An OEM needed a dampener compatible with food and pharmaceutical applications. We developed a custom APTD with dual PTFE diaphragm, AISI 316L body and Tri-Clamp fittings.
Standard dampeners fall short on hygienic lines
In dosing systems for the food and pharmaceutical industries, every component in contact with the fluid must meet strict requirements: smooth surfaces, certified materials, full sanitation capability.
Standard pulsation dampeners are often not designed for these conditions. The most common issues:
- Internal surfaces with high roughness, where residues accumulate
- Materials not compatible with food or pharmaceutical fluids
- Inability to perform CIP (Clean-in-Place) or SIP (Sterilization-in-Place) cycles
- Risk of contamination in case of diaphragm failure
The request: a dampener for food & pharma dosing systems
An OEM specializing in pumps and dosing systems for the food & beverage and pharmaceutical sectors asked us for a pulsation dampener with specific features:
- Compatibility with food and pharmaceutical fluids
- Full sanitation capability
- Standard hygienic fittings
- Safety in case of diaphragm failure
The solution: APTD dampener with dual diaphragm and barrier liquid
We designed an APTD dampener with the following features:
Dual PTFE diaphragm with intermediate barrier liquid
Two additional diaphragms are installed between the gas side and the fluid chamber; a barrier liquid is placed between the two diaphragms. If the process-side diaphragm fails, the fluid does not come into contact with the precharge gas because the barrier liquid signals the anomaly before it becomes contamination.
AISI 316L body with specific surface treatment
The AISI 316L body with specific surface treatment reduces roughness, eliminating any micro-cavities where bacteria or residues could accumulate, and makes the component compatible with CIP/SIP cycles.
Tri-Clamp fittings (BS4825-3)
Tool-free hygienic connections, standard in food and pharma lines. They allow quick inspection and maintenance.
Replaceable diaphragms
PTFE diaphragms can be replaced without changing the entire dampener, reducing maintenance costs.
Integrated grounding
For applications requiring electrostatic charge dissipation.
Available options for hygienic APTD dampeners
All options can be combined on the same dampener:
- Heating/cooling jacket
- Diaphragm rupture indicator
- Aseptic flanges (UNI, DIN EN 1092-1, ANSI, API, food and pharma versions)
- Process-compatible barrier liquid
When a custom food and pharma dampener is needed
A pulsation dampener designed for hygienic applications is necessary when:
- The fluid is a food product, an active pharmaceutical ingredient or a process intermediate
- The plant must comply with HACCP, GMP, FDA or equivalent regulations
- Washing and sterilization cycles (CIP/SIP) are required
- Contamination risk must be minimized by design
- Fittings must be compatible with the rest of the hygienic line
SAIP special products: design to customer specifications
This dampener was developed from customer specifications, with in-house design and manufacturing at our Opera (Milan) facility.
SAIP designs and manufactures pulsation dampeners and hydropneumatic accumulators for specific needs — such as those in food, pharma, oil & gas, offshore sectors — starting from a standard range with short lead times, up to fully custom solutions (special-to-project) with even extreme operating characteristics.
PTFE diaphragms comply with:
| FDA 21 CFR 177.1550 | EU 1935/2004 – EU 10/2011 |
| 3-A Sanitary Standards (20-27) | BS 6920-1:2000 WRAS |
Contact
To evaluate a custom solution for food, pharma or other demanding sectors, contact the SAIP technical department.