Performance Comparison of Electrically and Mechanically Operated 3/2 Pneumatic Directional Control Valves Using Artificial Neural Networks and Regression Models
Oshundairo Mushafau Idowu1, Ahmad Haruna Muhammad2*, Anaidhuno Ufuoma Peter3, Ibrahim Adebayo Alamutu4
Abstract
This research presents a comparative analysis of a 3/2 pneumatic directional control valve in electrically and mechanically operated systems, using both Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and regression models. The study involved an experimental set-up where air pressure was varied between 10 and 60 psi to measure piston travel time and distance, allowing for the calculation of piston traveling speeds through a mathematical relationship. ANN and regression modeling (RM) were employed to analyze and predict performance outcomes. The ANN produced adjusted coefficients of determination of 0.96422 for the electrically operated (EO) system and 0.93072 for the mechanically operated (PMO) system, outperforming the regression model’s results of 0.7037 and 0.8620, respectively. Results indicate that the actuator (piston) exhibits faster response times and generates higher power output in the purely mechanically operated system (PMO), achieving a piston traveling speed of 622.43 mm/sec, compared to 580 mm/sec in the electrically operated (EO) system. These findings provide valuable guidance for industries such as maritime, aerospace, and robotics, where the selection of pneumatic systems is crucial.
Keywords:
Pneumatic valve, Comparative analysis, Electrically operated, Mechanically operated, Piston speed
