Air Actuated 3-Way T-Port Sanitary Ball Valves - All Stainless

Sanitary valves are designed for hygienic applications where the primary concern is to ensure aseptic conditions without the introduction of harmful substances in the media flow. This is accomplished by valve material selection and machining processes.
Sanitary valve bodies are usually made of stainless steel due to superior corrosion resistance. To minimize particle entrapment and possible bacterial growth, the wetted surfaces are polished to a greater degree than industrial valves. Sanitary gaskets and seals are made from chemically inert material such as PTFE, silicone or Viton. Seal material depends on the specifics of the application.
The two most common types of sanitary valves are sanitary ball valves and sanitary butterfly valves. Sanitary ball valves usually have filler material behind the valve seats to minimize internal cavities. This is feature is called “encapsulated seats.” Like their industrial counterparts, sanitary ball valves can withstand high pressures and temperatures. Sanitary butterfly valves are simpler and lower cost but have lower pressure and temperature ratings.
Some features that differentiate higher quality sanitary valves include 316 stainless construction (vs 304), highly polished internals (8-10 Ra), and encapsulated seats.
Air actuators, also called pneumatic actuators, open and close the valve using compressed air. In a rack & pinion actuator, high pressure air acts on a piston which is connected to a toothed bar (the rack). As the piston/rack moves, the rack engages with a splined shaft (the pinion) to produce rotary motion. Air is controlled by a central valve bank or by a pilot solenoid valve mounted directly to the actuator.
Air actuators air available in either double-acting or spring return models. Double acting actuators use compressed air to both open and close the valve, whereas spring return actuators us air to open the valve and compressed springs to return the valve to the closed position. (Alternatively, the valve assembly can be set so the springs return the valve to the open position, ie a “fail open” configuration.)
Rack & pinion actuators are simple, reliable, and lower cost than electric actuators. Their main drawback is they require a source of compressed air which usually makes them unsuitable for field or remote applications.
Some features that differentiate higher quality rack & pinion air actuators include a hard-anodized aluminum body, a weatherproof enclosure (usually IP67/ NEMA 4X or higher), and pre-configured mounting points for positioners and solenoid valves.
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