Pulsation Dampening in Sanitary Process Systems

In biopharmaceutical and food processing, fluid transfer between process steps must occur under precise pressure, temperature, and flow conditions. Many manufacturers use positive displacement pumps—such as lobe pumps or three-phase diaphragm pumps—to facilitate this transfer.

However, these pumps operate by moving a fixed volume of fluid per stroke, which inherently causes pulsation in the fluid flow. This can lead to process disruptions in sensitive applications such as:

🔹 Chromatography, where pressure fluctuations can disturb delicate resins, impacting product quality.
🔹 Filtration, where pulsations may cause inconsistent separation, reducing efficiency.
🔹 Chemical Additive Dosing, where precision is crucial to maintaining formulation integrity.

Because biopharmaceutical materials are highly valuable, minimizing pulsation is critical to preventing waste and ensuring process reliability.

How Steriflow/Equilibar’s Pulsation Dampening Design Works

Upstream Pulsation Dampening
The valve’s unique diaphragm design naturally mitigates upstream pulsations by dynamically responding to fluid slugs, ensuring a steady and consistent upstream pressure. Its ultra-wide Cv range allows it to work seamlessly with positive displacement pumps, eliminating pressure spikes.

Downstream Pulsation Dampening
For downstream pulsation control, Equilibar FD sanitary control valves include a specialized passive dampening feature that absorbs excess energy.

🔹 A proprietary insert below the lower diaphragm compresses in response to pressure variations, absorbing pulsations before they reach the next process stage.
🔹 The insert’s geometric design ensures uniform pressure distribution, maximizing diaphragm sensitivity and maintaining precise control.
🔹 This passive dampening system, standard in the Steriflow/Equilibar FDO valve, has been shown to reduce pulsation amplitude by an average of 25%.

Why Choose Steriflow/Equilibar for Pulsation Dampening?

✅ Instantaneous Pressure Stabilization – The upper diaphragm reacts immediately to fluctuations, ensuring smooth flow.
✅ Enhanced Process Reliability – Reduces pulsations that could disrupt chromatography, filtration, or chemical dosing.
✅ Optimized for Sanitary Applications – The FDO series meets biopharma and food industry requirements with sanitary design and materials.
✅ Passive Dampening for Ease of Use – No additional mechanical components required—dampening is built into the valve design.
✅ Compatible with Positive Displacement Pumps – Works seamlessly with lobe and diaphragm pumps to maintain stability.

Conclusion

Pulsation dampening is essential in biopharmaceutical and food processing to ensure stable, reliable fluid transfer. The Steriflow/Equilibar FDO sanitary fluid control valve provides a proven, passive dampening solution, reducing pulsations and enhancing process consistency without added complexity.