chEmical EquipmEnt updatE
13
of the interface from the bottle attach the connection to the
to the sampling block. The bottle pure steam system by means
itself continues to be hermetically of an aseptic quick-action
sealed; the developing condensate coupling. Pressing a button on
is drained to the outside via the the control unit then starts the
sampling block. The bottle is only sampling process. Sterilisation
opened when the first sampling and sampling then run fully
condensate is available for filling. automatically. Therefore, no
There is a further risk of contamination can occur from
contamination when the sampling outside and the sample remains
bottle is disconnected from the ‘sterile’. The power supply (safety
steam pipe and during transport plug) and compressed air are also
of the samples to the laboratory. reconnected by means of quick-
Conventional procedures or action couplings after changing
systems used nowadays frequently the location, if the user decides
only cover the opening of the for a mobile unit. In all other
sampling bottle with aluminium respects, the procedure is as
foil, which is neither sterile nor described above. The sterilisation
hermetically seals the sample. The time as well as the condensate
risk of contamination increases volume can be set individually
with the transport distance. The
Fig. 2. Sampling bottles are easy to
from 50 to 1000ml by means of
sampling bottle used with the
exchange, due to quick lock connections.
the operating keys. The danger of
GEMÜ system is screwed onto a scalding of the service personnel
multi-port valve, the sampling unit. After drawing the is dramatically reduced, since the bottle does not have
sample, the system closes automatically and a slight to be held during sampling at all.
overpressure is applied. The sample is hermetically Bottle handling is clearly easier and thus safer due
separated from the ambient to the hermetic separation of the
air and can therefore be safely sampling bottle from the ambient
transported over longer distances air before and after sampling.
to the laboratory. The sample, The operators can also save time,
which remains sealed leak-tight, since they do not have to fear any
is opened in the laboratory and contamination and the danger of
can be analysed immediately and scalding. No tools are required for
safely. the installation of the sampling
Conventional sample coolers bottle or handling of the system.
with metre-long cooling pipes Unskilled personnel can also use
made of stainless steel or glass the system after setting.
are very large in comparison to The parameterised control
the GEMÜ sampling block with process runs fully automatically
integrated cooling. Sampling after the programme has been
systems which condensate started. The system is sterilised
the steam over water or other during the first programme step,
liquids must first be connected the sampling unit keeps the
to these supply media. Leakages autoclaved bottle closed. Then
in these cooling systems lead to a automatic sampling starts until
contamination of the production the set condensate quantity
rooms and cause substantial
Fig. 3. GEMÜ Biostar Steam Sampler,
has been achieved. The system
subsequent costs depending upon
automated sterile clean steam sampling
shuts down automatically after
the classification of the room.
system, small mobile version.
the programme has finished.
An installation in a cleanroom The benefit of this new system
is only possible with very high expenditure and costs is a reduced sampling time with fully sealed flawless
depending on the specified cleanroom class. The GEMÜ sampling considering the total expenditure for sampling
multi-port valve is simply cooled by compressed air, of pure steam systems. v
which is available almost everywhere in the plant.
Appropriate systems for the possible recirculation of Enter 13 or ✔ at www.engineerlive.com/ece
compressed air are state of the art and inexpensive.
The operation of the system has been designed Thomas Schulz is with GEMÜ, Ingelfingen-Criesbach,
to be as simple as possible. The sampler must only Germany. www.gemue.de
www.engineerlive.com
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