Frequently Asked Questions - Reliability

In pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and food processing plants, quick-clean rotary airlock valves boost sanitation by dramatically speeding up the cleaning process. Standard valves can be time-consuming to disassemble, requiring tools and several steps. Quick-clean models are built on a rail system, so you simply turn a handle, slide out the internal rotor, and start cleaning.

The CI and MD Series rotary airlock valves excel at maintaining the consistent, uniform flow needed for metering pharmaceutical ingredients, and they can be customized to fit most applications. In more specialized cases, you might need a BT Series blow-through valve to optimize air flow, or a mini- or micro-sized valve for small test batches. There are also rotors that limit pocket size or control material flow in various ways to suit your needs. Your supplier should be able to explain the best choice for your application.

Standard rotary valves can be time-consuming to maintain because they require tools to disassemble. Quick-cleaning models speed up the cleaning process by making it easy to access the valve’s internals. In the case of a Quick-Clean Valve with RotorRail, for example, you just need to turn a handle and slide out the rotor, which is set up on a rail system. It only takes a minute before you can start cleaning.

There are a few good choices depending on your material. A standard V-shaped rotor does well in many cases, though we often specify U-shaped rotors to prevent material from packing in the creases — this makes cleaning and sanitation much easier. If you’re metering small batches, you might need a Reduced Volume Rotor or a Staggered Pocket Rotor to control the flow rate. 

If your rotary valve is not rotating, it could be an issue with the power, the chain, the gearbox, or a foreign object stuck in the valve’s inlet.

If it’s stuck because of material buildup, there are a few different areas to look at: inspect the supply source and the piping of your conveying line. The issue could also be related to excessive pocket fill, moisture, or blowby air.

These are all specific issues, so check your maintenance manual for more in-depth troubleshooting tips.

We have lots, and they depend on your application. One approach is coatings, like hard chrome or the abrasion resistant XTR-Coat, which can help material slide through the valve without sticking.

Before we make this answer too complicated, check out our blog on material flow tips.