A valve manifold combines multiple valves and fluid connections into one organized assembly. Internal passages or common headers can reduce the amount of separate piping, tubing, and fittings required to connect the individual valves.
Manifolds can be designed for hydraulic oil, compressed air, water, process liquids, gases, instrumentation circuits, or other compatible media. The type of valve used depends on what the system needs to accomplish.
Valve functions can include isolation, one-way flow, directional control, pressure regulation, flow adjustment, automatic shutoff, or switching between multiple process connections.
Fluid Routing
How Valve Manifolds Work
Fluid enters the manifold through one or more connections and travels through passages toward the installed valves. Each valve changes the relationship between the available flow paths.
A valve may open or close one passage, redirect fluid between alternate ports, prevent reverse flow, reduce pressure, or isolate part of a larger circuit.
Several control functions can therefore operate within the same manifold body while sharing common supply, return, exhaust, or process connections.
Valve Technologies
Types of Valves Used With Manifolds
The correct valve depends on the medium, operating pressure, desired control function, flow requirement, actuation method, and surrounding process.
Ball Valve Manifolds
Use rotary ball valves for isolation, switching, and multi-port fluid control.
Learn More → 02Check Valve Manifolds
Control flow direction by allowing movement one way while restricting reverse flow.
Learn More → 03Butterfly Valve Manifolds
Use rotating discs for isolation and control in larger flow passages.
Learn More → 04Diaphragm Valve Manifolds
Use flexible diaphragms to isolate valve mechanisms from process media.
Learn More →Isolation
Isolation and Shutoff Functions
One of the most common valve functions is completely opening or closing a flow path. Isolation can allow equipment to be serviced, separate parts of a process, or stop fluid movement during machine shutdown.
Rotary ball valves are one example of valves frequently associated with positive shutoff and relatively direct flow paths.
Butterfly and diaphragm valves can also provide isolation depending on the process medium, pipe size, pressure, and valve design.
One-Way Flow
Preventing Reverse Flow
Some circuits require fluid to move freely in one direction but remain blocked in the opposite direction. Check valves provide this automatic one-way control.
Manifolds using check valves can incorporate reverse-flow prevention within internal circuit branches without requiring separate external valve assemblies at every connection.
Explore Check Valve Manifolds →Automated Control
Solenoid and Directional Valve Manifolds
Automated systems can use electrically operated valves to switch manifold flow paths according to machine logic or process conditions.
Solenoid valves are particularly useful where an electrical controller must command fluid or pneumatic movement without manual valve operation.
Hydraulic applications can also use specialized hydraulic valves within manifolds designed for pressure, directional, flow, and actuator control.
Engineering
Valve Manifold Design Factors
Process Systems
Valve Manifolds Beyond Fluid Power
Manifold systems are not limited to hydraulic and pneumatic machinery. They can also organize valves in process systems, instrumentation, sampling equipment, distribution networks, and other industrial fluid applications.
Some process applications use diaphragm valves when separating valve mechanisms from the process medium is important.
The manifold configuration ultimately depends on the medium, process conditions, number of connections, valve functions, and maintenance requirements.
Selection
Choosing a Valve Manifold Configuration
Valve selection starts by identifying what each branch of the system must accomplish. Isolation, reverse-flow prevention, modulation, directional switching, pressure control, and automated actuation each point toward different valve technologies.
Designers must then match those functions to pressure, flow, media compatibility, port size, available space, and maintenance requirements.
Valve Manifold Selection Guide →