Diverter Valves

Direct flow to multiple outlets with domestic, commerical and industrial diverter valves
By W. Aiman Mueller The faucet diverter valve and the in-wall shower diverter valve are common uses of the concept applied in industrial diverter valves. Just like how the valve in the bathtub diverts water from the faucet to the shower head, industrial diverter valves distribute liquids, slurries and dry goods to more that one outlet.

Diverter valves have their places in the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors. They play important roles in pipe circuits and many applications, from waste processing to chemical manufacturing and from agriculture to aerospace. Below is a categorization of diverter valves based on switching type:

1. Small domestic diverter valves like a pool diverter valve or water filter diverter valves. These switch in various methods, but many, like the shower diverter valve, switch by hand operated actuators.

2. Wye-type industrial diverter valves switch by solenoid valve, pneumatics or various simple methods. These work best with solids.

3. Pneumatic diverters, which have no internal moving parts, switch due to pneumatic pressure differential. These work best with liquids.

Buy quality industrial and commercial diverter valves

Some websites carry only domestic and light-duty, or small size, diverter valves. Look for diverter valve sources with large selections designed for industrial automated processing and similar applications.
Try:  Pebco carries many wye-type diverter valves, including what they call a rolling-blade style. They also have single blade, basket and other types of diverter valves. SMS International, Inc. is another good source for industrial diverter valves. They have PC-type as well as gravity wye-type diverter valves. They offer multiple actuator types, including manual, pneumatic and electric.

Find distributors of domestic and small business use diverter valves and products

The domestic uses of diverter valves are broader than you might think. See what you can do to add comfort and style to your home or small business.
Try:  WaterFiltersOnline.com has faucet diverter valves specifically designed for use with counter top water filters. These products come with new tubing as well. Dynamic-Living.com has an interesting product: a diverter valve that allows for a hand-held shower head, in addition to a regular shower head.

Make your hydraulic equipment more versatile with hydraulic diverter valves

A hydraulic diverter valve is a specialized diverter valve that either switches hydraulic pressure from one hydraulic device to another or otherwise operates as part a hydraulic system. There are also flow dividers, which are usually geared.
Try:  Oleoweb carries hydraulic divert valves, just don't forget to click on the British flag so you can read the website. Another place to go for a huge selection of hydraulic valves, fittings and parts is Innovative Pressure Technologies. They have a large selection of precision parts.

• It is possible to use a quality wye-type diverter valve to switch between two dry product supply lines and send one or the other to the same outlet without significant cross contamination.