Pressure balance elements - a key component of industrial application safety

Pressure balance elements ensure adequate air circulation inside the housing. Their primary function is to equalize the pressure in relation to the environment. The plug stops the ingress of moisture through the gasket (relieves it) and prevents the loss of protection, defined by the appropriate IP class, as well as protects against corrosion. Thus, it prevents damage to the components.

In other words, the compensation elements ensure that the value of pressure difference (Δp) between the inside of the housing and the outside atmosphere equals 0. An efficiently operating compensation system effectively extends the life of the entire application. When choosing the right product, it is worth considering the key parameters for a given valve: Air Flow Rate (AFR) and Water Intrusion Pressure (WIP). The higher the value of these parameters, the more effectively the plug takes care of the safety of the device.

Remember that the pressure compensation elements is DO NOT provide:

• permanent air flow into the enclosure,
• cooling of the enclosure,
• dehydration of compressed air.

Compensation components include plastic or metal plugs and special ventilated cable glands. Their use is recommended especially where the components are exposed to intense weather conditions. Our offer includes, among others, products of companies such as Bimed (a leader in this field), Bopla or Pflitsch (valued European producers).

Applications:

• Industrial and electronic equipment requiring high ingress protection degree (from IP 66).
• Renewable resources (wind and solar power plants).
• Automotive industry.
• Transport (including the railway industry).
• Industrial automation and production machines.

Key features:

• UL certification.
• Highly chemical-resistant.
• Water Intrusion Pressure from 0.10 to 0.90 bar, depending on plug or cable gland model.
• Various thread sizes, from M4 to M40.
• Many variants of Air Flow Rate (pressure exchange rate).
• Colours matched to the housing / application.
• Custom solutions are available on special order.

Bopla has prepared a very interesting video material that presents in a very simple way the key advantages of using pressure balance elements: