Sanitary valve standards are a series of specifications and requirements formulated to ensure that valves operate safely, reliably and without pollution in areas with strict requirements on sanitary conditions (such as food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and other industries). The following are some of the main sanitary valve standards:
1. Material standards
Valve parts in contact with the medium are usually made of non-toxic and corrosion-resistant materials, such as 316L stainless steel, which have good corrosion resistance and hygienic properties, can resist the erosion of media such as food and medicine, and will not release harmful substances.
Seals generally use rubber or plastic materials that meet food or pharmaceutical standards, such as EPDM, PTFE, etc., which have good elasticity, temperature resistance and chemical stability, ensuring sealing performance while not causing pollution to the medium.
2. Design and manufacturing standards
The structural design of the valve should avoid sanitary dead corners to ensure that the medium can flow smoothly without material residue and liquid accumulation. For example, a full-bore design is used to reduce obstructions in the flow channel; the connection of components such as the ball and valve seat should be smooth and avoid sharp corners and gaps.
The surface treatment requirements are high. The inner and outer surfaces of the valve body usually need to be polished with high precision. The roughness is generally required to reach Ra0.8μm or less to reduce bacterial adhesion and material adhesion, and facilitate cleaning and disinfection.
3. Sanitary certification standards
In the food industry, it is often necessary to comply with the relevant standards of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that the valve materials and surface treatment will not have a harmful effect on food.
In the pharmaceutical industry, it is necessary to meet the requirements of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for pharmaceutical production, including the design, installation, cleaning and verification of valves, to ensure the sterility and quality controllability of the pharmaceutical production process.
Some international certifications such as ISO 2852 and DIN 11851 are also widely recognized. These standards have detailed provisions for the design, manufacture, inspection and testing of sanitary valves.
4. Performance standards
Sanitary valves need to have good sealing performance to ensure zero leakage under various working conditions and prevent cross-contamination of media. For example, strict sealing tests, including air pressure tests and water pressure tests, are used to verify the sealing reliability of the valve.
The valve should be able to withstand a certain range of pressure and temperature to meet the requirements of different production processes. At the same time, it should have good wear resistance and durability during frequent opening and closing operations to ensure long-term stable operation.