Monitor and Control Diaphragm Valves With Alfa Laval’s ThinkTop V55

The newest addition to Alfa Laval’s ThinkTop line of valve monitoring devices is the ThinkTop V55. This compact device connects to new or existing Alfa Laval diaphragm valves commonly used in hygienic conditions, such as the food and beverage or pharmaceutical industries.

The ThinkTop V55 valve diaphragm monitoring and control unit is designed for use in hygienic industries. Image used courtesy of Alfa Laval

The ThinkTop V55

The ThinkTop V55 sensing and control unit connects to diaphragm valves and detects the model on which it has been installed. The V55 then uses IO-Link technology to communicate with other control systems on protocols such as ProfiNet, Ethernet/IP, or Modbus. Once connected, the V55 can control and monitor diaphragm valves through the plant's or machine's control system.

Auto Setup and Hot Swapping

Process automation cannot afford unexpected downtime; in most cases, the process cannot be stopped, such as making bread or beer. For this reason, it is important to ensure automation devices can be configured quickly and swapped without powering down the equipment. The V55 has an auto-setup feature, which reads the valve type and size on which the V55 was installed and automatically adjusts programming and parameters to suit the attached valve.

The ThinkTop V55 is made to be installed onto diaphragm valves without having to stop operations. Image used courtesy of Alfa Laval

Alfa Laval has made the V55 hot-swappable to exchange defective units even faster, meaning power to the equipment or the V55 doesn't have to be disconnected. Simply remove the defective ThinkTop and replace it with a new one. Once all the connections and power have been restored, the unit will go into auto-setup and detect the attached valve. These features save time and allow components to be exchanged without stopping production.

Diaphragm Valve Monitoring

A diaphragm valve restricts the flow of product through the valve body by reducing the size of the opening in the valve; this makes the diaphragm valve a great way to reduce flow without additional components in the system. The ThinkTop V55 uses digital communication technology to control the size of the valve opening accurately and allows for real-time monitoring of the valve position. To help prevent unexpected downtime, the V55 uses internal diagnostic technology that monitors the valve's health and can report when the valve will need servicing. The multi-colored LEDs that surround the V55 are indicators of the valve's status and position. The user will find two configuring buttons and more status LEDs if the top is removed.

The ThinkTop V55 connects to a diaphragm valve to monitor and control the flow of fluids. Image used courtesy of Wikimedia

Compact and Built For Hygiene

The designers at Alfa Laval have ensured that the V55 is specifically designed for hygienic environments. With models offered in IP69K ratings, the V55 can handle wet and high-temperature environments commonly found in the food and beverage or pharmaceutical industries. The body of the V55 is also designed to be as slim as possible, allowing automation designers to position valves closely together, therefore saving space on the factory floor. The ThinkTop V55 can be installed on a variety of different-sized Alfa Laval diaphragm valves, making spare parts easier to stock as only one part number will satisfy multiple different valves.