How Does CIP and SIP Influcence Regulator and Control Valve Selection?

Steriflow is widely known in the industry as a company that manufactures regulators and control valves for Clean Steam SIP and WFI pressure control.  A lot of folks in the biopharma community also use our valves for process applications like buffer dilution, or for TFF retentate back pressure control.

It’s fairly straightforward to size and select a valve for dedicated WFI or clean steam applications.  You only have to provide us with the minimum, normal and max of flow, inlet pressure and outlet pressure.

However it’s not that simple for valves in process applications. These valves will not see just one media, they must also be able to handle the flow and pressure conditions associated with CIP and SIP. So, it becomes a little more complicated.  Once again, we need the minimum, normal and maximum flow, inlet pressure and outlet pressure for the process media.  But, we will also need the same information for CIP solution, purified water for rinse, and clean steam for when the lines and valve are sanitized and sterilized.

Lastly, if your valve supplier is worth their salt, they are going to ask you to provide the specific gravity or density, viscosity, vapor and critical pressure of the buffer or process solution. This can be difficult information to obtain, especially for retentate back pressure applications.  But since these factors can affect Cv, it’s critical that you provide them to get the proper valve for the application.