PC board/microcontroller to drive solenoid valves in pulse mode 1

[alexVI]

Hi all,

I need to drive three DC solenoid valves (12V, 0.6A) with pulses that I can adjust in 10-200 ms range with 10 ms step. Pulses follow with 2-20Hz frequencies. Duration of the sequences of pulses is 5 -15 min.
I’m currently using PC relay board but it cant generate pulses shorter than 100ms and lifetime is not long enough for my application. I’m planning to use IC PWM SOLENOID DRIVERs 7-DDPAK - DRV102FKTWT

http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/drv102.pdf

(switching threshold, 1.7V) to drive the valves and a new PC board. I’m looking for a cheap PC card and software or microcontroller that can drive ICPWM drivers. Any ideas?

Thank you,
Alex

 

[itsmoked]

Have you looked for commercial solenoid drivers?
I'd check those out.

If I had to actually make one using a microcontroller I would be trying to go all the way and incorporate everything into the micro. That is, have it do all the control you're trying to achieve, not just the solenoids.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[alexVI]

I have to be able to set variable duty cycle. I could not find any solenoid driver that has this function.

 

[itsmoked]

Can you say what you're driving?

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[alexVI]

Valves control air pressure in a 400 ml cylinder. I need to increase pressure in 1-5 psi steps to 5-10 psi and drop it down to 0 within 1-10 seconds.

 

[itsmoked]

Ah.. Thanks.

What you might rather do is use the standard device for doing that kind of task. Its name is nothing you would probably guess. They are called "I to Pees" or I/Ps. They are used all over industry.

They are current(I) to pressure(P) controllers. Hence "I/P".

You feed them an easy-to-generate 4-20mA signal, (a current(I)), and they accurately control the resulting pressure.

Here is an example:

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=ip610&Nav=prel01

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[alexVI]

Thanks. It’s a great device for my application.