There a lot of factors to consider when choosing sanitary pipe fittings such as size, interior and exterior diameter, pipe thickness as well as material. This is in addition to the range variety and types of sanitary fittings used to connect sanitary pipes, tubes and hoses.
Some of the commonly used household sanitary fittings include sinks, bathtubs, water closets, hand washbasins, urinals and flushing cisterns.
Unlike other types of fittings, sanitary fittings are built especially for high-sterile environments like pharmaceutical production, food and beverage industry, cosmetic and beauty production.
Sanitary Process Piping and Fittings
Fittings are categorized into three main types: The type of vessels to be connected, connection type and function.
1. Types of Vessels
This either refers to pipe, tube or hoses. Different fittings are used on different vessels. Pipes are made for specific applications and sanitary pipes used in sterile applications are connected using proper sanitary fittings. Tubes are often designed with precise dimensions, unlike pipes which often come in varying dimensions. Hoses, on the other hand, are different from pipes and tubes in that they are made using flexible material and ideally suitable for fluid transportation.
2.Connection Type
How a fitting attaches to different kind of vessels — pipe, tube or hose, will determine the type of fitting to use for particular end connections. Some examples of fitting connection types are:
- Ball and sleeve
- Crimp
- End fittings
- Leur and cam-lock fittings
- Flanges
- Threaded fittings
3. Functionality
Fittings are also classified according to their immediate application or purpose. Examples of fittings used to change the flow direction of a liquid include cap and pug, coupling, sleeve, adapter and union. Some fittings are used to change the diameter of a pipe and examples include elbow, tee, cross and wye. And lastly there other kinds of fittings built for a specialized purpose, examples are nipples and sanitary ball and check valves.
Sanitary Process Piping and Fittings Materials
Additionally, sanitary fittings piping and fittings are categorized according to the materials. The material used will determine the integrity and durability of a fitting and its ideal area of use. For instance, fittings exposed to high temperature and corrosive applications will need to be made from quality material that can withstand such conditions. The three types of materials commonly used by sanitary ball valves manufacturers are.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel sanitary tubing and fittings are considered the most suitable option when setting up a sterile production plant due to its durability and the fact that stainless steel is highly corrosion-resistant. The different types of stainless steel are graded differently but are known to offer superior functionality than other fittings materials. This is also a popular choice among drug, food and beverage industries.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
This is yet another option sanitary ball valves manufacturers have when it comes to choosing material for other fittings as well. Polytetrafluoroethylene offers excellent corrosion resistance and highly-sterilized media for different industrial use. The fluorocarbon component of the material also provides both thermal and electrical insulation. Graphite and glass fibers are some of the fillers added to this fluorocarbon to increase its structural stability and durability.
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)
Another type of fluorocarbon fitting material is Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) which is highly resistant to chemicals and has excellent mechanical properties, high purity, and significantly low moisture absorption. These particular properties make PVDF a favorite among sanitary ball valves manufacturers.
