FEATURE HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS


SUSTAINABILITY IN THE FLOW CONTROL SUPPLY CHAIN


Liquid and gas flow controls are one area being highlighted within the drive towards


sustainability, and optimising the performance of valves and their controls can directly improve energy efficiency for end users. Bürkert Fluid Control Systems explains


W


hen designing or maintaining applications that rely on fluid or gas flow control, the priorities for engineers


are typically centred around operational performance, ease of design integration, and long-term reliability. However, energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important. To meet these demands, Bürkert’s Kick and


Drop coils within solenoid valves address the need for reduced energy use. These feature, the company explains, a unique design that minimises the power requirements to hold open the valve plunger, delivering energy savings of up to 80%. In a similar way, TwinPower valves, ideal for applications that remain open for long periods, only require power to move the valve, rather than maintaining its position.


EFFICIENCY In a flow control system, cost efficiency doesn’t just depend on the energy required to actuate the valve, but it also relates to the media itself. In a dosing application, for example, surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology can achieve the most precise flow measurements. Ideal for the pharma and food & beverage sectors, Bürkert’s FLOWave flow measurement sensor optimises ingredient use for batch control efficiency. This not only lowers fluid consumption and costs but also safeguards product quality and reduces waste. In addition to media control,


switching from pneumatically powered valves to electromotive process valves, particularly for large orifice applications, can also enhance cost and energy savings. This approach removes the inherent inefficiency of compressor-driven pneumatic systems, including the fluctuating process pressures to prevent valve movement, which consumes further energy. The materials and design of the


valves themselves also impact environmental sustainability, as well


50 DESIGN SOLUTIONS JUNE 2025


as cost. This is particularly true for applications that require valves constructed from stainless steel, which is not only expensive, but is also energy intensive to produce. To minimise the impact, Bürkert’s stainless steel valves are manufactured with hydroforming, where a tube is filled with water-oil emulsion and pressurised within a mould to form the shape. This process uses much less material while retaining the original thickness of the tube, ensuring suitability for high pressures. Similarly, technology within Bürkert’s flow control devices has also been designed to minimise stainless steel use. For example, the FLOWave flow measurement sensor weighs just a few kilos, compared to a Coriolis


sensor that can tip the scales at around 50kg.


SUSTAINABILITY While efficient flow control devices, manufactured with low impact materials and processes, directly affect costs and carbon footprint for the end user, the wider environmental sustainability commitments of technology suppliers should also be a focus, particularly for procurement teams. Globally, Bürkert has a publicly stated goal to


become CO2-neutral by 2028, representing a real reduction of 33% compared to its 2023 emissions.


This will be achieved by the increased production of green electricity at its sites, combined with energy storage, as well as the reliance on more efficient building technology. Decarbonisation will also involve the further


electrification of company mobility. Already in the UK, the field engineering & applications team rely on an electric car fleet. To support customers in their general approval of their suppliers, the process and results of this environmental commitment are fully validated.


Bürkert Fluid Control Systems www.burkert.com/en


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