Pressure measurement in food processes is a complicated task. Any instrument must comply with international standards that guarantee that the final product is free of contamination.
Therefore, the use of analog or digital pressure gauges must comply with a correct specification.
These are some standards required in the food and beverage industry:
- FDA (Food and Drug Administration).
- EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group).
- 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc.
- ATEX (directive 94/9/EC).
In the food industry, in piping systems, equipment and/or accessories through which raw materials, inputs, by-products or final product circulate, they must be made of special materials such as SS 304/316/304L/316L, they must be easily removable and facilitate daily cleaning or when a batch is produced. In this order of ideas, the pressure gauges must comply with:
- The instrument case must be made of 316 or 316L stainless steel.
- The sensing element, in contact with the product, must not be a bourdon, capsule or spiral. This is because these types of sensors do not allow perfect washing and, due to their geometry, can harbor dirty areas ideal for the formation of bacteria. The most recommended is the use of membranes or diaphragm seals connected directly to the pressure gauge; This set must be filled with a non-polluting product that, in the event of seal failure, will not contaminate the product being measured.
- Separator systems are optimal to protect the instrument against aggressive, adhesive, crystallizing, viscous corrosive, contaminating or toxic media.
- The seals can be connected directly to the instrument or use a capillary that allows the instrument to be moved away from the measurement point and facilitates reading.
- With respect to the type of connection of the instrument to the process, there are several possibilities, the tri clamp® or SMS thread. NPT or BSP connections are not indicated for the food industry.
- The instrument, as long as it complies with the previous recommendations, can be an analog manometer, transmitter or intelligent transmitter.
Flexilatina has extensive experience in the correct supply of instruments to measure pressure in the food industry. With our multi-brand representation; Our stock is made up of Wika, Winters and Noshok instruments.