The rotary disk valve is available as a drop-in replacement for all standard butterfly valves in 20-inch, 24-inch, 30-inch, and 36-inch sizes.
The Hull design minimizes the generation of particulate inside the lyophilization vessel. The rotary disk valve does not abrade the seal: the seal is in simple compression. Butterfly valves work with a scrubbing action as the disk closes across the valve liner. The scrubbing action of a butterfly valve generates particulate and accelerates seal wear.
The rotary disk valve design provides a wide open vapor flow path, similar to that of a butterfly valve's but without the validation and maintenance concerns. The rotary disk valve eliminates the obstruction to smooth vapor flow which is inherent in poppet-style valves. Also, a poppet valve requires its operating mechanism to pass through the condenser interior which can present cleaning issues.
A Design So Innovative, It Earned a Patent: USP 5,330,157
- Minimizes particulate inside the lyophilizer.
- Requires much less maintenance time for seal replacement.
- Does not obstruct the vapor path.
- Is more compact; the actuator does not intrude into either lyophilizer vessel.
- 100% Type 316L stainless steel and Polyetheretherketone polymer construction. Body and Disk O-ring seals are silicon. Shaft seals are teflon.
The rotary disk valve is available as a drop-in replacement for all standard butterfly valves in 20-inch, 24-inch, 30-inch, and 36-inch sizes.
View the Hull Rotary Disk Isolation Valve in action: 240x160 .mov (166-Kb, new window)
View the Hull Rotary Disk Isolation Valve in action: 420x280 .mov (344-Kb, new window)
View the Hull Rotary Disk Isolation Valve in action: 320x240 .mp4 (970-Kb, new window)
When Should You Use An Isolation Valve?
Use An Isolation Valve Between the Chamber and External Condenser- for Vacuum integrity testing: isolate the vessels for individual rate-of-rise determinations.
- for Barometric end-point detection during freeze drying (rate-of-rise).
- for Condenser isolation between multiple chamber loads (where condenser ice capacity greatly exceeds product water content).
- for Condenser isolation in case of refrigeration problems (all remaining refrigeration capacity is directed to the product shelves).
- for Reduced turn-around time between batches: unload chamber while defrosting condenser.
- for Condenser isolation during steam defrost.
- for Cleanroom isolation during Condenser maintenance.
- for Chamber isolation during inert gas backfill of vials before stoppering.
Download the Rotary Isolation Valve technical brief
Why Use a Hull Rotary Disc Valve for Isolation?
Reduce maintenance and validation time:
Hull Rotary Valve Main Seal
(approximately 1-hour) - Gown up and enter the clean room.
- Lower the shelf bundle.
- Cycle the isolation valve open.
- Lockout all lyophilizer energy sources.
- Enter the chamber and replace the valve o-ring (no tools required).
- Exit the chamber and enable the lyophilizer.
Now that you are done, what should you do for the next couple of days? | | Butterfly Valve Main Seal
(approximately 2- to 3-days)- Go through your established protocols to insure the Chamber door remains sealed for the duration of the valve replacement and subsequent sterilization.
- Lockout all lyophilizer energy sources.
- Assemble a chain fall above the valve and affix the chain to the valve.
- Uncouple the valve actuator lines.
- Unbolt the valve (typically 20 to 36 bolts).
- Loosen the condenser lag bolts.
- Jack the condenser back from chamber.
- Lower the valve.
- Pull the valve actuator shaft.
- Remove valve disk.
- Remove the valve liner (basically an inside-out truck tire).
- Install the new liner.
- Install new valve shaft seals.
- Install the valve shaft and disk.
- Raise the valve into position.
- Insert the valve bolts.
- Pull the condenser back into position with chamber.
- Torque the valve bolts.
- Recouple the actuator lines (and bleed the system if its hydraulic).
- Remove the lockout and enable the lyophilizer.
- Go through a complete disinfectant cycle with validation since both the chamber and condenser interiors were exposed to the maintenance room environment during the seal replacement.
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