Automotive solenoid valves are electromechanical control elements commonly employed in today’s vehicles. They are primarily involved in the regulating process of fluids or gases like fuel, oil, air, coolant, and hydraulic fluids. The advancements in electrification, emission, and intelligent control in today’s cars have emphasized the need for solenoid valves to guarantee accuracy and efficiency.
This article describes the operational principle and construction of the moveable arm type of fluid pressure sensor and discusses the general applications of the sensor from the engineering or OEM viewpoint and answers various FAQs associated with the sensor.
- What Is an Automotive Solenoid Valve?=
An automotive solenoid valve is defined as an electrical-to-mechanical conversion device that opens, closes, and controls fluid passage using fluid mechanics principles and the conversion of electrical to mechanical energy through the solenoid coil's magnetic field, which acts on the plunger/armature to achieve this functionality.
Essential features:
Fast response time (milliseconds)
High reliability under vibration & temperature
Compact Design for Vehicle Embedding
Support for ECU control signals
- Functioning of an Automotive Solenoid Valve
Basic Operating Principle
On receiving electricity, current passes through a solenoid coil.
This produces a magnetic field, which then attracts the plunger.
The status then changes to either open or close the fluid passage.
When the power source is removed, the plunger goes back to its initial position due to a spring system.
Common Operational Profiles
Normally Closed (NC) configuration – The valve opens when it is energized.
Normally Open (NO) configuration – The valve closes when it is energized.
Proportional Solenoid Valve - The flow rate is varied through the current.
PWM Control Valve - The duty cycle is varied by the Engine Control Unit (ECU).