Valves are an essential part of process industries. They are used to control fluid flow across many components and systems. For example, valves manage water flow in a piping system from different sources, such as the main tank. The valves are installed at various locations depending on the requirement. The valve's working is controlled and regulated according to the process requirement.
The valve consists of a mechanism that obstructs fluid flow. The percentage of obstruction is controllable and can be controlled manually, pneumatically, or electro-pneumatically.
Recent advancement in control automation technology has also enabled the valves to benefit. Valves nowadays can be controlled through automatic actuators, capable of taking commands from a controller such as Programmable Logic Controller – PLC. These actuators take input in the form of electrical signals and convert it into pneumatic signals. It enables the valves to make precise movements, which is critical to process industries.
This allows controlling fluid flow automatically, without human involvement. And the entire pharmaceutical product life cycle can be automated from manufacturing to packaging.
Valves Market Trends
The global valve market currently (2021) resides at USD 2.2 billion and is expected to grow at a rate of 4.5% up to 2.8 billion by 2026. The main factor contributing to the growth is the expansion of process industries globally. The introduction of automation is also one of the factors, as it enables energy efficiency reliability and increases control over process parameters.
However, increased prices in raw materials are the main obstacle in its linear growth.
Pharmaceuticals have the most share in the growth in the valve industry. Valves can effectively produce safe and hygienic processes because safety and hygiene are essential in pharmaceutical industries.
Among all markets, Asia Pacific has the most significant growth rate. The Asia Pacific region is witnessing increased growth in industrialization, and China has reported more growth in all Asia Pacific markets.
Impact of COVID-19 on Valves
COVID – 19 affected most industries and hampered their growth. As a result, the consumption of different components and systems also declined. However, some industries kept their development, and COVID didn't hinder their progress towards expansion.
During the pandemic, the need for medication rose exponentially, especially those used to treat COVID. As stated above, the valves play an essential role in producing medicines; the valves industry grew rapidly. Many industry players saw pandemics as an opportunity and developed new innovative ways to increase revenue.
Another reason for the increase in pharma production due to COVID- 19 is the valve's ability to provide contamination-free operations. Mainly valves are manufactured by using Stainless Steel. The SS offers excellent resistance to contamination.
However, the valve market for some industries also dropped, for example, in the Oil & gas Industry. The price of oil decreased drastically and affected its growth.
Another industry that uses valves is wastewater treatment. Valves are used to control different fluids such as Compressed Air and wastewater. The shutdown of daily life, and most industrial operations, decreased wastewater generation. As a result, treatment requirements were also reduced, which caused a decrease in the demand for different process components, including the valves.
Applications of Valves in the pharma industry
Valves have an essential share in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical product life cycle. Their ability to operate and control the process without human involvement, contamination-free material of construction, and precise control over fluid flow have made them an ideal choice for the manufacturers of pharmaceutical machines.
Some pharmaceutical industry applications where Read More
(All Rights Reserved)