Why Food & Beverage Demands Sanitary PHEs
In dairy, juice, beer, plant-based beverages and tea — every dead leg, every leak, every gasket migrant can scrap a batch or trigger a recall. Sanitary-grade PHEs differ from industrial units across material, seal, structure and certification.
Four Core Requirements
1. Plates: Full Stainless, 316L Baseline
Ra≤0.8 μm surface finish; passivated after stamping; 316L for chlorinated CIP or brine duty.
2. Gaskets: FDA-Certified, Glue-Free
- FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 and EU 1935/2004 compliance
- Clip-on (glue-free) fixing to avoid adhesive migration
- EPDM (≤150°C), FKM (oil/chemical resistance), Silicone (bio-inert)
3. Frame: Full Stainless, Quick-Open
304 cladding on carbon-steel frames is unacceptable; tri-clamp or sanitary flanges only.
4. Certification: FDA / 3A / EHEDG / GB 4806
Typical Applications
Pasteurisation (72-90°C, 15-30s)
Three-zone PHE: regenerative preheat, steam heating, chilled-water cooling. Energy use is one-fifth of direct heating. Typical: FB60-FB150, 5-50 m².
UHT (135-150°C, 2-8s)
High-temperature duty favours brazed PHEs — no gasket limit, 200°C+/30bar continuous service.
CIP Loops
PHEs must survive alternating 1-2% HNO₃ and 2-3% NaOH at thermal cycles of 20-90°C. FB series allows plate add/remove as duty changes.
Typical FB/BS Parameters
| Model | P (bar) | Size (mm) | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS30/FB30 | 10 | 480×180 | Pilot lines |
| BS60/FB60 | 10 | 960×320 | Mid-size dairy |
| BS100/FB100 | 10 | 1085×454 | Large juice/dairy |
| BS150/FB150 | 10 | 1815×610 | UHT / main CIP |
BS = single-section; FB = multi-section (heat-recovery capable).
Five Selection Questions
- What is the medium (viscosity, particulates)?
- Peak temperature (pasteurisation vs UHT)?
- CIP chemistry and frequency?
- Multi-zone required?
- Certification target market?
SAMIT Services
- Duty review and plate/gasket specification
- OEM food-grade plates, FDA gaskets, tri-clamp fittings
- Compatible plates for Alfa Laval, GEA, APV, Sondex, Baode at 40-60% of OEM cost
- On-site reopening, regasketing, retorquing, hydrotest
For new food-line builds or CIP retrofits, contact SAMIT for a free duty-material review.