Valves For Food And Beverage

The food and beverage processing industry covers a wide range of edible products, including dairy, meat, baked goods, and canned food. Since this industry is so diverse, it is essential to understand every aspect of it to meet regulatory requirements while constantly improving performance.

Best-in-class technologies are helping these low-margin industries gain a competitive edge. Since food prices are primarily governed by factors outside a processor’s control, it is important to increase efficiency. One way to do so is by using high-quality, reasonably-priced valves for food and beverage made by the best China valve supplier As the name refers, the sanitary valve is a type of valve that fulfills specific health and safety standards for applications in the food and beverage industry. These sterile valves are essential to maintain the purity of the consumable food products that flow through them. Typically, the body is built with stainless steel, especially SUS304, and 316L, that meets high health standards. Brass and plastic are also acceptable, but stainless steel is preferred the most. Sanitary valves must not have any cavities and crevices to avoid bacterial growth. All components that are likely to contact the fluid, gas, or slurry are mirror polished. Moreover, the degree of polishing and cleanliness should also satisfy the health standards defined by its industrial function.

There are many benefits of food and beverage valves in the processing industry. Control valves, for example, help improve process efficiency by reducing process variability to help maintain consistency in quality. They also make processes more energy efficient since they provide maximum control over any process variable.

At the same time, valve are tools that stave off dangerous, disease-causing pathogens from food products. For instance, the tight shut-off capabilities offered by a ball or dairy butterfly valve help prevent leakage and cross-contamination in the dairy industry. Another benefit of food and beverage valves is that they help food manufacturers increase their output and runtime while reducing costly unplanned downtime, as long as the valves are well-maintained.

Automation is one of the biggest driving forces of most global industries in the world today, including the food and beverage sector. With rising labor costs and more stringent food safety regulations, processors are looking for methods wherein they can reduce manual labor. Valves play an indispensable role in automation, which in turn increases productivity without compromising on quality. Hence, it can be said that the right valve, whether it is a butterfly or globe valve, can offer a competitive advantage.

Purpose of sanitary valves

In the food and beverage industry, sanitary valves are used in connecting and controlling conveyance pipes. They maintain the purity, stability, and quality of fluids during conveyance due to stainless steel construction. In addition, sanitary valves are easy to disinfect and clean in order to keep them tidy.

Factors To Consider When Selecting Valves For Food And Beverage

1. Valve Specifications

As mentioned above, valve in the food and beverage industry belong to two primary categories – direct contact valves and utility valves. Valves that belong to the former category must adhere to strict regulations, including the 3A Sanitary Standards, and ASME BPE codes for bioprocessing equipment. In addition, the inside of the valve must be smooth with a surface finish of 15-20 micro inches arithmetic mean roughness to prevent the trapping of food particles.

Similarly, utility valves like gate valves need to have higher alloy values to increase durability and reduce maintenance costs. As a thumb rule, direct steam applications will require 316 SST, and indirect steam applications are suited to Alloy 6.

2. System Pressure And Temperature

The valves and the materials they are made from need to be strong enough to withstand the environmental conditions of the processing system. This includes extreme highs and lows in temperature and pressure.

Selecting the right valve size will help determine the temperature, pressure, and flow rate that the valve can withstand. In general, valves made from metals like stainless steel can withstand more temperature and pressure fluctuations compared to plastic valves.