Full Steam Ahead: Sanitizing with Steam and Water Mixing Stations Whitepaper

Washdown stations ensure cleanliness in food processing, dairy, breweries, wineries, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and other industrial facilities where a high-temperature washdown is required.

Traditional cleaning methods include soap, hot water, and sometimes chemical disinfectants. These procedures may require breaking down equipment to ensure all components are efficiently cleaned and sanitized. If chemicals are used to sanitize a processing plant, especially in food and beverage, labor costs, the possibility of safety hazards, and the overall sanitization time increase.

Utilizing a Steam and Water Mixing Valve to Sanitize Processing Plants

Sanitizing your facility or plant using a steam and water mixing valve is one of the most efficient ways. Using steam to heat the water is more beneficial than chemical cleansing because it avoids chemical agents and can reduce labor times and water consumption.

Steam and water mixing valve stations provide instantaneous high-temperature steam-heated water with pressure behind it, which can kill bacteria, sterilize, and break down greases and other residues in processing plants. The World Health Organization states that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures between 149°F and 185°F degrees.

There’s also less downtime for dismantling and reassembly when utilizing steam-heated water to sanitize manufacturing equipment. Steam is sterile as well as being an excellent carrier of heat. Harmful chemicals are also used less or not at all, allowing for more uptime and a safer environment for personnel; while they are doing their jobs.

Not just anyone can utilize high-temperature steam and water mixing washdown stations. Plant personnel must be trained on proper use to ensure safety because the goal is to sanitize, and the goal of the plant is safety.

STVM® Steam & Water Washdown Station

STVM Steam and Water Mixing Valve Washdown Station

ThermOmegaTech’s STVM® Steam & Water Washdown Station has been designed to put the safety of maintenance operators first. Every STVM® Washdown Station is built-to-last and has two built-in safety features – interlocking ball valves to prevent steam-only operation and an automatic shut-off when output is 15°F over the unit’s temperature set-point (either 150°F or 185°F) or when cold water flow is interrupted.

This Washdown Station also incorporates unique Venturi mixing technology to deliver water at the required temperature quickly, quietly, and on demand.

The ‘ST’ in STVM stands for ‘Silent Type,’ meaning it is quieter than other washdown mixing stations. The Venturi effect mixes water in smoother than other steam-to-water mixing stations on the market, which can cause cavitation downstream of the mixing valve.

The steam-supplied station is a self-contained mechanical control unit, so it doesn’t require external hookups for electrical, instrumentation controls, or compressed air.

Find out how the STVM washdown station can efficiently clean your facility. Read more and download the Full Steam Ahead Whitepaper.

2022: ThermOmegaTech’s Year in Review

2022 was a fantastic year, thanks to our customers! ThermOmegaTech® has been able to meet its goals despite facing industry-wide supply chain issues. Let’s celebrate ThermOmegaTech’s Year in Review!

2022 HIGHLIGHTS

Here are some of the significant accomplishments we are celebrating from our Industrial Market:

  • Andy Reichlin joined our team in March as our Industrial National Sales Manager. Andy has held roles in communications, marketing, and sales, managing national distribution networks for various industrial products, including bearings and pumps, over the last 20 years. His expertise has helped us to grow our distribution network and support our authorized distributors.
  • We hosted our first inaugural Distributor Advisory Council, which included representation from six authorized distributors. This was incredibly beneficial as they were able to tour our facility, and we could share ideas and resources for the upcoming year.
  • We also added two new U.S. distributors, Industrial and Construction Enterprises and Schimberg Co., and two new International distributors, Glotex and Tubes International.

NEW LITERATURE & VIDEOS

  • We launched an eBook with Food Processing Magazine in November ’22 on how sanitizing food processing facilities with steam-heated water provides a simple and efficient way to maintain a sterile work environment. Download it here.
  • We created a whitepaper on the Steps to Developing an Effective Sanitization Procedure in plants and facilities, which you can download here.
  • We also released this application sheet on Thermostatic Control Valves for Cooling Balancing Applications.
  • We were excited to release this video on HCX and HCS Washdown Stations for Breweries, Wineries & Other Facilities Without Steam. To ensure a high-powered wash that guarantees cleanliness in production facilities, ThermOmegaTech® offers the most economical, safe, and efficient washdown systems and equipment.

