HOW TO SELECT AN ACTUATOR:

As the process industry continues to achieve more efficient and productive plant design, plant
engineers and technicians are faced, almost daily, with new equipment designs and
applications. One product, a valve actuator, may be described by some as simply a black box,
having an input (power supply or signal), an output (torque), and a mechanism or circuitry to
operate a valve. Those who select control valves will quickly see that a variety of valve
actuators are available to meet most individual or plant wide valve automation requirements.
In order to make the best technical and economical choice, an engineer must know the factors
that are most important for the selection of actuators for plant wide valve automation. Where
the quality of a valve depends on the mechanical design, the metallurgy, and the machining,
its performance in the control loop is often dictated by the actuator.
The decision to automate a valve is usually based on one or all of the following
considerations.
Safety
Reliable operation
Control and process system performance
Inaccessible or remote valve location
Cost
Excessive valve torque
Emergency response and whether it is fail-safe
All actuators have several distinct purposes. They must:
1. Move the valve closure member (disc, ball, or plug) to the desired position. Not only must
the actuator provide enough torque or thrust to move the closure member under the most
severe conditions, it must also be fitted with the appropriate controls to direct it.
2. Hold the valve closure member in the desired position. Particularly in throttling
applications where fluids may create a dynamic torque, actuators should have adequate spring
or fluid power or mechanical stiffness to overcome this phenomenon.
3. Seat the valve closure member with sufficient torque to provide the desired shutoff
specification. A butterfly valve for instance is fully seated (closed) when the disc is
positioned in a resilient liner (seat). In this rotary position the valve stem torque is at its
highest. Actuator sizing for torque-seated butterfly valves may require special accessories
particularly on electric actuators to ensure that sufficient torque is sustained in the closed
position.

4. Provide a failure mode in the event of system failure. This may be fully opened, closed, or
as-is depending upon the application. Certain failure mode requirements may eliminate
electric actuators yet be ideal for pneumatic or electro hydraulic units.
5. Provide the required rotational travel (90, 180, etc.). Valves requiring more than 90 of
rotation include multiported valves. A few pneumatic actuator manufacturers offer 180
actuators. For greater than 180, electric actuators are usually preferred because they are
electrically, not mechanically, limited in rotation.
6. Provide the required operating speed. All actuators may be regulated in cycle speed
depending on the control circuit elements used.
Fast cycle speeds (less than one-half the standard actuator cycle time) require careful valve
selection. The physical shocks associated with fast cycling can damage the valve parts
especially when combined with high cycle rates. Special preparation of pneumatic actuators
including special solenoids, piping, and quick-exhaust valvesmay be required to achieve
high cycle speeds.
The cycle speeds of electric actuators cannot be increased, only slowed. This is easily
accomplished with the specification of either special cycle times or with the addition of an
electronic speed control card. Special cycle times are achieved with a different gearing
mechanism which also affects output torque. The electronic speed control is infinitely
adjustable and can reduce the effective actuator speed up to 20 times without the need for
special gearing. Output torque of the actuator is not affected where speed cards are used.
Pneumatic actuators can be slowed by the use of speed control valves in the air piping. One
speed control valve will slow speed in one direction, while two are required to slow speed in
both directions. Speed controls do not affect the output torque of pneumatic actuators.
High cycle rates will require special selection and preparation of valves and actuators. A high
cycle rate for pneumatic actuators is de-fined as cycling continuously in excess of 30 times
per hour; electric actuators used in excess of a 25 percent duty cycle are said to have a high
cycle rate. High cycle rates place additional stress and wear on the valve stem. The small
amount of play between the actuator, stem, and ball increases the wear in the stem in high
cycle rate applications. This is minimized with special preparation to assure long life of the
valve package.
The Data Form for Specifying Automated Valves (see end of article) may prove helpful when
gathering pertinent actuator selection information.
Pneumatic and electric actuators compared
At times it is necessary for a process engineer to choose between a pneumatically or an
electrically actuated valve for a process system. There are advantages to both styles, and it is
valuable to have data available to make the best choice.

Compatibility (Power Source) First and foremost in the selection of an actuator type
(pneumatic or electric) is to determine the most effective power source for the actuator. Points
to consider are:
Power source availability
Torque at the valve stem
Failure mode
Control accessories
Speed of operation
Frequency of operation
Plant environment
Size of valve
System component costs
System maintenance
The most practical pneumatic actuators utilize an air pressure supply of 40 to 120 psi (3 to 8
bar). Generally they are sized for a supply pressure of 60 to 80 psi (4 to 6 bar). Higher air
pressure is usually difficult to guarantee and lower pressures require a very large diameter
piston or diaphragm to generate desirable operating torque.
Electric actuators are often used with a 110 VAC power supply but are available with a wide
variety of AC and DC motors in single phase and three phase.
Temperature range.
Both pneumatic and electric actuators may be used in a wide temperature range. The standard
temperature range of a pneumatic actuator is from -4 to 174o F (-20 to 80o C) but may be
extended to -40 to 250o F (-40 to 121o C) with optional seals, bearings and grease. If control
accessories are used (limit switches, solenoid valves etc.) they may not have the same
temperature rating as the actuator and this should be considered in all applications.
In low temperature applications the quality of the supply air in relation to dew point should
be considered. Dew point is the temperature at which condensation occurs in air. Condensate
may freeze and block air supply lines making the actuator inoperable.
Electric actuators are available in a temperature range of -40 to 150o F (-40 to 65o C). When
used outdoors an electric actuator should be sealed from the environment to prevent the
introduction of moisture to the internal workings. Condensation may still form inside, if
drawn from the power supply conduit, which may have captured rainwater prior to
installation. Also, since motors warm the inside of the actuator enclosure when it is operating
and cools it when it is not, temperature fluctuations may cause environmental "breathing" and

