Fast acquisition control system for shot peening valves

A method for quickly establishing controlled flow of a media comprising:

• providing a valve having a first pole piece and a second pole piece separated by a working gap through which the media may flow, the first pole piece and the second pole piece for directing a first magnetic field through the working gap, wherein the first pole piece is directly connected to a first magnet and the second pole piece is directly connected to a second magnet for generating the first magnetic field;
• providing a coil to generate a second magnetic field when electrical current is passed through the coil, the second magnetic field opposing the first magnetic field;
• determining a first duty cycle of current corresponding to a desired flow rate by referring to a predetermined lookup table;
• when the desired flow rate is not in the predetermined lookup table:
• interpolating between entries in the predetermined lookup table to determine the first duty cycle of current;
• and
• when the desired flow rate is in the predetermined lookup table:
• determining the first duty cycle of current by retrieving the first duty cycle of current from the corresponding desired flow rate in the lookup table;
• applying the first duty cycle of current to the coil to establish a first flow rate of the media through the working gap;
• maintaining the first duty cycle of current for a predetermined time;
• providing a sensor downstream of the working gap for measuring the first flow rate of the media resulting from the first duty cycle of current in the coil after the predetermined time;
• comparing the first flow rate as measured by the sensor after the predetermined time to the desired flow rate to determine a difference between the first flow rate and the desired flow rate;
• and
• adjusting the first duty cycle of current based on the difference, wherein the adjusted first duty cycle of current achieves the desired flow rate, and storing the adjusted first duty cycle of current in the lookup table.