Efficient autoclaves with compact process valves
26 Mar 2015
The latest Logiclave type vertical closing autoclave from ESTS claims to reduce running and maintenance costs by up to £60,000 over an average 10 year operating period.
The Logiclave LAB300 comprises 14 Bürkert valves, some of which have been adapted to reduce inventory and purchase costs as well as withstand the high temperatures associated with repeated steam sterilisation.
The LAB300 uses pulsed vacuum / pressure cycles to replace the air in the chamber with steam in order to achieve sterilising conditions.
When the cycle starts, the first of the Bürkert valves, a stainless steel bodied Type 2000 pneumatically operated angle seat valve, opens as an exhaust and then closes when the machine reaches a vacuum set point of 100 millibar within the chamber.
When it reaches this level, steam is injected via another Bürkert angle seat steam valve.
In order to guarantee savings in the total cost of ownership, the valves that control the fluid and steam in and out of the system’s heater have been adapted to cope with the high temperatures.
There are two actuated ball valves being used – one to control water flow into the header tank and another to drain the flash steam generator of any residual fluid; this has an extension piece to keep the heat transfer to a minimum to protect the actuator which inherently has a lower temperature protection rating than an angle seat valve.
Colin Hartop, one the team responsible for the design of the Logiclave said: “If you combine the cost reduction in servicing with the reduced energy costs and reduced downtime - just in terms of scheduled maintenance - there is a huge potential saving in the total cost of ownership between a Logiclave and a conventional autoclave of similar capacity.
“Our estimates put it conservatively at around £60,000 over a typical 10 year operating life.”
Hartop added: “We are only able to deliver these figures because we use quality valve products from a supplier that can be flexible about our needs, which is why we chose Control Stream as our preferred supplier and we standardised on Bürkert valves.
“The precision of operation is critical to achieving total life cost savings with this machine so performance is equally as important as durability.”
For more information, please visit: www.burkert.co.uk
