Gaskets, a vital component in most industries when you’re looking to prevent leaks, seal in liquids, and avoid contamination, and the brewing industry is no exception.
The brewing process involves a lot of chemicals and requires regular robust cleaning and sterilisation, making gaskets and seals a vital element in the process, ensuring that piping systems are well managed and also well maintained.
In this post, we look at the types of gaskets and sealing solutions available and also suitable for the brewing sector, and the importance of choosing the right gasket material for the right brewing system.
Brewing gaskets
Brewery gaskets play a critical role in brewing production. Ensuring that equipment works at its optimal performance, there are no leaks, AND hygiene levels remain high at all times.
We know that a gasket’s primary aim is to prevent leaks, to seal the space between two mating parts, and to provide a robust sealing solution.
However, brewers’ gaskets also help to support pressure stability and maintain hygiene requirements, ensuring full compliance with food regulations.
This means that choosing the right gasket type is vital, especially when you want to avoid a loss in your production.
Elements to consider when choosing the right sealing products include matching the gasket material with:
- The temperature conditions it will be exposed to
- Chemical exposure
- Cleaning regimes
- Environmental factors
- Does it meet food-grade gaskets for brewing regulations?
- And more.
Why?
Because it is these elements that will allow you to avoid premature wear, deformation, and even failure of the seal altogether.
Types of gaskets for brewing
Gaskets for brewing must be able to provide stability and longevity, even under the most demanding conditions.
Ideally, you must look for seal types that can withstand regular cleaning, which are non-contaminating and fire-safe. Gaskets that can handle low bolt stresses are also advantageous.
The most popular types of gaskets for brewing are those that offer food-grade reliability and meet guidelines.
Food-grade gaskets brewing:
Silicone – a popular gasket for brewing due to its high temperature limit (can operate between -60 degrees Celsius and 230 degrees Celsius) and its fungal resistance. Offering high elasticity and thermal stability, this type of gasket is often found in bottling machines and manways. However, silicone does have poor resistance to certain chemicals, so you will have to be selective about where this type of gasket can be used in your systems.
EPDM – the most popular type of brewing industry gaskets, for all EPDM offers a lower upper temperature limit, these gaskets make up for it as they offer incredible steam, ozone, and acid resistance. Meeting all brewing requirements and chemical ranges. It is one of the most popular options for brewing tank manway door seals. Able to withstand temperature ranges from -50 degrees Celsius up to 150, EPDM gaskets offer good flexibility, they have a moderate compression set, and are also resistant to aging and weathering. Often used in fermentation tanks, as you may find they are not as good as others with alcohol and hydrocarbons.
PTFE – able to withstand temperature ranges from -200 degrees Celsius to 260 degrees Celsius, PTFE also offers excellent chemical resistance (including to alcohols and acids) and offers very low friction. It will often be used in valves, fittings, and pump seals.
Nitrile – a smaller operating temperature range (-40 to 120), nitrile gaskets are resistant to oil, fuels, and moderate alcohol. They do offer good abrasion resistance and moderate chemical resistance, making them most suitable for mechanical seals and O-rings.
Flexible graphite – can withstand temperatures of -200 degrees Celsius to 260 degrees Celsius, offering excellent chemical resistance too. These types of gaskets are durable and often found in steam systems and heat exchangers.
Cork/rubber composites – used to help seal irregular surfaces due to their good compressibility, this type of gasket can be used in all non-critical areas of brewing.
Note: Nitrile or silicone gaskets with metal detectable additives allow inspection equipment to identify and remove any fragments that enter the brewing process, reducing the risk of contamination instantly. Protecting product quality, avoiding costly equipment repairs, and ensuring the production of high-quality products.
Manway gaskets brewing
As we’ve mentioned, the brewing process does involve a lot of chemicals, and there is a lot of cleaning and sterilisation involved throughout the production process.
This makes manholes a big part of brewing and the piping systems.
As a result, manway gaskets must be able to provide a tight seal and prevent any liquids from escaping. They must also be able to withstand various pressures and temperature ranges, and you will typically find these gaskets at the bottom of brewing tanks.
For brewery door seals, silicone or EPDM gaskets are most typically used as these gaskets can withstand various chemicals, steam, and heat.
They are also soft and flexible, making them able to withstand varying compression sets.
From fermentation vessels to mash tuns and filtration lines, heat exchangers, and even high-speed bottling systems, all of these areas of the process require sanitary gaskets for brewing.
Brewing sealing solutions
At Specialist Sealing Products, we provide a range of gaskets and seals tailored to the specific pipe systems and equipment used within the brewing sector.
Producing high-quality food-grade gaskets for brewing, we help to ensure reliability and optimal performance levels.
Contact us today to find out more about our range of brewing industry gaskets.
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