A damper, also known as a louvre, is a multi-element flow control device generally used to throttle large flows of air at low pressure. Dampers find common application in furnace and boiler draft control, and in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems.
Common damper designs include parallel and radial. Parallel-vane dampers resemble a Venetian blind, with multiple rectangular vanes synchronously rotated to throttle flow through a rectangular opening. Radial-vane dampers use multiple vanes arranged like petals of a flower to throttle flow through a circular opening. Dampers are opened and closed by electric or pneumatic drives.
In recent years, Kinetrol’s pneumatic vane actuator has earned an reputation for modulating dampers. Used in critical applications commonly found in power plants, refineries, boilers, and furnaces, these unique damper drives provide precise combustion gas management, and are proven to increase boiler efficiency, lower fuel consumption, reduce emissions, and reduce maintenance costs.
