To ensure the production of harmless food products, the food industry is subject to strict hygiene regulations. During their processing, the products in the food industry are exposed to cleaning processes which place higher demands on the degree of hygiene.
Therefore, diaphragm seal systems with easy-to-clean process connections and FDA- or USPlisted pressure transmission media are used for pressure measurement. If the wetted diaphragm is damaged, the pressure transmission medium can enter the process without being noticed. This results in a high hygienic risk, as the diaphragm damage cannot be detected immediately.
A solution to this problem is the diaphragm monitoring system developed by WIKA.
Compared to conventional measuring instruments with only one diaphragm, measuring instruments with two diaphragms are used here. The space between the two diaphragms is evacuated and the vacuum can be monitored with a monitoring instrument. Should there be a diaphragm rupture during the process, the vacuum breaks immediately and the monitoring instrument indicates a change in pressure. The second diaphragm continues to reliably seal off the process and the transmitter continues the pressure measurement until the damage is repaired. An error signal indicating the diaphragm rupture is sent to the control room via HART protocol. In addition, the measuring instrument can generate a residual current, which also notifies the users immediately even if they don’t have a distributed bus control system.
WIKA pressure measuring instruments with integrated diaphragm monitoring are therefore particularly suitable for sanitary and aseptic production plants and help to minimise the hygienic risk.
Applications
– Hygienic pressure measurement for sanitary and aseptic food processing
– Hygienic pressure measurement in sanitary applications for the food and beverage industry
– Suitable for application in UHT lines
– Sterile steam monitoring in SIP systems and aseptic plants
