Lesson 6 - Hygienic Design
In this lesson we will discuss the principles of hygienic design and how it is applicable in the brewing industry. Hygienic design covers equipment that is in contact with the product, as well as equipment and the environment that is not in contact with the product.
Valves
Valves are by far the most common piece of equipment in any processing plant. You would have learnt all about the different types of valves and how they work in the Fluid Mechanics unit, so we will not go into the details of this.
For a valve to qualify as a hygienic it has:
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No cavities or voids inside the valve
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Smooth flow path without obstructions
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Connections flush with piping
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Ability to clean without removing
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Hygienic metal, seal and gasket materials
It is difficult to determine whether a valve is hygienic purely based on the type of valve. Whilst some valves, such as globe valves, would be nearly impossible to design in a hygienic way, other valves, such as butterfly valves, could be hygienic or not. Once again, it is best to use supplier certification to determine the suitability of the valve.