Flow, level & control
RAPID GAS PRESSURE CONTROL CRUCIAL IN HYGIENIC MANUFACTURING
Hygienic manufacturing lines creating products such as biologic drugs, vaccines, specialist pharmaceuticals or carbonated beverages are under constant pressure to deliver repeatable quality while maintaining efficiency and regulatory compliance. While great attention is often paid to ingredients, formulations and production equipment, one often-overlooked process variable frequently has a significant influence on product quality – gas pressure control.
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aintaining stable pressure within process and storage vessels is essential across food, beverage, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical
manufacturing. Even small fluctuations can affect filling accuracy, fermentation performance, product characteristics and overall process stability. As production targets become more demanding and quality standards continue to tighten, the ability to control pressure rapidly and precisely is emerging as a key differentiator.
THE HIDDEN IMPACT OF PRESSURE DRIFT Many hygienic manufacturing processes rely on maintaining a carefully controlled overpressure inside tanks and vessels. In beverage production, for example, accurate carbon dioxide management is vital for preserving taste, carbonation levels and shelf life. In pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical applications, fermentation processes often generate gases such as CO₂ while requiring controlled additions of nitrogen or oxygen to support biological activity. Throughout these
often lengthy production cycles, maintaining stable pressure conditions is essential for ensuring product consistency and maximising yield. The challenge is that pressure conditions are rarely static. Filling, emptying and fermentation activities continuously alter the gas dynamics within a vessel. When pressure deviates from its target value, manufacturers depend on control systems to detect the change and respond accordingly. However, conventional pressure control systems typically rely on multiple components, including separate sensors, valves and controllers. The communication delays between these devices can slow the control loop significantly, sometimes taking several seconds to identify and correct a pressure deviation. During this period, pressure drift can occur, potentially affecting product quality and process performance.
WHY FASTER CONTROL DELIVERS BETTER RESULTS
The relationship between pressure stability and product quality becomes particularly important during dynamic production phases. Any delay in correction can influence flow rates and dosing
accuracy, creating variation in fill volumes or product characteristics. This is where next-generation pressure control technology is driving improvement. Bürkert’s Type 8880 pressure control system demonstrates how advances in integrated control design can help manufacturers achieve tighter process control and more consistent production outcomes. Developed specifically for hygienic applications, the system combines two control valves and an integrated pressure transmitter within a closed-loop design, enabling response times of less than 200 milliseconds, up to ten times faster than many conventional solutions. By reducing the time between detecting a pressure change and taking corrective action, the system minimises pressure drift and maintains much tighter control of vessel conditions throughout production. The practical result is greater process stability, improved product consistency and more reliable operating performance.
PRECISION FILLING DEPENDS ON PRESSURE PRECISION
A good illustration of the importance of pressure control can be seen in net-weight
October 2026 Instrumentation Monthly
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