New technology for hygienic diaphragm valves

June 2024 Valves, Actuators & Pump Control

An essential component in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and beverages is the diaphragm valve. Until recently the choice was between forged and cast body variants, but this is now being challenged by a new ground-breaking technology. Bürkert’s hydroformed, lightweight diaphragm tube valve body will change the way you think about plant design and operation. It can contribute to more sustainable plant processes, while meeting the industry’s demanding regulations and increasing the overall productivity of your plant.

Current challenges

Traditional forged body diaphragm valves in sterilisation-in-place (SIP) processes require large amounts of costly steam, consuming energy needlessly. At the same time, their excessive thermal mass causes them to heat and cool slowly in clean in place (CIP) and SIP cycles, increasing manufacturing time. This is also valid for cast bodies. Even though they have a lower thermal mass than forged bodies, they are still heavier than Bürkert’s new tube valve body. Cast bodies also increase the risk of product contamination due to casting impurities.

The way to more sustainable processes

With Bürkert’s unique tube valve body, you can now regain valuable manufacturing time due to shortened heat-ups and quicker cool-downs. It has a much lighter thermal mass than forged and cast alternatives – up to 75% for a 5 cm valve. During laboratory testing, steam rate savings of up to 54% per valve were achieved (with a temperature delta of 100°K). Multiply this energy saving by the number of valves on your plant – and then multiply again by the number of CIP/SIP cycles per year.

The tube valve body is robust and rigid. Its wall thickness conforms to ASME-BPE 2014, while the hydroformed tube section and flange are joined by laser welding. Hygienic safety is assured by EHEDG-certified CIP processes and the fact that the media touches only the diaphragm and the pharma tube section, in the same way as the piping elements you are already using in your process. With this revolutionary body, you get access to the most hygienic connection available, tube-to-tube welding.

Higher plant productivity

Bürkert’s tube valve body is a ground-breaking technology for diaphragm valves users in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cosmetic, food and beverage industries. Applications can be found in clean utilities in distribution and storage loops for pharmaceutical water, such as water for injection (WFI) and purified water (PW), and also in CIP and SIP processes. You will be able to design lighter, more sustainable processes that use less steam for CIP and SIP. With these energy savings you will reduce your overall carbon footprint. Moreover, the tube valve bodies can increase the overall productivity of your plant by increasing the manufacturing time available to you.

For more information contact André Nel, Bürkert South Africa, +27 11 574 6000, [email protected], www.burkert.co.za

Share this article:

Valves, Actuators & Pump Control

New technology for hygienic diaphragm valves

Further reading:

Published by Technews