Kele Blog

Perfect for High-Pressure Steam

Depending on need and scenario, options for control valves are seemingly endless. For steam-related installations, it is important to understand what level of pressure the valve will control. Most steam-related ball valve installations are for low-pressure applications.

If you are dealing with a high-pressure steam application, this ball valve is a perfect solution. The V-Ball Series assures positive, low-leakage control in higher pressure systems, such as those with variable speed pumps. It is ideal for high-temperature and high-range ability applications as well. This valve has a manual operator (handle) at the top.  Most valves Kele offers use actuators instead of handles. There are also many actuator options available.

Watch the product demo to learn more about the Kele V-Ball control valve.

You can learn more about Kele’s wide range of controls valves here.

Kele also offers free customized valve assembly. Our production shop can remove the guesswork.

Should you have questions, contact your sales consultant or our technical service team for assistance.

Contributed by Henry Smith, Design Engineer – Functional Devices, Inc.

A Functional Devices customer recently sent a technical email asking if a RIB^® relay could be used in place of a 4-way switch. I informed him that any of our DPDT relays could be wired to act as a 4-way switch, and any of our SPDT relays could be wired to act as a 3-way switch.

Most of us are familiar with 3-way switch applications as they are common in homes. They are typically used for controlling lighting in a room with two entrances so that the light may be turned ON or OFF while entering or exiting either way. A 4-way switch application serves the same purpose but would incorporate three or more switches, all toggling the same light. The first and last switches in the line would be 3-way switches, and as many additional switches as needed in between would be 4-way switches.

To use a DPDT relay as a 4-way switch, the Normally Open (N/O) contact of pole one would be wired to the Normally Closed (N/C) contact of pole two. The N/C contact of pole one would wire to the N/O contact of pole two, like the RIB24P contacts in the Figure below. The following diagrams and explanations will hopefully make this application clearer.

In the above diagram, none of the relay coils would be energized, and all their contacts would be in their normal state. This provides a continuous path through the Normally Closed contacts, and the Load is powered. Let’s say that Relay #2 has its coil energized. At that point, the relay contacts would change state. There will now be continuity between the Org and Yel wires, instead of the Blu and Yel wires. This is shown in the next diagram.

With Relay #2 energized as above, the path from the source to the Load has been broken and the Load would turn OFF. If Relay #1 would have been energized instead of Relay #2, the path for electrical flow would be as shown in the next diagram.

Since the contacts on Relay #1 changed state, there is a new path through its N/O contact to the RIB24P. However, there is no longer a complete path from the source to the Load, and it will not be powered. If RIB24P had been energized instead of Relay #1 or #2, the Load would also be OFF. This can be seen in the Figure below.

Again, the path from Source to Load has been interrupted, and the Load would be OFF. If either Relay #1 or #2 were to be energized at this point, the Load would toggle ON. The final Figure shows the path if RIB24P and Relay #2 are energized at the same time.

When Relay #2 is energized, the N/O contact closes between the Org and Yel wires. The path from the Source to the Load is complete again, and the Load would turn ON.

Any number of DPDT relays can be cascaded together to add more switches to the setup above. There will always be two wires in (from the LINE side) and two wires out (to the LOAD side). Just make sure they are rated to handle the Load they are to control.

As Kele promised in 2018, we have begun to stock select inventory closer to our customers in the Northeast. What does this mean for you if you are located in the region? Above all, you will experience the same high level of service you do today but with an added benefit: increasingly faster delivery.

We spoke with Duke Rogers, sr. director of supply chain operations, to find out how the operations team approached the initiative and what is in store for 2019.

Q: Duke, what drove the overall process from an operations standpoint?

A: We feel like we have a good understanding of customers’ unique needs to get parts, scheduled deliveries, and packaged solutions fast. This has been Kele’s business for decades. That was the goal but in the context of a particular region of the country. Now that Kele has dedicated resources in the region, it is easier to do so in a way that is mutually beneficial to Kele and our customers. The key driver of our process was that, in addition to moving products closer to customers in the Northeast, we sought to think strategically about what products they might need and let that create the foundation.

Q: To that point, how did Kele decide which products to add to the in-stock inventory in the region?

A: We looked at our data to drive the initial selection. Kele does have a sound grasp of the industry, given our history and track record of helping customers win with the right selection of parts—be that for break-fix or large project needs. However, this initiative could not be built on “gut feeling” alone even if it is an informed one. Data drove our decisions.

Q: What data points did you focus on?

A: We analyzed historical demand to determine the products and what the forecast should be. We also reviewed what is being purchased from Kele—popular products—right now and across the last several months. That is how we prioritized the selection. Moving forward, this data will also help us determine the right mix, inventory levels, and what to add or replenish.

Q: Generally, what will be available to customers?

A: We want to get the most popular SKUs stocked in our Boston location. The plan is to stock products that fulfill the top 80% of orders coming out of the region. Once again, data analysis drove this and will continue to do so in the future.

Q: What should customers in the Northeast expect going forward?

A: We’ve completed the first step in the process by building solid momentum toward our Q2 goal. Customers can expect more orders to be filled and arrive sooner. We are currently satisfying orders daily that meet set criteria. Going forward, we will monitor the SKUs and shipments and adjust inventory as necessary. Ultimately, customers in the region should expect even quicker access to the products they need. The Kele operations team is excited about making this happen.

Stay tuned for more information in 2019.

It’s not often that we get to see our products “in action,” so we were excited to receive this image of Kele globe valves and electric actuators from Keith Hickman, Control Division Manager for American Combustion Industries, Inc.

Keith and his team recently installed our products in the air handling unit at The Fountains at Washington House, a retirement condominium community in Washington, D.C.