High material requirements in the processing industry
Freudenberg Process Seals is continuously developing its materials to meet the growing requirements in the processing industry.
Through continuous optimization of production sequences in the processing industry, the demands being made of the sealing technology are getting increasingly higher. Today, in the food industry for example, many plants are cleaned with acids and alkaline solutions. To shorten the cleaning times, the cleaning conditions intensify by increasing the concentrations and temperatures. While foods used to be preserved using preservatives, today the shelf life is optimized through sterile processing. Seals in the plants also need to be resistant to sterilization agents such as peracetic acid or even steam.
Another aspect is the significantly more versatile use of the plants, as they are used to make various products, meaning the requirements with regards to stability for universal use of seals are increasing. Freudenberg Process Seals offer futuristic materials and sealing technologies for this.
| Requirements profile of sealing material using the food industry as an example | |
|---|---|
| Suitable for food contact | FDA compliant conforms with EC 1935/2004 ADI® free 3-A® Sanitary Standard certified (use in the dairy industry) USP Class VI (Pharmaceuticals) |
| Resistant to CIP media (Cleaning in place) | e.g. caustic soda solution 5%, 80 °C Nitric acid 2%, 80 °C |
| Resistant to SIP media (Sterilization in place) | Peracetic acid 1% 60 °C Steam 140 °C |
| Universal resistance | EPDM is suitable for aqueous media and cleaners. HNBR and FKM are suitable for fatty media, but less resistant in cleaners. Fluoroprene® XP 40 can be used universally in aqueous and fatty media, cleaners and steam. |