Roto-Disc, Inc. continues to innovate the industry with our custom-made valves. We come through where all else fails. This complete guide talks about how our Roto-Blade™ heavy-duty clean-flow diverter valves can improve your processes compared to traditional diverter valves.
Overview of Roto-Disc
Roto-Disc, Inc. designs and manufactures custom valves and diverters for industrial processes that handle dry and slurry material. We have heavy-duty spherical valves that cut through your materials with ease. If you need airlocks to move products more easily, we can design them for you.
We have been in business for more than 40 years and have thousands of successful installations. All products are designed and manufactured in the United States. Talk to us if your facility processes food, pharmaceuticals, minerals, agricultural products, or chemicals. Our products can help you save money on your processes by reducing downtime and improving your product flow through the system.
What Is the Roto-Blade™ Heavy-Duty Clean-Flow Diverter Valve?
The Roto-Blade™ heavy-duty clean-flow diverter valve is a precision-manufactured diverter with no internal hang-up points. We can custom-fit the blade to the side-walls through exacting production standards and hand finishing.
You’ll find a precision fit that minimizes blow-by to the closed port. There will be no unintended leakage getting past the sealing surfaces when the valve is in a closed or diverted position.
The blade edge/tip is protected from the flow of material to reduce or eliminate hang-ups and wear on the blade. The removable side plate allows you to access the valve body interior and remove the divert blade for cleaning without the need to dismount the valve. You’ll have less downtime and easier cleaning.
Roto-Blade™ heavy-duty clean-flow diverter valve include:
- Heavy gauge construction maintains precise tolerances so moving parts don’t break down or hang up, keeping your production lines on schedule.
- The diverter blade and side walls have a perfect fit because they are precision machined and then ground by hand at assembly.
- There is simply no place inside the valve for material to get trapped, making it ideal for sanitary applications or other ultra-clean environments.
- A quick-acting, cushioned air cylinder moves the blade rapidly through the product, reducing the chances of product hang-up as it moves through the diverter.
Roto-Blade™ Sanitary Configurations
When product purity is essential, the sanitary configurations of the Roto-Blade™ heavy-duty clean-flow diverter valve make it easy to clean and maintain.
- A removable side-wall design gives easy access to valve internals without having to dismount them from the mating flanges, leading to easier cleaning between runs or batches.
- The blade can be removed for re-work or replacement if you need to switch something on the production line.
- Valve internals can be polished to reduce corrosion, improve sealing, and reduce friction and wear.
- No internal hang-up points or ledges, so the product flows smoothly, from food ingredients and pharmaceuticals to plastic pellets and sensitive chemicals.
- Tri-clamp connections for sanitary environments are available when you need a quicker cleaning process.
Roto-Blade™ Configuration Options
We have these options for configuring the Roto-Blade™ heavy-duty clean-flow diverter valves:
Body Type
There are both square and rectangular options, depending on your requirements.
Divert Type
There are two divert types. Reject, with one that goes straight through and one leg offset. Then there is wye, with both legs offset from a vertical center.
Divert Angle
The divert angle is 30 to 45 degrees, depending on your requirements. Modified designs are available.
Port Connections
Port connections are flanged, square, rectangular, or round/ANSI, depending on the connections you have upstream or downstream. Tri-clamp port connections allow for easier cleaning. Stub connections offer the strength of welding to the upstream or downstream lines.
Body Sizes
Standard body sizes range from 3 to 24 inches. Larger sizes are available upon request.
Materials of Construction
Stainless steel continues to be the industry standard when it comes to industrial valves. Abrasion-resistant steel (AR400) works well if you have abrasive materials working through the line. Hastelloy works best for corrosive environments. Other materials are available upon request.
Actuators
Our control processors can handle double-action actuators when you need precise timing and extra power for opening and closing. Single-action actuators typically use compressed air in one direction and a spring in another direction. We have manual actuators on request.
