Equilibar Sanitary Pulsation Dampener for Biopharm

Equilibar introduced its new Pulsation Dampener (PD) for biopharma processes.  Engineered to reduce pressure fluctuations caused by the action of positive displacement pumps and other process equipment, the PD meets the stringent hygienic requirements of biopharmaceutical applications while maintaining the integrity of sensitive processes.

Using an air-loaded, double-sided active dampening design, the Equilibar PD provides responsive pulsation control.  Unlike most pulsation dampeners on the market, which function as passive shock absorbers, Equilibar’s Pulsation Dampener dynamically regulates pressure fluctuations by adding energy to the system. This creates a more uniform pressure profile by elevating pressure troughs and reducing pressure peaks. It features a small footprint, a wide range of sizes and operates up to 150 psi (10 bar) and 135°C to allow CIP cleanability. Designed for easy maintenance, the PD meets the criteria of demanding sanitary applications where cleanliness, uptime, and product integrity are critical.

A pulsation dampener, sometimes just called a damper, is used to improve process effectiveness by reducing pulsating flows caused by positive displacement pumps. Dampeners reduce pulsations to ensure a smooth fluid flow so that processes downstream of the pump are accurate, efficient and safe. Pulsation dampening is particularly important in biopharmaceutical processing due to the sensitivity of the upstream cells and downstream biomolecules to changing process conditions.

All of these situations cost time and money or affect product yield and quality. Equilibar’s PD is installed downstream of a positive displacement pump or anywhere pressure pulsation is a concern. It uses pneumatics to adjust its internal pressure in response to the force and direction of each pump pulsation amplitude. The double-sided dampening is air-loaded on the nonwetted side of each of two diaphragms through a shared line on the side of the device.  When dampening pressure is reduced, excess air exhausts through exhaust ports. The system requires a standard gas pressure regulator to set the pressure of the dampener supply gas. More information including schematics and videos is available on Equilibar’s website. equilibar.com