What is the best way to drive solenoid valves?

Solenoids are used in many applications to provide linear or rotary drive in mechanical systems. Although driving a solenoid valve can be as simple as turning the current on and off, it is usually driven by a dedicated IC to achieve better performance. In this article, we will examine how the drive circuit affects the electromechanical performance of the solenoid valve. Two different drive circuits will be compared: a simple switch and a current regulation driver. Energy-saving technologies that limit the power consumption of the solenoid will also be covered. Basic knowledge of solenoid valves In its simplest form, an electromagnetic coil is a coil that generates a magnetic field. What we usually call a solenoid is a device that uses a coil and a moving core made of iron or sometimes another magnetic material. Applying a current to the coil causes the core to be pulled or pushed relative to the coil, resulting in motion for driving the object in the mechanical system. A typical electromagnetic coil is shown in Figure 1.