One of the advantages of Equilibar back pressure regulators and fluid control valves is their ability to provide reliable control over an extremely wide range of flow rates. This capability is sometimes referred to as rangeability or turndown ratio, and it plays an important role in a variety of biopharma and other sanitary processes.
In biopharma research, for example, optimal process conditions are often not yet determined; therefore, the designer of a particular experiment will benefit from instruments and devices that offer as much flexibility as possible. (Learn more about Equilibar’s benefits for research in this blog from our partners at PCS).
Beyond the laboratory, as research innovations make their way into biopharma processes, more and more applications require effective control methods that perform reliably despite wide flow and pressure ranges. As a result, the familiar control devices that scientists and engineers may have relied on in the past are often no longer adequate.
Equilibar sanitary control valves, on the other hand, are able to control pressure across a wide range of flow rates because they have a much higher resolution than traditional designs and use a flexible diaphragm as the only moving part. The diaphragm acts as both the pressure sensing element and acts as the main flow control valve by directly sealing against a field of parallel orifices.
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In a new video filmed in the Equilibar laboratory, Design Engineer Ryan Heffner demonstrates the turndown ratio of an Equilibar FDO8 precision sanitary back pressure regulator across a flow rate range from 0.008 gpm to 30 gpm. This sample range represents just a segment of the total range of our sanitary regulator of this size. The Equilibar FDO8 sanitary back pressure regulator is used to precisely control the inlet pressure at 20psi throughout the demonstration. The valve is part of Equilibar’s hygienic series used in the pharmaceutical industry for both upstream and downstream processes.
For more information about Equilibar’s sanitary regulators and their unique ability to handle difficult process conditions see our sanitary page or contact one of our experienced application engineers, who look forward to solving the toughest fluid control challenge.
