GEA VARIVENT® secures stable plant operation, adaptable to demand

Hygienic valves control liquid processes at all process stages and are utilized, for example, by the dozens in valve blocks for filling, emptying and cleaning tank farms. With this in mind, the developers at GEA have given their premium valve family a design that has been optimized over decades with a view to durability and functional reliability. Whether housing walls, pipe connections, moving parts or associated control technology: GEA VARIVENT® valve design is well-known in the markets for its ability to withstand loads beyond the stresses of everyday use.

An equally robust, FEM-optimized sealing concept ensures the hygienic safety of the valve technology, even under heavy-duty use, and the processed food and beverage products. The special shape of the groove in the valve disk gives the seals a precise hold during switching operations, also in case of high pressure differences. The metallic stop ensures a defined deformation, which means that the seal remains reliable over exceptionally long service periods.

The added robustness pays off when established operating procedures are restricted or skilled workers are not available to the usual extent, as may be the case during the pandemic. “The care we invested in the technology concept right from the outset is now bringing stability where it is needed most,” explains Annika Burmeister, Product Manager for hygienic valves at the responsible GEA Competence Center in Buechen.

Easy adaptation of processes and capacities

While recipe changes are often the order of the day in liquid processes, batch cycles are also currently adjusted with some frequency, owing to crisis-related supply or delivery bottlenecks. Thanks to the standard automatic control of all GEA VARIVENT® valves such changes in the process program are simple and safe. The valves are connected via their standardized digital control top to the central process control system, which coordinates all opening and closing operations etc. according to the selected program. Fail-safe monitoring is ensured by the state-of-the-art feedback technology built into GEA’s current control top models. If a control top has to be reconfigured for this purpose, factory personnel can do this without special training – with the latest models from GEA, a push of a button is all that is needed.

"The digital, network-enhanced future of processing plants has already begun. Our technology provides users with the security and efficiency that is now – think of ‘Industry 4.0’ – becoming increasingly essential.”