Equilibar Single Use Products

Equilibar offers a line of products designed to accommodate the rapidly expanding single use technology (SUT) field in the biopharmaceutical industry. Single use systems (SUS) require lower cost components that can be sterilized through irradiation and disposed of after their useful life.

The Equilibar® dome loaded multi-orifice valve technology is now available in a single use format. The patent pending Equilibar® SD series back pressure regulators and flow control valves are manufactured using USP Class VI polymers and stainless steel. The disposable valve body made of polymer is inserted into a stainless steel support housing with wing nut closure for quick and easy assembly. The Equilibar single use valve for bioprocessing systems is a revolutionary design in single use pressure control.

How it Works

The SD regulator features Equilibar’s patented dome-loaded multiple orifice technology delivering instantaneous control, frictionless operation and superior precision across exceptionally wide flow rate ranges. The stainless steel housing is designed as a permanent part of the process and connects to a dome pilot pressure supply. The disposable body is sold in a pre-sterilized state and comes ready for sterilization up to 50 kGy.

Once assembled, simply apply a pressure to the pilot port in the dome of the Equilibar valve equal to the desired setpoint and the valve does the rest. This pilot pressure forces the upper flexible diaphragm down onto a field of orifices. A rise in inlet pressure lifts the diaphragm up to allow excess pressure to be relieved through the outlet orifices. Similarly, a loss of pressure at the inlet causes the diaphragm to be pushed closer to the orifices, restricting flow and rebuilding pressure at the inlet.

Its strengths are particularly well suited to control the transmembrane pressure in tangential flow filtration or cross-flow filtration, and dP control in virus filtration systems.

The video demonstrates the stability and precision control of the Equilibar single use back pressure regulator

In addition to pressure control applications, the Equilibar SD can be used in on/off and flow control applications in single use processes. Potential advantages for on/off applications include the simple construction, ease of computer automation and low pressure drop.

SD Series Specifications

Download a brochure or contact an Equilibar applications engineer for more information

Download Brochure

Looking for a pulsation dampener for single use bioprocessing?

Equilibar engineers have leveraged their fluid control knowledge to design a pulsation dampener for single use bioprocessing systems. This single use pulsation dampener uses pneumatics and self-adjusts its setpoint to match system pressure real-time to dampen pulsations. This behavior is similar to how the Equilibar SDO back pressure valve dampens pulsations, but is optimized for this dedicated dampening device.

The non-wetted sides of the diaphragms are pressurized with air through a pressure regulator connected to a port on the top and bottom of the stainless steel housing. This patented system adjusts its internal pressure in response to the force and direction of each pump pulsation against the diaphragms, reducing pulsation amplitude. Early trials have shown >70% reduction on amplitude, and establishes a more uniform pressure profile.

Learn More