condensation. For this reason all electric actuators used outdoors should be fitted with a
heater.
Hazardous Areas
It is sometimes difficult to justify the use of electric actuators in a hazardous environment,
but if compressed air is not available or if a pneumatic actuator will not provide the operating
characteristics required, then an electric actuator with a properly classified enclosure may be
used.
NEMA guidelines
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has set up guidelines for the
construction and installation of electric actuators (and other electrical devices) for use in
hazardous areas. The NEMA VII guideline reads:
VII Hazardous Location Class I (Explosive Gas or Vapor) Meets application requirements of
National Electrical Code; conforms with specifications of Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc.,
used for atmosphere containing gasoline, hexane, naphtha, benzene, butane, propane,
acetone, benzol, lacquer-solvent vapors, and natural gas.
Almost all electric actuator manufacturers have an option for a version of their standard
product line that conforms with NEMA VII.
On the other hand, pneumatic actuators are inherently explosion-proof. When electric
controls are used with pneumatic actuators in hazardous areas they are generally more cost
effective than electric actuators. Solenoid operated pilot valves may be mounted and powered
in a nonhazardous area and piped to the actuator. Limit switches -for position indication- may
be housed in a NEMA VII enclosure. The inherent safety of pneumatic actuators in hazardous
areas makes them a practical choice in these applications.
Spring return.
Another safety accessory widely specified in the process industries on valve actuators is the
springreturn (fail-safe) option. Upon power or signal failure a spring-return actuator drives
the valve to a pre-determined safe position. This is a practical and inexpensive option with
pneumatic actuators and is an important reason for the wide use of pneumatic actuators
throughout the industry.
Where springs are not practical because of actuator size or weight, or if a double-acting unit
is already installed, an accumulator tank may be installed to store air pressure.
Electric actuators are not widely available in a spring return version; however, a battery
backup system is an elegant solution.
To accomplish the spring-return function an electro-hydraulic actuator is often a good choice.
Electro-hydraulic actuation is achieved by energizing a hydraulic pump, which pressurizes a
spring-return cylinder. Upon power failure the spring action drives the actuator to the original

position. Because only an electric power supply is required for this self-contained unit it is a
practical approach to fail-safe electric valve actuation.
Performance characteristics.
Before specifying a pneumatic or electric actuator for valve automation it is important to
consider a few of the key performance characteristics of each.
Duty cycle.
Pneumatic actuators have a 100 percent duty cycle. In fact, the harder they work, the better
they work. Electric actuators are most commonly available with 25 percent duty cycle
motors. This means that to prevent overheating in high cycle applications the motor must rest
frequently. Because most on-off automated valves remain idle 95 percent of the time duty
cycle is not usually an issue. With optional motors and/or capacitors an electric actuator may
be upgraded to 100 percent duty cycle.
Stalling.
Pneumatic actuators may be stalled indefinitely without overheating. Electric actuators
should not be stalled. Stalling an electric actuator draws excessive current, which generates
heat in the motor and can cause damage. Torque switches or heat and current sensors are
often installed in electric actuators to protect the device.
Speed control.
The ability to control the speed of a pneumatic actuator is an important advantage of the
design. The simplest way to control the speed is to fit the actuator with a variable orifice
(needle valve) at the exhaust port of the air pilot.
Since electric actuators are geared motors it is impossible to make them cycle faster unless a
gearing change is made. For slower operation a pulsing circuit may be added as an option.
Modulating control.
In modulating service an electric actuator interfaces well with existing electronic control
systems and eliminates the need for electro-pneumatic controls. A pneumatic or electropneumatic positioner is used with pneumatic actuators to provide a means of controlling the
valve position.
Torque-to-weight ratio.
Electric actuators have a high torque-to-weight ratio above 4,000 lbf.in. (450 Nm).
Pneumatic actuators have an excellent torque-to-weight ratio below 4,000 lbf.in.
Summary of pneumatic and electric actuators This table of characteristics summarizes the
comparison of pneumatic and electric actuators.

Pneumatic
Electric
Simple, accurate, and inexpensive speed A pulsing circuit may be added to slow the
control
operating speed
Inherently explosion-proof, sparkproof
Available with a NEMA VII enclosure for
hazardous areas
Not subject to overheating; not sensitive to Motor designed to prevent current or
wet environment
temperature damage.
Must be sealed from moisture; heater and
thermostat required
100% duty cycle
25% standard duty cycle. May be upgraded
May be stalled indefinitely
Should not be stalled
Torque-to-weight ratio averages 123:1 at Torque-to-weight ratio averages 44:1 at 1500
1500 lbf in (170 N m)
lbf in (170 N m)
Spring-return (fail-safe) option is practical Electronydraulic actuator is a good choice for
and economical
electric fail-safe function