Sterilised water actuates sanitary valves Valves employed in the extensive piping systems of the brewing, dairy and pharmaceutical industries have conventionally used compressed air to open and close. Scientists have developed a very attractive alternative to change decades of tradition. Industrial Technologies © Thinkstock Replacing pneumatic actuation with hydraulic actuation mediated by sterilised tap water mixed with glycol would reduce energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions for operators by up to 70 %. In addition, thanks to the incompressibility of the mixture in the desired operating range, the valve would stay in the desired position preventing unintended mixing of products. The EU-funded project 'Hydraulic actuator for valves in brewery, dairy and pharmaceutical industries' (HYDRACT) developed a sterilised water-operated hydraulic actuator as a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to pneumatic ones. The system accomplishes all the functions of any type of sanitary valve, including pressure regulation and cut-off of fluid flow. It incorporates wireless communication technology and sealing technology suitable for use with water as the hydraulic fluid. Hydraulic actuation is completely new in industries with strict requirements for sanitary conditions. Exploitation focused on winning the approval of a global end user with influence to overcome any initial scepticism. In addition, scientists first targeted retrofit of existing valves to reduce capital investment and eliminate the need to reprogramme mainframe control systems. The product was launched for retrofit at the Brau Beviale tradeshow for the beverage industry in Nuremberg in November 2011 supported by Carlsberg. The dairy industry got a taste at the Anuga FoodTec 2012 international trade fair for food and drink technology. Finally, the pharmaceutical industry was targeted at ACHEMA 2012, the World Exhibition Congress on Chemical Engineering, Environmental Protection and Biotechnology. Following further field tests, researchers plan to launch complete actuators with control units for incorporation into the design of future installations for regulation of valves with unheard of precision. Success will revolutionise regulatory valves in sanitary industries following four to five decades of pneumatic actuation. In addition to the cost and emissions benefits for factories, project partners can expect a major increase in revenue and a significantly strengthened leadership position. Keywords Sanitary valves, brewing, dairy, pharmaceutical, hydraulic actuator
