Author: Sara Peters | November 9, 2017 | Category: Valves

From time to time I get the opportunity to sit in on

product trainings offered here at Crane Engineering. A couple weeks
ago, I attended a session on sanitary valves, presented by Chris
Johnson, one of our account managers. He demonstrated the function
and features of each sanitary valve and discussed which were hygienic
and which were aseptic. After the presentation, I asked Chris to help
me understand what the difference is. Turns out, I wasn’t the first to
ask.

What's aseptic?
The term aseptic means to be free from contamination caused by
harmful bacteria, microorganisms, or viruses. When applied to valves,
it means the materials and surface finish of the valve are optimized for
exceptional cleanability. It also means each component of the valve
that comes in contact with the process is hermetically sealed from the
environment and atmosphere that surrounds the process. This is
acheived by using a bellows on the valve stem to prevent harmful
bacteria, et al, from getting into the process.
How hygienic and aseptic valves are similar
Hygienic and aseptic valves have a lot in common. They share similar
materials of construction, and smooth surface finishes. Their design
also requires there is no place for bacteria to hide within the valve.
Despite their similarities, there are distinct differences between the
two.

How’s hygienic different from aseptic?

While aseptic valves aim to prevent contamination from the
environment, the focus of hygienic valve design is easy cleanability.
Parts of a hygienic valve will move in and out of the process, becoming
exposed to the surrounding environment. For instance, a rising stem
on a valve will come in contact with the process, and may also come in
contact with the environment outside the process.
Take a look at this video of a hygienic mixproof valve from Rieger
Valves. Here you can see as the valve opens and closes, the stem
exits the body, and returns to the body.

Compare with this aseptic mixproof valve. Note how the bellows come
into play.

When do I use aseptic or hygienic valves?

Hygienic valves are common
in food, beverage, and dairy manufacturing. They are found in
processes where cleanability (CIP or COP) is extremely important.
Aseptic valves, are most often found in industries that require high
levels of purity. These include manufacturers of injection drugs,
cosmetics, microelectronics, and the like. Aseptic valves are used here
to control processes and minimize contamination from environmental
sources.
In sanitary applications, valve design matters! If you're unsure which
valve is best for your process, talk to an engineer. They can help
determine which valve will achieve your objectives for production and
cleanliness.
Not sure which valve is right for your process? Ask us about it! We
gladly provide technical assistance to businesses and municipalities in
Wisconsin and upper Michigan.
Sara Peters

Sara leads Crane Engineering's blogging team, coming up with fresh stories and
insights for our readers to apply to their every day work.