Beck Electric Actuators for Water & Wastewater

Continuous modulation with no duty limits and no routine maintenance

Beck electric actuators are widely used in water and wastewater treatment plants in the USA, on filter, aeration, sludge and penstock duties where conventional actuators overheat, wear and need regular attention. IPT Engineering is the UK representative for Beck, and has supplied and supported Beck drives in UK power, steel, glass and process plants for many years.

Under AMP8, water companies are being asked to reduce equipment failure, move from reactive to proactive maintenance and lower whole-life cost. Beck’s design removes the parts that usually fail on a modulating actuator: there is no burn-out motor, no thermal overload, no torque switch, no worm gear and no battery.

Applications in Water & Wastewater Plants

Aeration control

Blower inlet vanes and air distribution header valves, modulating continuously to hold dissolved oxygen set points without overheating.

Filter control

Filter effluent (rate of flow) valves, backwash and wash water return valves, where steady flow control gives better filter performance.

Penstocks and sluice gates

A dedicated Group 11 rising-stem model, for inlet, storm and tank isolation penstocks and weir gates.

Sludge handling

Return and waste activated sludge (RAS and WAS) valves, including valves on extension bonnets in pits.

Digesters and hazardous areas

Digester valves, with ATEX versions for Zone 2 and Zone 22 areas.

Pump speed control

Scoop and adjustable speed fluid and magnetic couplings on pumps and fans, an area where IPT has long experience.

Treatment processes

Ozone, reverse osmosis and membrane valves, rotating scum pipes, interconnect and well station valves.

Sludge incineration

Natural gas, scrubber, combustion air, exhaust gas and fan dampers.

Beck Compared with Conventional Actuators

	Typical conventional actuator	Beck actuator
Duty	Starts limited to protect the motor from inrush heating; modulating duties often restricted to a start every few seconds	100% continuous modulation with no duty-cycle or starts-per-hour limit
Motor protection	Thermal overloads and torque switches, which can trip and take the valve out of control	No-burnout motor that cannot overheat, even stalled; no thermal overloads or torque switches needed
Gearing	Worm gears add friction, heat, backlash and wear	Spur gears in heat-treated alloy steel and ductile iron, essentially no wear-induced backlash
Positioning	Coasting and overshoot limit small moves	Full torque in under 50 ms, stops in 25 ms; steps as small as 0.1°
Manual operation	Declutch lever to engage the handwheel	Declutching of the handwheel not required; the motor turns at low speed and poses no danger
Maintenance	Periodic inspection, with rebuilds every 5 to 8 years in harsh duties	No recommended periodic maintenance; 3 year warranty
Power loss	Position held by the gearing; batteries in some designs	Stays in place holding 200% of rated torque; optional ultra-capacitor backup unit, no batteries

More detail on the motor is on The Beck Motor page, and on the controls on the Digital Control Module page.

Beck Installations in US Water Plants

Photographs courtesy of Harold Beck & Sons

Beck Group 11 rising-stem electric actuator on a penstock at a US wastewater plant — Group 11 rising-stem model driving a penstock

Beck electric actuator on a rising-stem gate at a US water treatment plant — Beck drive operating a rising-stem gate on an open treatment basin

Beck actuators on pipeline butterfly valves with remote digital control modules — Butterfly valves with remotely mounted control modules

Beck electric actuator direct-coupled to a butterfly valve outdoors — Direct-coupled to a butterfly valve, outdoors

Beck actuator with crank arm linkage over a treatment channel — Linkage drive on a gate over a treatment channel

Beck remote digital control module and linkage-driven actuator — Remote control module with status LEDs, linkage to a large valve

What US Water Utilities Say

Four Beck actuators replaced units from another manufacturer that had burned out. Two were in pits that flooded with water and sludge in a high-flow event, and were submerged for about three days. “After we cleaned the pit out there was no problems… the Beck zero burnout actuator solved our problem.”

Assistant project manager, US wastewater utility

“The valves continuously modulate, adjusting the water flow throughout the plant. The Beck actuator allows continuous duty cycle, will not overheat, and that was very attractive to us… the low maintenance was definitely a benefit.”

Engineering manager, US water company, on a filter plant upgrade

Built for UK Supply

50 Hz operation, single-phase or 380/415 V three-phase, with an on-board transformer for supplies other than 120 V
Metric cable entry adaptors supplied for European orders
CE and UKCA approved, IP68 (3 m for 48 hours) and Type 4X enclosure
ATEX versions for Zone 2 and Zone 22 areas
4–20 mA control and feedback with HART
Remote mounting of the control module, away from wet or inaccessible locations
Optional ultra-capacitor backup power unit for a fail-to-position response
Operating range −40°C to 85°C, 0 to 100% relative humidity

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Beck actuator modulate continuously?

Yes. The Beck motor has starting and stall currents close to its running current, so it does not heat up with repeated starts. There is no duty-cycle or starts-per-hour limit, and it can track a 4–20 mA signal continuously.

What maintenance does a Beck actuator need?

Beck recommends no periodic maintenance. The motor has grease-sealed bearings, the spur gear train is lubricated for life and the position sensor is contactless.

Do Beck actuators need torque switches or thermal overloads?

No. The motor cannot overheat, even stalled, and the control module has configurable stall protection. Only normal short-circuit protection is needed.

Can Beck actuators be used on penstocks?

Yes. Beck builds a dedicated Group 11 model for rising-stem duties such as penstocks and sluice gates.

Are Beck actuators suitable for UK power supplies?

Yes. They run on 50 Hz, and an on-board transformer allows 240 V single-phase or 380/415 V three-phase supplies.

Can we see one working?

Yes. We can arrange product demonstrations, site surveys and application reviews for water companies and their contractors.

Arrange a Demonstration or Trial

We are happy to arrange discussions, demonstrations, site surveys and application reviews for water companies and their contractors. If you have a valve or penstock with a record of actuator failures, tell us about it and we will look at whether a Beck drive can be trialled on it.

Contact us to discuss your application, or see the Beck Electric Actuators page and our Beck installations in UK industry.