Flowserve Worcester Specialty Valves Provide Critical Food Service Process Control
DALLAS - In critical food service applications, it is essential that all flow line components meet the high purity, high vacuum, high cycle life, and pressure and temperature demands of these process environments. For the most demanding production environments such as critical high and low temperature processing, or where viscosity problems, purity, or abrasive environments (like high salt or sugar foods) present safety and production challenges, Worcester specialty valves are the answer.
Flowserve Worcester, part of Flowserve's Flow Control, offers a range of specialty valve solutions specifically designed for the food manufacturing industry's most critical service applications—where microbes, media deposits, mineral impurities, and cross-contamination can threaten the quality of food products. Ideal applications include sterile steam, nutrient inlets, cryogenic, and high purity water.
Worcester Tube Bore WK74 Series Clean Valves
Flowserve Worcester tube bore WK74 Series clean valves and Worcester high performance cryogenic ball valves provide critical service environment operation in temperatures ranging from -320 °F up to 600°F, and at pressures ranging from an average 150 psi up to 6,000 psi for specialized high pressure applications such as margarine, peanut butter, hops and spice extraction methods which require customized design solutions.
Flowserve Worcester tube bore WK74 Series clean valves are stainless steel ball valves designed for high purity and aseptic processes. The FDA approved line is designed for temperature control (WK44 70 and 74) where the valves fill and drain dry powder, liquids, and solid foods into and out of the kettles.
Flowserve Worcester's steam valves are designed for food transfer, cooking, and viscosity control, particularly in jacketed equipment and kettles used in high viscosity lines like peanut butter and chocolate production to keep products warm and flowing.
The valves control liquid flow to conduct superheated water for cleaning after each production batch is completed to cater to either a Steam In Place or Clean in Place (chemicals and caustics to clean system out between batches to kill bacteria) process. Many facilities employ a Steam in Place process which uses live steam to spray inside valves, piping and tanks to make sure food is flushed out and the system is decontaminated. The cleaning is automatically scheduled via computer-controlled systems between batches.
Worcester Cryogenic Valve Solutions Keep Food Cold and Clean
The Flowserve Worcester high performance cryogenic ball valves Series C4, C44, and C51 are shutoff valves for intermittent and continuous flow applications at temperature to -320°F. This range of specialty valves meets the demands of tough applications involving all types of cryogens – oxygen, hydrogen, ammonia, CO2, and nitrogen. The Worcester line of cryogenic valves offers automatic or manual control of cryogenic fluids with no contamination, no fluid degradation, and no waste while assuring safety to human life, property and environment. The wrong specification here can turn an inferior valve into a time bomb.
The Worcester Series C4, C44, and C51 range is designed for use in food manufacturing that requires flash freezing without crystallization such as frozen foods and seafood where liquid nitrogen is sprayed on seafood to avoid spoilage. Producers semi-process the fish at sea with liquid CO2 or liquid nitrogen at a temperature of - 60°F to -100°F. Pre-cooked food is taken on conveyor belts which carry food into chambers where it is sprayed with liquid nitrogen to flash freeze food and offers good reheating characteristics.
Ball valves are not used where salmonella is a potential problem (such as meat processing) where a more appropriate solution would be to use a diaphragm valve. Anywhere bacteria can build and food is not pasteurized later ball valves are not used.
For more information on Worcester Control clean service, steam, and cryogenic valves, contact Dennis Garber by phone at (931) 432-4021 or by e-mail at dgarber@flowserve.com.
About Flowserve Corp.
Flowserve Corp. is one of the world's leading providers of fluid motion and control products and services. Operating in 56 countries, the company produces engineered and industrial pumps, seals and valves as well as a range of related flow management services. More information about Flowserve Corp. can be obtained by visiting the company's website at www.flowserve.com.
Source: Flowserve