Stainless steel is important for manufacturers that need to meet sanitary requirements. Sanitary tubing, for instance, is important to help to keep consumable products uncontaminated during this process, and as such should be well understood by the people utilizing them. If you are in the food manufacturing business, here are a couple of the most important things you should know.
High quality sanitary fittings help maintain freshness, and prevent contamination from bacteria, during the manufacturing process. Sanitized tri clamp ferrule and tri clamp valves are used primarily in industries that deal with liquid products such as soft drinks, wine, juice, dairy, and beer. The sanitary valves serve as a connector between the tubing and pipes that move the product.
Understanding Fittings
It is important to periodically disassemble the fittings for sanitation, and to do so you need to know how the fittings work. A tri clamp value is made of three specific parts: two tri clamp ferrules, one clamp, and one gasket. The clamp is what holds everything together, sealing the fitting while compressing the gasket. These are easy to connect, and are relatively easy to disassemble for cleaning and sanitation.
The next parts are butterfly valves and ball valves. Ball valves are highly affordable; however, they can be more difficult to clean. This is one reason why manufacturers tend to overlook this type, as sediment is more prone to collecting within it. Coupled with the fact that it’s harder to keep clean, it’s usually best to pass on this type of valve.
A tri clamp butterfly valve is available in half and full locking varieties, meaning you can easily tell there the connection is located. This type is what you will usually find in breweries, wineries, and dairy processors. Not only are they durable, but they are more sanitary and can be cleaned with relative ease.
Butterfly valves are also coupled with tri clamp ball valves are considered some of the best that you can invest in. They are easy to take apart and clean, as they come in 3 pieces that are easy to identify. A wrench is needed to remove the valve from the pipe or tube, but aside from that, it is a straightforward process.
Keep In Mind
Knowing the difference between components and valve types is just as important as knowing how to routinely maintain them. Tri clamp valves with tri clamp ferrule, gaskets and clamps are important if you deal primarily with liquids, and they are some of the easiest in terms of cleaning.
Ball valves on their own are prone to sediment accumulation, and if possible butterfly valves should be considered in their place. Overall the primary concern should not only be efficiency, but ease of cleaning and sanitation, and understanding your fittings is one of the best places to start.
