AKO Pinch Valves: Food, Beverage and Feed Industry
The food, beverage and animal feed industry has to handle an extremely wide range of media – from thin juices and thick creams and powders to lumpy products such as nuts or dried fruit – while requirements for hygiene, automation and output keep rising. AKO pinch valves are particularly well suited here, because their smooth sleeve without dead space is CIP/SIP-capable and avoids product residues, while the pure elastomer surface in product contact enables hygienic, gentle control.
Typical applications
- Control of juices, syrups, sauces and creams
- Conveying of powders, granulates and bulk solids
- Processing of nuts, dried and frozen fruit and pulses
- Wine and beverage production (mash, must, wine)
- Beer filling and beer filtration (kieselguhr)
- Confectionery production and automated feed plants
Recommended AKO series
- AKO VMCE (hygienic, EHEDG, DN10-100) – EHEDG-certified and CIP/SIP-capable – first choice for hygienic food and beverage processes
- AKO VMC (multi-connection, DN25-150) – universally applicable, covers many connection types in food plants
- AKO VF (flange, DN40-300) – proven for high-volume applications such as wine filling or mash transport
- AKO VM (female thread, DN10-50, PVC) – cost-effective option for simple water/process water applications
Case study
A large winery wanted to double its production capacity to 25,000 hectolitres and had to reliably handle a harvest season lasting only four to six weeks – requiring food-grade components that start up again immediately and trouble-free even after long standstills. AKO supplied more than 70 VF pinch valves with food-grade natural rubber sleeves and stainless steel flanges, which have been running with little maintenance and without production downtime for around 20 years.
More information from the manufacturer: AKO Armaturen – industries & applications ↗
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