The section valve is used to distribute the water from the pump unit or accumulator unit to the different sections with nozzles in the system. There are two sizes of the section valve and what size to be used is determined by the flow and the size of the system. The small section valves, that are most common, can be mounted together as a valve block and only need to be supplied with one pipe. The large section valves are mounted separately and need to be supplied with one pipe each. Both sizes of the section valve are available in two different types, based on their way of functioning.
Hydraulic section valve
The hydraulic section valve is used in systems with conventional activation. The valve is normally open and therefore it will be the same pressure on both sides of the valve when the system is in use. The valve may be closed manually when testing. It is equipped with a flow sensor to indicate which fire zone that has been activated and to start the pump unit or release the accumulator unit.
Electrical section valve
The electric section valve is used in systems with intelligent activation. The valve is normally closed and will not let any water pass through until it is activated. The valve is operated electrically by a coil and can be both opened and closed again. The coil can be activated either through a manual pushbutton or by a detector of some kind. The valve can also be operated by hand if the electrical activation would fail.