.

Thanks
StoneCold

 

[agf94510]

For the most part, mechanical level systems are subject to wear and require continual monitoring.

On one application that was handling 15% to 20% solids, I had success with a bubbler type level transmitter and a pneumatic control loop. Original mechanical gizmo with a float and a chain linkage was not reliable.

I am not sure why the float switch / solenoid valve was not acceptable. If the issue is "sticking" of the float, consider a vibrating fork type high level switch. The vibrating fork device is easier to set-up and more robust than a Capacitance/RF unit.

If the issue is plugging of the solenoid (2" seems quite large), consider a a 3-way solenoid pilot operating a 2" air-operated ball valve.

 

[btrueblood]

Agree a solenoid may leak if salt crusts around the seal. Use a ball valve with a rotary actuator? At least the seal on a ball valve is somewhat self-cleaning/self-scraping.

 

[StoneCold]

I might be able to get away with using the float as a switch to trigger the actuator on the ball valve. I will have to look at that. It is never simple. It is a pretty rough design anyway. It is salt and solvent laden water outside in Colorado, that makes functioning in the winter pretty difficult.

Thanks
StoneCold