Pressure Reducing Valves
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain how a pressure reducing valve works.
And list common uses of pressure reducing valves.
What is It?
A pressure reducing valve lowers the maximum downstream pressure.
It is often used to limit pilot pressure in pilot-operated, directional control valves. The maximum pilot pressure that is recommended for these valves is usually well below the maximum system pressure.
A pressure reducing valve may also be used to limit cylinder force or limit braking force in mobile machines. These lower pressures also help prolong component life. It is desirable overall, to operate sub-circuits and actuators at the lowest pressure that still allows the work to get done.
Reducing
Valve
Valve
Schematic Symbols
Here are a few examples of simple schematic symbols for a pressure reducing valve. Notice that in all cases, the main poppet arrow indicates that the valve is normally open.
Here's a side-by-side view of a more detailed pilot-operated pressure reducing valve symbol and cross-section. Hover your mouse over the drawing below to highlight the corresponding parts.
This is just a preview!
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