A frequent requirement of manufacturing processes, quality control, or laboratory research is to acquire clean, consistent samples of a liquid intermediate or finished product at periodic intervals. Doing this in a way that is unobtrusive and does not compromise the integrity of the sample or the manufacturing process is crucial. A device known as a hygienic sample valve (or sampling valve) addresses this need.
Sample valves are commonly found in industries such as Food & Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Personal Hygiene, Healthcare, Water Treatment, and many industries never imagined. Each one is important in its own way.
Performance Requirements
Distinctive performance requirements of sample valves include:
- Sanitary check valve’s ability to handle liquids without leaking.
- Resistant to internal clogging.
- A design that eliminates or minimizes dead space within the valve, which could contaminate subsequent samples.
- Some applications require the hygienic sample valve to tolerate high temperatures, and high or low pressures.
- Parts are made from biologically compatible materials for Ultrapure applications.
Sample valves are produced by numerous manufacturers. Sample Valves & Equipment specializes in providing custom-built solutions for unique applications. The main body and stem of the sample valve are machined from 316L stainless steel. The sealing tip is High Purity Teflon. Options for the internal O-Ring are available.
Liquid Sampling Valve Uses
A hygienic sample valve is commonly mounted to Process piping and in a position and orientation where it can be easily operated and maintained. They may be connected to many types of equipment to collect the sample or just opened into a collection flask or bag by manually turning a knob to move a stem that opens the valve. Samples can then be transported for analysis. Testing of the sample is conducted to determine its characteristics by performing a physical, chemical, or biological examination.
Extreme care must be taken when collecting and analyzing samples using a sanity check valve for quality control purposes. Beyond the obvious considerations such as sampling frequency and avoiding contamination, some samples can degrade rapidly.
Installation and Maintenance
A hygienic sample valve must be properly installed and maintained over its lifetime.
They are periodically cleaned in various ways by flushing, disassembly, and autoclaving.
With their unique capabilities, it’s no wonder that sample valves play an often unseen but vital role in many industries. We hope our sampling valves provide a small but virtually unknown sense of security.
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