The Use and Application of Sanitary Sample Valves

 

Sanitary sampling valves are used in industrial processes where it is necessary to obtain a representative portion of a fluid (liquid, gas, powder, slurry or fluidized solid) from a tank or pipeline for certain examinations (physical or chemical analysis).

By extracting samples from any part of the pipeline or reactor, sanitary sampling valves facilitate a range of industrial processes such as:

regulatory assessment
QC
Analysis and identification of fluid properties.

 

 

Sampling valves enable testing and analysis of microbial and physicochemical toxins in a variety of manufacturing plants. The advantages of sampling valves are:

Promote closed sampling
Make sampling easy
High-quality samples with reproducible results
Adapt to various working conditions

 

 

Sanitary sampling valves are available in a variety of configurations, operating modes, seats, body shapes and end connections. Here are the general categories of sampling valves you might find at your neighborhood hardware store:

Sterile sampling valve
For anything to be considered sterile, it must be free from contamination by bacteria and other microbial activity. Valves considered sterile feature residue-free bodies, polished clean surfaces and a unique design that allows for easy inspection and easy cleaning.

Sterile sampling valves achieve this because they are designed for easier sterilization before and after obtaining the liquid portion. This prevents any bacterial activity within the valve components. Sterile sampling valves are modular in design so you can configure them according to your sampling requirements.

open valve
Simply operate the handle or activate the on/off lever on the valve to open the valve. Steering can be done manually or pneumatically. When operating manually, turn the handle counterclockwise to retract the stem and diaphragm from the O-ring seat.

Turn off disinfection
There is a built-in spring that helps close the valve and also keeps the passage between the hoses easy to sanitize. Sterilization can be accomplished using steam ionizing radiation, steam, dry heat, and gases. When using steam sterilization, it is safe to install some pressure relief valve at the outlet of the sterile sampling valve.

Standard sampling valve
The valve has a shaft and seal and is operated using a handwheel, making some up and down movements to open or close the valve.

To open the valve, turn the handwheel counterclockwise and lift the seal and shaft away from the outlet.

To close the valve, use a clockwise operation to move the seal and shaft to the outlet.

Yogurt sampling valve
There is an on/off handle that opens or closes the valve when pressed.

The outlet is located inside the tank so the valve cannot accidentally open under high pressure conditions.

 

 

Depending on the conditions you want to sample, sanitary sampling valves are available in a variety of finishing and decorative configurations to suit your requirements.

The four most important components of a sampling valve include the valve body, diaphragm, spring and valve head. The rubber membrane is placed on the valve stem, which can be used as a dynamic packing in the valve seat to absorb some shock and reduce vibration, or as a static packing to seal the valve and maintain hygiene by eliminating dead corners.

They feature AISI304 and AISI316L forged steel bodies, but you can also find some designed with FDA-approved PTFE technology for reliable sealing and easier clean-in-place, meeting sterility and hygiene requirements. The forged design also eliminates any welding requirements that would otherwise create gaps where scale could form.

The internal polishing fineness of the valve is 0.4-0.8μm, which can ensure absolute sterilization even if the valve is closed.

End connections can be threaded, butt welded, or triple-clamped to provide an enhanced leak-proof seal and keep parts of the valve away from the outside environment for high-quality sample results.

The seals are made of PTFE, which makes the valve suitable for use in manufacturing plants with extreme temperatures.

Most sanitary sampling valves can withstand temperatures from -10°C to 120°C and operating pressures of 145 psi / 10 bar. Therefore, they can be easily installed anywhere in the pipeline or reactor to obtain fluid portions from any part of the process plant. When installed at the bottom of the tank, they also help drain residue.

 

 

They are used in a variety of hygiene processes, such as in the biopharmaceutical, food and beverage, and personal care industries. They facilitate reliable, highly accurate and cost-effective sampling that can be easily reproduced when validation is required.

For example, have you ever wondered how your favorite beverages become safe? Without a cleverly designed sampling valve, it would be difficult for technicians to analyze the purity of your beverage, and your favorite bottle of soda could contain some very dangerous toxins.

In soft drink manufacturing plants, technicians use sanitary sampling valves to analyze the purity of the water used in the process. Samples are taken from dechlorination towers and pipelines and analyzed for microbiological or physicochemical toxins. This way, the drink you end up buying from the local cafeteria will be drinkable.