The Alfa Laval SBV sanitary ball valve is built around a precision-made ball with a full bore that sits between two flanges and two PTFE valve seats inside a 1.4404 (AISI 316L) stainless steel body. A 90° rotation of the stem opens or closes the valve, transferring motion directly to the ball with no partial-bore restriction. This design eliminates the pressure losses and product holdup associated with reduced-bore valves, making the SBV the preferred choice for high-viscosity media and pigging systems across hygienic processing industries.

How does the full-bore design benefit pigging and viscous product handling?

Because the bore diameter matches the pipeline exactly, a pig can pass through without obstruction, enabling complete product recovery and minimising waste. There is no ledge or step for viscous products to accumulate behind. High-sugar, high-protein, or particulate-laden media flow through without turbulence-induced separation or fouling at the valve body. Alfa Laval recommends that products are not left to dry in the valve, as residues with high viscosity or protein content can make subsequent CIP more demanding in terms of time, temperature, and cleaning media consumption.

What seal materials and stem design keep the SBV hygienic?

Product-wetted seals are available in EPDM as standard, with NBR, FPM, and Q available as options. PTFE is used for the valve seats throughout. The stem sealing assembly uses spring-loaded, self-adjusting V-rings backed by a support ring and pressure ring, ensuring consistent sealing performance across the full operating temperature range of 0 °C to +95 °C. SIP capability varies by elastomer: EPDM and FPM seats support SIP at +140 °C for 30 minutes, PTFE seats at +130 °C, and NBR at +100 °C. The internal surface finish is Ra < 0.8 µm (bright polished), limiting microbial adhesion and supporting thorough CIP at up to 3 bar cleaning pressure.

Manual operation vs. actuator-driven automation: which configuration fits your process?

The SBV is available in two fundamentally different operating modes, and choosing between them depends on process automation requirements, cycle frequency, and installation context.

In the manual configuration, the valve is operated by pressing the handle arms together and rotating through 90° to open or close. The handle features lockable positions so the operator can secure the valve in either the open or closed state, preventing accidental movement during production. A top plate mounts to the valve body with screws. For plants that require position feedback without full automation, the manual handle can be fitted with a bracket for one or two M12 inductive proximity switches, providing open and closed position signals to a control system. Manual valves are well suited to low-cycle applications, isolation duties, or installations where compressed air is not available or practical.

In the actuated configuration, a pneumatic actuator drives the valve open or closed via compressed air at 5.5 to 8 bar. The actuator operates the valve automatically in response to control signals, making it suitable for high-cycle automated processes, CIP sequences, and lines where manual intervention would be impractical or unsafe. Actuated valves are delivered NC (normally closed) as standard but can be rebuilt easily to NO (normally open) in the field. The actuator is maintenance-free and carries a built-in position indicator that reflects the ball bore position: vertical means open, horizontal means closed. One or two M12 feedback sensors can be mounted directly on the position indicator. For more advanced sensing and control requirements, the actuated version accepts the Alfa Laval ThinkTop V-series adapter, enabling integration with process automation systems. Two inspection holes in the bonnet allow visual or probe-based inspection of the stem seal without dismantling the valve. The actuator exhaust noise level is approximately 72 dB(A) with a noise damper fitted, or approximately 77 dB(A) without a damper, measured at 1 m distance and 1.6 m above the exhaust at 7 bar air pressure.

Both configurations share the same valve body, flanges, ball, seats, and stem assembly, so switching between manual and actuated operation is straightforward during maintenance.

CIP ball valve: how does the SBV support in-place cleaning?

The SBV is designed for CIP. Recommended cleaning agents are 1% NaOH at 70 °C and 0.5% HNO3 at 70 °C, followed by a thorough rinse with chloride-free water. Maximum cleaning pressure is 3 bar. An optional cavity cleaning connection (ISO 228 G½") directs cleaning media into the cavity behind the ball, improving hygiene in areas that standard through-flow CIP may not reach adequately. For processes where minimising product volume in the cavity is critical, optional cavity fillers encapsulate the valve seats and reduce hold-up volume. Cavity fillers and the cavity cleaning option are not used in combination. Selecting between these options requires consideration of the product characteristics, cleaning parameters, and the specific CIP regime in use.

Applications in food, beverage, dairy, and pharmaceutical processing

The SBV serves a broad range of hygienic industries. In dairy processing, the full-bore design handles cream, condensed milk, and other high-viscosity products without creating pressure drop or product holdup. In beverage processing and beer production, the zero-restriction bore supports consistent flow rates for wort, finished beer, juice, and soft drinks, and the pigging capability minimises product waste at line changeovers. In food processing, the valve handles sauces, pastes, and other viscous or particulate-laden products that would challenge reduced-bore alternatives. In pharmaceutical and biotechnology environments, the 316L wetted steel, polished internal finish, and PTFE seat material meet the hygiene and traceability requirements of regulated production. The valve complies with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU, and carries ATEX classification II 2 G D1, confirming suitability for use in potentially explosive atmospheres where the valve itself carries no ignition source.