Gas Regulators

Why Choose Regulators from Specialty Gas Equipment?

We supply top quality, brass and stainless-steel single and two stage gas regulators. Our high purity gas regulators feature superior leak integrity, keeping your gasses pure and your application operating in a cost-effective manner.

Brass High Purity Gas Regulators

Stainless-Steel Gas Regulators

About Gas Regulators

Gas regulators regulate the pressure within gas supply lines inside a gas system. Gas regulators can also be referred to as gas regulator valves, gas pressure regulator valves or gas pressure reducing valves (PRV). Reduction of pressure is necessary to keep the gas system operating properly and in a safe manner. You will find regulators in every gas system.

Each gas system is pressure rated. The pressure rating is calculated dependent on the equipment that is being used and the gases that are being handled. The control that a gas pressure regulator supplies allows optimized control of pressure and flow rates. While a gas pressure regulator does not control the flow of gas, optimized control of pressure is a key component of flow control.

It is important to know the incoming pressure of a gas regulator and the required delivery pressure and flow rate when selecting a gas pressure regulator.

Types of Gas Regulators

There are primarily (2) types of regulators, single-stage (also referred to as one-stage) and two-stage. The difference in the single and two-stage is described in the name. Single stage pressure regulators provide reduction in a single step whereas two-stage regulators reduce pressure in two steps.

The Difference Between Single and Two Stage Regulators

A two-stage regulator separates pressure reduction into two steps. During the first step the gas pressure is reduced to a built-in, predetermined level and in the second stage the pressure is reduced again to a pressure level set by manually adjusting the pressure adjusting knob. This provides the most precise level of control over outlet pressure.

Single stage regulators do not offer the 2nd stage of reduction that two-stage regulators do, resulting in the pressure at discharge being less controlled. For this reason, the discharge pressure of single stage regulators has greater variances throughout the life of the cylinder unless recurring adjustments are being made to compensate for the second level of control.

Single stage regulators are less expensive and can be used where less control in a system is needed or if there are other line or point of use regulators downstream. Generally, two-stage regulators are needed in advanced gas systems.

Know Your CGA Fittings

CGA stands for Compressed Gas Association. The standardized CGA fitting system is based on the properties of the gasses being handled and the pressure rating of the cylinder.

Helium Leak Integrity

Helium leak integrity is a measure used to evaluate the quality and leak integrity of a regulator. The higher the number the less amount of leakage will occur over time.

As an example, a regulator with a 1 x 10^-8 has a leak rate of 1 bubble* to leak at a rate of 1/month. Whereas a regulator with a leak rate of 1 x 10^-9 would have a bubble^* leak rate of 1/9 months.
*Bubble diameter is 3mm

This is an important consideration as many of the high purity gases being used have purity levels in the low ppm or even ppb range.