There are some processes in the food and beverage industry as well as in other types of industrial applications where specific materials are ideally suited for specialized jobs.
In sanitary processing, including in dairy facilities, food production, distilleries, beverage manufacturing and even in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, stainless steel is the material is the material of choice.
There are several reasons why stainless steel pipe and tubing and stainless steel pipe fittings are considered essential for these types of applications. While some other materials, such as specialty plastics may offer some of the same characteristics, they tend to have a shorter life cycle and lack the ability to stand up to the extreme working conditions.
Extremely Durable
One of the major advantages of stainless steel pipe fittings and pipe in these applications is the ability of the alloy to withstand high internal temperatures as well as ambient temperatures. Additionally, stainless is not damaged by exposure to low temperature either. Some types of stainless are used in the development of cryogenic systems, which demonstrates the durability of these alloys.
High Levels of Corrosion Resistance
There are, of course, different grades of stainless steel pipe fittings. However, as a whole, they are considered to be highly resistant to oxidation and corrosion. This is important as corrosion and oxidation in the fittings would result in quality control issues within the system. Corrosion and pitting could also provide the opportunity for bacteria to grow in the system, which increases the need for clean-in-place routines that result in higher downtime.
Finally, stainless steel is also resistant to becoming brittle when exposed to stress, pressure and temperature changes. This translates into a longer life cycle for each fitting and a lower risk of leaks at the fitting due to cracking or splitting.
