A sanitary steam trap is a specific type of steam trap that is designed to be used in applications and industries with stringent hygiene requirements. Steam traps are a type of valve that are used to filter out condensed steam while letting non-condensable gasses like air escape. Steam traps are useful in applications that use steam for heating or mechanical power, as they ensure that no live steam is wasted. For applications with strict hygiene standards, sanitary steam traps use SIP (Steam-in-Place) rather than CIP (Clean-in-Place), which adds additional sterilization by using low pressure steam at temperatures of 120-135°C. This process is used to eliminate any microorganisms before the condensate is looped back into the system. Sanitary steam traps are commonly used in the biopharmaceutical, food & beverage, and consumer health & beauty manufacturing industries!
How Does A Sanitary Steam Trap Work?
Sanitary steam traps and regular steam traps operate in much the same way, with some slight differences (like the Steam-in-Place process mentioned above) to eliminate any contaminants from the condensate. A steam trap is the part of the condensate loop that connects steam usage with the condensate return; when steam reaches the trap, it will purge air and other non-condensable gasses out of the system while simultaneously returning the condensate into the loop. There are three main categories of steam traps: thermostatic, mechanical, and thermodynamic. Thermostatic steam traps work by sensing changes in a fluid’s temperature, causing the valve to open for lower temperatures or close for higher temperatures. Mechanical steam traps work by sensing changes in a fluid’s density; when the trap senses the denser condensate, the valve will open, and when the trap senses the less-dense steam, the valve will close. Finally, thermodynamic steam traps operate by sensing changes in fluid dynamics. Thermodynamic steam traps rely on the formation of flash steam from condensate which causes the valve to either open or close.
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If you have any additional questions about sanitary steam traps in relation to your application, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Sentrol Life Sciences! We provide manufacturing facilities in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and Eastern Canada with instrumentation sales, repair, calibration, and much more! Call us today at (888) 877-1778 or fill out the contact form on our website, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible! Shop our online store to purchase sanitary steam traps from industry-leading manufacturers!
*Note: Steriflow Valve Brand Only Sold In New England*