Krones launches new valves series for beverage plants
The EvoGuard line of “high-performance” valves by packaging and bottling systems provider Krones are manufactured in-house and can be used in both food and beverage plants.
A spokesperson for the company told BeverageDaily that the whole valve line will be officially launched in January 2011.
“The components have been designed in all commonly used connection variants and with the nominal diameters customarily used in the food and beverage industries,” said Krones.
Benefits of the valve line according to Krones include high process reliability due to the “high performance seal” and valve housing.
In addition, the company claims the valves have easily replaceable seals and can be easily installed on new machines because of the standardised mounting dimensions of the valves.
Krones said the EvoGuard range also features “extensive and effective” measures for enhancing occupational safety: “One example is the guard at the link between the valve’s housing and its actuator – all moving parts are thus protected, precluding the possibility of unintended intervention,” said Krones.
High performance seal
The manufacturer said that the “paramount” requirement was the incorporation of a high-performance seal in the new series.
“A safe, reliable production flow is only guar­anteed if the product path can be connected and blocked again,” said Krones.
“The seal design and the installation space for the seal take due account of its change in volume and the stress it suffers from differing temperatures or in cleaning routines,” said the company.
Kronessaid design features of the seal have been simplified, “like using a standardised model for the disk seal of the double-seat valve, and for the axial and radial seals as well. This precludes the possibility of mistakes when replacing or re-ordering seals”.
According to the company, one standard component of the EvoGuard valves is the welded, maintenance-free actuator, designed for a “long lifetime”.
Another feature is the high-performance actuator unit for the double-seat valves, which enables the valve to be fast-cycled and also reduces compressed-air consumption.
Single-source vendor strategy
Other new Krones process technologies have been launched recently that along with the new valve line form part of the company’s “single-source vendor” strategy.
New technology from Krones include the EquiTherm, an energy management system which Krones’ said enables significantly reduction of energy consumption in the brewhouse.
In addition, the Hydronomic product programme for water treatment, which the company claims has received the enviro seal for its energy-economy and media-efficiency.
