Cleanable Round Airlock (CRA) Valve

The CRA (Cleanable Round Airlock) valve Mac Process has taken an important step in a visionary Clean Design Initiative, which will supply a complete line of engineered and manufactured cleanable solutions for food and pet food customers. 

Mac Process engineers have increased the use of de-mountable-style valves in dry material pneumatic transfer systems to help customers meet challenging requirements for sanitation and inspection. With the launch of the CRA (Cleanable Round Airlock) valve, Mac Process has taken an important step in a visionary Clean Design Initiative, which will supply a complete line of engineered and manufactured cleanable solutions for food and pet food customers. 

Offering the largest cubic feet per revolution capacity —a critical improvement —the CRA can handle extremely high process rates on products. Now high end food and pet food manufacturers can use cleanable technology in systems where high product volume demand may have prevented their use in the past. The tool-free CRA valve operation makes it easier for customers to clean their equipment after a campaign is finished to prevent bacterial growth and facilitate inspections.

The high quality, high performance CRA valve is available in four models: CRA8, CRA10, CRA12, and CRA14. Oversized rotor shafts create a naturally radiused rotor pocket, promoting product release and sustaining throughput efficiency.

Smart de-mountable technology
CRA uses a rail system consisting of two precision shafts and linear ball bearings. This rail system is supported from the housing on one end and is fixed to the endplate/rotor assembly on the other end.

CRA Applications

• Post “kill-step” portions of the process
• Raw material handling systems
• High process rates food and pet food applications
• Plastics or pigment producers/users with
• frequent color change-outs

Benefits

• Product contact is manufactured with stainless steel and FDAapproved seals and bearing lubricants
• Demountable rotor with tool-free disassembly facilitates cleaning and inspection
• Just a few steps involved in both de-mounting and re-engaging rotor using specially-designed linear rail system
• Oversized rotor shaft creates a naturally radiused rotor pocket, which promotes more complete product release
• Incorporated safety switch indicates rotor engagement to improve safety
• Direct mount drive alleviates sanitation issues associated with chain drives
• Available design for NFPA 69 blocking valve requirements
• Wide range of CFR available, from 0.17 to 2.31 CFR assuming 100% pocket fill.