Sanitary tubing and fitting types and the standards that regulate their use have evolved over the years by trial and improvement. As a result, a great variety of sanitary piping and standards are in use today. Stainless steel is the most preferred material used in sanitary piping. This metal has the advantage of durability, corrosion resistance, and cost, relative to other materials. They are classified based on the chemical composition and it provides information to overcome many types of corrosion. Stainless steels of various grades are widely used as an engineering material for the fabrication of sanitary parts and accessories.
Dairy and food industries are concerned with product
purity and reliability of equipment. To achieve these, stainless steel is the
most practical and economical material choice for process equipment. So it is
essential to select the most suitable grade of stainless steel depending on the
requirements of the specific application. In food and dairy processing
industries, corrosion is the most crucial factor which directly influences the
equipment and indirectly the overall equipment longevity.
Stainless steel overcomes the problem of corrosion
which is a major concern of food and many other industries. It’s considered as
one of the noblest metals for use in the dairy industry.
Classification of Stainless Steel
Stainless steels are basically classified as
austenitic, super-austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, and duplex grades. Each of
these primary groups contains a number of alloys that are defined according to
the chemical composition. Apart from chromium, the alloy constituents nickel,
nitrogen, and molybdenum are of tremendous importance to the corrosion
resistance. There is the presence of carbon up to a certain degree and it is
important for the welding properties. In addition, titanium, niobium, sulphur,
manganese, and copper are used as alloy constituents to impart certain
properties. Ferritic and martensitic steels are magnetic and martensitic steels
are typically hardened by heat treatment and not easily formable. Duplex grades
are more stress corrosion resistant and tougher than ferritic grades.
Austenitic steels harden when cold worked.
Desirable Properties of Stainless Steel
The properties of stainless steel play a crucial
role in the design of various sanitary
parts and accessories. The use of high-quality stainless
steel not only prevents corrosion but also ensures the purity of food product.
Additionally, stainless steels are easy to clean and maintain and a number of
different products can be manufactured using the same parts or equipment. If
maintained properly, they can be expected to last for years to come. Important
characteristics to consider when choosing stainless steel are:
- Toughness
- Surface finish
- Oxidation and sulfidation resistant
- Physical properties like electrical resistivity, thermalconductivity, and magnetic properties
- Abrasion, erosion, seizing, and galling resistant
- Corrosion resistant
- Suitability for intended cleaning procedures
Application of Stainless Steel in Food and Dairy Industry
Its application in the food and dairy industry
includes:
- Processing equipment like heat-exchanger, metal detector, decanter, separator, homogenizer, pasteurizer, mixing tank, process tank, etc.
- Storage tanks and form equipment include road tanker, milking machine, silo tank, cans, bulk milk cooler, etc.
At TriClamp.co we are your one-stop shop for reliable
sanitary distillation parts of all sizes and types. We are the leading sanitary
fitting supplier and have supplied sanitary Tri Clamp parts, fittings, and
valves to over 250 distilleries as well as numerous breweries, dairies, and
food processors all over the world. Our sanitary parts and accessories are of
the best quality with the best price in the industry. Shop today!
