This section provides overview, applications, and principles of ac solenoids. Also, please take a look at the list of 5 ac solenoid manufacturers and their company rankings.
An AC solenoid is a name for a solenoid that operates when AC voltage is applied. A solenoid is a spirally wound copper or other conductive wire that conducts electricity, and is generally referred to as a coil.
While a coil is a general term for all kinds of windings, such as flat or three-dimensional ones, a coil wound in a spiral shape is called a solenoid coil, or solenoid for short.
The most common application of AC solenoids is solenoid valves. Solenoid valves are named this because solenoid coils are always used in their construction.
Solenoid valves are mainly used in valves to stop or flow fluids such as water or oil, or to switch the direction of fluid flow, also called 2-way or 3-way valves. In the home, they are used in refrigerators, air conditioners, heat pump water heaters, and other devices that utilize fluid cooling/heating cycles.
The principle of AC solenoids is based on the force generated by electric current and magnetic field. This relationship between electric current, magnetic field, and force is also explained by electromagnets and electromotive force generated by electromagnetic induction phenomena.
Most of us have heard of it at least once, and it is derived from Fleming's left-hand rule, the most famous law about electricity, magnetic fields and forces, or electromagnetic forces, that we first learn about in physics.
To explain in detail, the principle states that when the middle finger, index finger, and thumb of the left hand are pointed at right angles to each other in a spiral coil, a current flows in the direction of the middle finger, creating a magnetic flux (iron core or magnet) in the direction of the index finger, which generates a force in the direction of the thumb.
This physical phenomenon of the iron core moving by switching the current direction and turning the power on and off is used in actuators such as various solenoid valves. Fleming's left-hand rule is actually a principle common to all electric actuators, including motors, as well as solenoids.
Incidentally, the opposite Fleming's right-hand law is the law of a generator that converts an external force into electricity. Either way, it is still based on electromagnetic induction, in which a force is generated by electricity and a magnetic field.
As explained above, a solenoid is a coil wound in a spiral shape, and the applied electric power is converted into the driving force of a mechanical actuator in the iron core by the law of electromagnetic induction. Solenoid types are described below.
A Solenoid itself has inferior characteristics to AC solenoids due to slow operational speed, small current, and plunger pull force. Therefore, AC solenoids are selected based on their characteristics. However, since there is a risk of burning out the solenoid itself under excessive load, safety measures such as thermal fuses and overcurrent protection circuits must be taken into consideration.
Solenoids are also divided into push type (which push the iron core out of the coil) and pull type (which pull the iron core into the coil) depending on the operation of the movable iron core (plunger). There is also a push-pull type that handles both types of operations.
A characteristic type of solenoid is the self-retaining type, which can fix the position of the plunger by using a permanent magnet. This type of solenoid requires current flow only at the moment of plunger operation and does not require current flow during holding, making it suitable for applications where power consumption should be minimized (e.g., equipment using storage batteries).
There are a wide variety of solenoids with different specifications, and it is important to carefully check the specifications for your application before selecting a solenoid.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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