PILOTS AND ACCESSORIES

PILOT BLEED RATE

www.kimray.com
Bulletin No. Y09201
Issued 7/11
Current Revision:
Add 8" & 10" to chart
We are occasionally asked to furnish information
concerning the bleed rate of our controllers. Our
pilots or controllers do not have a continuous bleed
rate. There are basically three kinds of pneumatic
controllers: continuous bleed, actuating or intermittent
bleed, and self-contained.
The continuous bleed type uses a stream of gas
which is constantly fowing through a tiny nozzle to
atmosphere. Near the set point a small fapper moves
close to the nozzle causing back pressure which
works internally to actuate the device being controlled.
The intermittent bleed controller utilizes a tiny
three-way valve which is closed at both ports when
conditions are as required, open to the actuator when
an output is required, or open to atmosphere when
pressure at the actuator needs to be relieved.
With intermittent bleed, the question of the rate at
which gas is emitted to the atmosphere has no easy
answer. Other questions must be answered frst.
Is the controller throttling, or is it an on / off de-
vice? If it is throttling, then only very small amounts
of gas will be vented as the controller makes minute
adjustments on the actuators position. This will vary
with the size of the actuator and the stability of the
system.
If the controller is operating in on / off service then
the following questions are vital: How often does the
controller switch? What is the capacity of the actua-
tor? What is the volume of the tubing which runs from
the controller to the actuator? What is the pressure of
the actuating gas?
In either case with an intermittent bleed pilot, the
only information that can come from the manufacturer
is the capacity of the actuators. That information is
the subject of the table in the next column.
Kimray Intermittent Bleed Pilot
The key to accurate, consistent control in every
Kimray pilot is the Pilot Plug. It functions as the plug
in a tiny three-way valve, either communicating sup-
ply pressure to the actuator of a controlled device,
or venting pressure from that actuator. The balls at
either end of the plug are stainless steel. The seats
which these balls act to close are also stainless steel.
Metal to metal seat
The use of steel for both the seats and plugs
produces a metal to metal seat. A metal to metal seat
is used in order to eliminate hysteresis, which would
be seen as a lag or dead-band in the controlled pro-
cess. Due to the nature of the design of the pilot, the
plug is only lightly pressed into either seat. This also
is done to eliminate hysteresis.
Seepage
The very elements of design which allow the pilot to
operate without any detectable dead-band or lag in
control, do not allow for the necessary elements for
tight shut-off. For this reason a small amount of gas
will normally seep from the vent of the pilot. This does
not affect the action of the pilot.
Kimray describes the pilots as intermittent bleed
pilots. This is to contrast them with the continuous
bleed pilots which are found in some control devices
of other manufacture. Unlike the continuous stream of
gas characteristic in these devices the small amount
which seeps from a Kimray pilot is considered normal.
Valve Actuator Gas Capacity
Following is a simple table listing the capacity of the
actuator of various Kimray valves and regulators. Of
course the limitations of this information need to be
recognized. There is additional information which
must be supplied :
The frequency of actuation of the valves
The extent of actuation travel that regulators may
require. (Often almost no movement is required)
The pressure of the actuating gas supplied
The volume of the tubing involved
DEVICE SIZE ACTUATOR CAPACITY CU. IN.
Regulator
Catalog
Section A
1" 1.1
2" 9
3" 31
4" 73
6" 244
Regulator
Catalog
Section
E1
1" 30
2" 110
3" 225
4" 243
6" 650
8" 650
10" 650
Regulator
Catalog
Section
E2
1" 1.1
2" 9
3" 31
4" 73
6" 244
Regulator
Catalog
Section
E3
PO PC
2" 6 8
3" 22 31
4" 27 36
6" 40 54
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