Written By: Rakesh Patel, P.E.

Production and packaging processes in food and beverage manufacturing industries are highly complex hence optimizing flow patterns without compromising food safety, product quality and operational flexibility is essential for an efficient operation.

An automated valve matrix is a great option to replace manual processes involving flow panels or individual valves through optimized and automated flow management thereby decreasing product cross contamination risks, improving CIP, reducing fluid transfer time, and minimizing changeover/production down times.

A mixproof valve enables simultaneous flow of two different fluids through the same valve without allowing them to ever mix. These types of valves have two independently controlled valve stems and two plug seals vs a single steam and seat in a traditional valve. The space between these two seals forms an atmospheric leakage chamber under all working conditions. Leakage is not common with mixproof valves; however, in case of a leak, there is an exit area between the two seats into a leakage chamber and is drained through the bottom outlet making detecting leaks easier. This type of construction creates a fool proof method for preventing the two different fluids from coming in contact with one another and makes mixproof valves ideal for large scale food, beverage, dairy and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.

Automated Valve Matrix skids are custom designed with specific lines, rows and number of mixproof valves to achieve specific functionality for simultaneous product flows that may include filling tanks, blending, transferring finished product to fillers and performing CIP. Each mixproof valve has a top path and a bottom path. Mixproof valve Matrix operate similar to automatic traffic light and endless flow combinations can be achieved by adjusting the relative position of the valve stems. The valves are typically pneumatically actuated and have limit switches to positively confirm stem position during operation. In a typical matrix arrangement, the valves are used in an array of rows and columns. Sources connects to all the top paths and destinations connects to all the bottom paths. CIP supply, return and drain lines can connect to the top or bottom paths based on functionality requirements. Mixproof Matrix allow the flexibility to route multiple products to multiple destinations while other lines are being Cleaned In Place.

Benefits of Automated Valve Matrix

Increase Flexibility

Valve Matrix enable tremendous flexibility to increase production and decrease downtime. The valve Matrix are typically very compact and can fit in a space half the size of what may be required for manual flow panels. The mean time between failure (MTFB) for these valves is long and maintaining and servicing the valves is relatively simple with minimal investment for spare parts.

Reduced Workforce

Reduced Product Waste

Manual flow panels are prone to dripping and product spillage if the swing connections are not properly made which becomes increasingly difficult as the system ages. Valve Matrix allows flushes in between product changes to be routed to a specific location eliminating spillage. Off-spec product can also be efficiently routed to holding tanks quickly.

Faster Product Changeovers

Automated Valve allow continuous production capabilities with increased operator control, visual leak detection and simplified process piping thereby allowing faster product change over through automated operation.

Elimination of Cross-Contamination

Manual errors in flow panel swing connections can allow products to mix and be sent to wrong location causing cross-contamination, hygiene risks and costly product wastage. The mixproof technology eliminates the cross-contamination risks and automated position feedback increases confidence in the operations staff.

Faster Repair & Replacement

Automated Valve Matrix can be designed, fabricated and tested in a shop for quick deployment on-site during short window of plant shutdown. Repair and replacement to existing manual flow panel or single valve-based system require field modifications and can extend the shutdown duration.
If designed and deployed correctly, an Automated Valve Matrix can be a very cost-effective solution with quick payback that also results in added benefits of increased flexibility, reduced risk and reduced operational cost for food and beverage production facilities. Valve Matrix can be easily designed to allow for future expansion and anticipated future changes.

If your production facility is interested in learning more about how ADF can engineer an automated mixvalve solution for your specific application, please contact us.