Sterile Valve series

GEA Tuchenhagen has completed its VESTA Sterile Valve series with various tank-bottom valve variants. This provides the users with a full range of solutions in sensitive processes where high sterile requirements must be fulfilled. The innovative concept of single-seat valves with PTFE bellows offers process engineering and economic advantages. This valve series was developed specifically for the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics and biotechnology markets.

The core element is the PTFE bellows sealing element, the sealing system is patented and provides a long service life. Process reliability and the highest product quality are basic requirements in sterile applications. Sterile valves play an important role when it comes to sealing the process interior hermetically and safely against the outside atmosphere.

In addition, the plants must be CIP/SIP compatible. Successful and repeatable cleaning results can only be achieved when specific design criteria are met. Apart from the quality of the product contact surface finishes, ge-ometry has a significant influence. One of the major goals achieved was to provide proof of cleanability. Modern development tools – such as flow simulation – were used, so that inferences with respect to cleaning efficiency could be drawn at the early stages of development.

Subsequent test runs produced excellent cleaning results, validating the inferences from the design stage. With this achieved, we submitted the valves for EHEDG testing. The corresponding expert report and the EHEDG certificate are available. The VESTA® valve program includes shut-off, tank-bottom and sampling valves in different housing variants as well as valve blocks and distribution systems in the nominal widths DN 10 – DN 100, available for manual operation, with NC/NO pneumatic actuators made of synthetic material or stainless steel (can be equipped with T.VIS monitoring systems).