Coatings and Hardfacings
We have electroless nickel for resistance to abrasive or corrosive materials. Tungsten carbide is extremely durable, especially if you have vibrations in the line. Hard chrome also resists corrosion and abrasive materials. Teflon PFA is a slick coating that helps prevent gunking while resisting high temperatures.
Industries That Benefit from Roto-Blade™ Heavy-Duty Clean-Flow Diverter Valves
Applications and industries that require a sturdy valve for abrasive materials or purity for ingredients benefit most from Roto-Blade™ heavy-duty clean-flow diverter valves.
Pharmaceutical
You can easily route powders from one batch to another in precise amounts. The easy-to-clean surfaces and lack of material hang-ups improve the flow of ingredients and maintain purity.
Plastics
Pellets and granules can get stuck in diverter valves if there are hang-up points. Manage resin pellets in your plant with our heavy-duty diverter valves.
Chemicals
Our heavy-duty diverter valves direct the flow of powders or granules. Chemical processing relies on precise measurements, and preventing hang-ups can help make your products at the precise amounts.
Cement and Aggregates
Cement and concrete mixing require precise percentages to make different formulations work, from road-grade concrete to high-strength concrete for bridges. Our heavy-duty diverter valves work well against the abrasives of manufacturing concrete powder.
Food and Beverage
When adding sugar, flour, or other ingredients into bulk hoppers or mixers, this heavy-duty valve is perfect for food and beverage manufacturing. Flour and sugar can get sticky if not handled properly. Our
Benefits of Roto-Blade™ Heavy-Duty Clean-Flow Diverter Valves
See these main benefits that set the Roto-Flate® apart from the competition:
No Internal Hang-Up Points
- Materials and ingredients do not get stuck moving through the valve
- Surfaces can be coated to make material flow more efficient.
Precision Machined
- The diverter blade and side walls are made to fit your exact system.
- No materials get trapped because of the perfect fit.
Ideal for Sanitary Applications
- Pharmaceuticals when ingredients must be pure
- Food and beverage ingredients
- Cosmetics and personal care products
- Semiconductors and electronics
- Aerospace for precise manufacturing of parts
Roto-Blade™ Heavy-Duty Clean-Flow Diverter Valves vs. Similar Valves
If your industrial processes use rotary valves, plug diverter valves, or pivoting blade diverter valves, our Roto-Blade® design can improve your processes with many advantages.
Roto-Blade™ Heavy-Duty Clean-Flow Diverter Valves vs. Rotary Valves (Rotary Airlocks)
Rotary valves are notorious for leaking and breaking down. The rotating rubber blades will wear out at some point. Plus, any wear for the rubber could cause bits to get into your batches, which would ruin the purity of your products. Rotary valves also need regular maintenance, but there are also capacity and particle size limitations.
Roto-Blade™ Heavy-Duty Clean-Flow Diverter Valves vs. Plug Diverter Valves
Plug diverter valves, while precise, have more moving parts with the rotating plug. It requires a higher torque, which means more maintenance adjustments. The rotating plug has less precise control over the amounts. There is also the potential for dead zones.
Roto-Blade™ Heavy-Duty Clean-Flow Diverter Valves vs. Pivoting Blade Diverter Valves
Pivoting blade diverters often have a simple sealing mechanism, which can lead to leakage, especially with fine powders. This is because the blade pivots on a single point, creating potential gaps at the sealing surfaces. The pivoting motion can cause wear on the blade and sealing surfaces over time, leading to increased leakage and reduced efficiency.
The design of pivoting blade diverter valves can create dead zones where material can accumulate, potentially causing contamination or flow issues. While they can divert flow, pivoting blade diverters generally offer less precise control over the flow rate compared to our design. Large or irregularly shaped particles can become lodged in the valve or damage the blade, restricting flow, which is not a problem for the Roto-Blade™.
Contact Roto-Disc for World-Class Diverter Valves
Does your industrial operation need world-class diverter valves? Contact us today to see if our team can help solve your production line problems and make your processes more efficient. We’re happy to help in any way we can.