AxFlow are the exclusive distributor for APV valves
Valves
A valve is a device or object that that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluids, gases or slurries, by opening, closing or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are fitting but are usually discussed as a separate category. In an open valve, fluid flows in a direction from higher pressure to lower pressure.
With over 50 years' experience, AxFlow has a wealth of knowledge helping you choose the correct valve for your application. AxFlow GB is the exclusive distributor of APV valves in the UK. Its wide range of hygienic valves is suitable for industries such as pharmaceutical, food & beverage, and personal care. Our range of valves includes; Butterfly valves, Mix-proof valves, Shut-off valves, Safety valves.
Our engineers can help select the correct valve around the product, process pressure, temperature, cleaning regime, automation requirements and required hygienic standard.
Need help selecting an APV valve?
Send us the product, pipe size, pressure, temperature, valve function, CIP/SIP requirements and required certification and our APV specialists can review the application.
What is a hygienic valve?
A hygienic valve controls, isolates or redirects process fluids while being designed for applications where cleanability, product safety and prevention of contamination are critical.
Unlike a general industrial valve, hygienic valve design places additional emphasis on:
- Cleanable product-contact surfaces
- Minimal dead spaces
- Hygienic seal design
- Drainability
- CIP compatibility
- Product-safe materials
- Reliable separation of process and cleaning fluids
- Easy inspection and maintenance
Hygienic valves are therefore widely used in food, beverage, dairy, brewing, pharmaceutical and personal-care production.
Why choose APV hygienic valves?
APV has developed specialist valve technology for hygienic processing applications ranging from simple product isolation to complex automated valve manifolds.
Depending on the selected valve, benefits can include:
- Hygienic stainless-steel construction
- Efficient CIP cleaning
- Safe product isolation
- Mixproof separation of incompatible fluids
- Reduced risk of cross-contamination
- Pneumatic automation
- Valve-position monitoring
- Compact valve manifolds
- Serviceable seals and wear components
- Options for demanding aseptic processes
The best APV valve depends on what the valve needs to do within the process, rather than pipe size alone.
What types of APV valve are available?
APV mixproof valves
Mixproof valves allow two different fluids to pass through intersecting pipelines while maintaining safe separation between them.
Two independent sealing areas create a leakage chamber between the product lines. If either seal leaks, fluid can be discharged visibly rather than passing into the second process stream.
APV mixproof valves are particularly valuable in highly automated food and beverage plants where production and CIP processes need to operate simultaneously.
Typical applications include:
- Dairy processing
- Breweries
- Beverage plants
- Food production
- CIP manifolds
- Product routing
- Tank farms
- Chemical and pharmaceutical processing
APV single-seat valves
Single-seat valves provide hygienic shut-off or change-over of process lines.
They are commonly selected when straightforward product isolation is required without the additional separation functionality of a double-seat mixproof valve.
APV single-seat valve technology is suitable for duties including:
- Product shut-off
- Flow diversion
- Tank outlet
- CIP routing
- Process-water systems
- Hygienic utilities
APV butterfly valves
Butterfly valves provide a compact and economical method of hygienic isolation.
A rotating disc opens or closes the process line, making butterfly valves particularly useful where simple on/off control, low weight and compact installation are priorities.
Typical applications include:
- Food and beverage transfer
- Dairy processing
- Brewing
- CIP lines
- Water and utilities
- Personal-care processing
Butterfly valves are often a strong choice where full mixproof functionality is unnecessary.
APV aseptic valves
Aseptic processing requires a higher level of process separation than conventional hygienic production.
APV aseptic valve designs are available for processes where the product must remain protected from the surrounding environment and where sterile processing conditions must be maintained.
Typical applications include:
- Pharmaceutical production
- Aseptic food processing
- UHT products
- Sensitive dairy products
- High-value hygienic processes
The exact valve should be selected around the required sterilisation method, pressure, temperature and validated hygienic standard.
APV check valves
Check valves allow flow in one direction while helping prevent reverse flow.
They can be used in hygienic process lines where unintended backflow could affect product quality, equipment operation or process control.
APV pressure and safety valves
Pressure-control and safety valves protect hygienic process systems from unsuitable or excessive operating pressure.
Depending on the application, APV technology can provide:
- Pressure relief
- Constant-pressure control
- Vacuum protection
- Overpressure protection
Pressure-protection equipment must always be selected against the actual system design and required safety function.
APV sampling valves
Sampling valves allow representative product samples to be taken from hygienic systems while helping maintain process integrity.
They are particularly useful in food, beverage, dairy and pharmaceutical processes where samples are required for quality-control or laboratory testing.
AxFlow offer the APV offers a comprehensive range of sanitary valves, including butterfly, single seat, and double seat valves. regulating, check, constant pressure and inline pressure relief valves are also available.
24 series from 1 manufacturers
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FAQ Valves
When should I choose a mixproof valve instead of a single-seat valve?
Mixproof valves are the stronger choice where two different products, or product and CIP fluid, must remain safely separated while flowing through the same valve body. Their double-seat design provides a leakage chamber between the two flow paths, helping reduce cross-contamination risk. Single-seat valves are typically better suited to simpler shut-off or divert duties where this level of separation is not required.
When is seat lifting useful on a hygienic valve?
Seat lifting allows selected sealing surfaces and leakage chambers to be cleaned during CIP without fully opening the valve into the product line. This can improve cleanability while reducing water, chemical and downtime requirements in hygienic processing systems.
What causes premature seal wear in hygienic valves?
Common causes include excessive operating temperature, aggressive cleaning chemicals, incorrect actuator setup, high switching frequency, pressure shocks and poor seal compatibility. Reviewing the operating cycle and seal condition can often reveal whether the issue is chemical, thermal or mechanical.
How does pressure differential affect hygienic valve selection?
The valve must be selected for the maximum differential pressure it may experience, not just normal line pressure. High pressure differential can increase seat loading, actuator requirements and the risk of leakage, so pressure conditions during production, CIP and shutdown should all be considered.
How can valve design affect CIP performance?
Internal geometry, dead-leg volume, surface finish, seat design and drainability all influence how effectively a valve can be cleaned. A hygienic valve should allow cleaning solution to reach all product-contact surfaces while minimising areas where residue can accumulate.