TRADESHOWS WE ATTENDED

ASSP Expo 2022: Industrial Safety Trade Show

We had a great time networking and meeting associates at the 2022 ASSP Expo.

Here are some of the great accomplishments that we’d like to share with you from our Rail Division:

  • Increased sales steadily as we moved out of the pandemic and remained the leader in locomotive freeze protection for all the Class I’s in North America.
  • Significant growth in the passenger car freeze protection market thanks to a big focus on the GURU PC® with its electric heater assembly to ensure prospects are aware of the need for freeze protection and options available for passenger cars.
  • Dana Logue, Engineering Project Manager, and Glenn Quinty, Senior Engineering Product Specialist, participated in RT&S Railway Age Virtual Conference: Winter Preparedness. Watch it on demand here!

Here are some of the outstanding accomplishments that we’d like to share with you from our Commercial Plumbing Division, CircuitSolver®:

  • We launched the new CircuitSolver Union Cold Water balancing valve (CSU-CW). This valve automatically and continuously balances a cold water recirculation system to discourage Legionella bacteria colonization and reduce stagnation.
  • Project Manager Eric McTee of ME Engineers details his experience specifying CircuitSolver® over the last few years in this testimonial.
  • We released two new videos, a How it Works video on CircuitSolver® and one on the new Cold Water CircuitSolver® valve.
  • Read more about CircuitSolver’s Year in Review on the CircuitSolver® website.

Here are some of the great accomplishments that we’d like to share with you from our Aerospace and Defense Division:

  • We hired Josh White as our A&D Business Development Manager and are excited about his work in the Aerospace and Defense Division. Josh is a former Air Force One pilot with over 20 years of operational military aviation experience. His expertise and skills in the aerospace industry will help us to develop new processes and streamline our strategies to serve our customers better.
  • We have brought on a new A&D rep J.D. Technologies Global, who works with high-quality, complementary manufacturers of products and services that serve the aerospace, military & defense, medical, and industrial markets. We are very excited about this partnership and proud of the work we’ve done with them in 2022, and looking forward to 2023.
  • Read more about our A&D Division’s Year in Review on the Aerospace & Defense website.

Looking Forward

Our Electronics Affiliate, TJM Electronics, has merged with ThermOmegaTech® and will now operate under the ThermOmegaTech® brand as our Electronics Division! Read about this breaking news here!

Thank you for being a part of our journey, and have a happy New Year! We look forward to working with you in 2023!

Protect Your Employees From Freezing with Thermostatic Valves

Thermostatic Freeze Protection: Winter is the time to protect your pipes and personnel.

Water-bearing piping must be appropriately winterized to keep temperature-sensitive processes and equipment functioning optimally throughout the freeze season. When water lines to cooling and condensate systems, safety showers, and eyewash or facewash stations are left exposed to the elements, or their heat tracing fails, freezing temperatures can cause frozen or burst piping. This can lead to overheated equipment and severely dangerous working conditions for your employees, which can interrupt systems, burst piping, and cause lengthy and costly repairs.

If safety shower, eyewash, or facewash station water lines freeze, personnel could be at significant risk of being unable to cleanse after contamination exposure. Condensate drain lines are also in danger of freezing even if it is electrically heat traced and the tracing malfunctions or the facility loses power.

ThermOmegaTech’s self-actuating temperature control valves are the ideal water line freeze protection solution.

HAT/FP Freeze Protection Valve

The HAT/FP valve is designed to sense the water temperature in the pipe or ambient temperature, depending on installation. The valve will gradually open to bleed off the cold water when temperatures approach the valve’s set point, typically 35°F (1.6°C).

Once the flow is initiated, the valve will remain open until the discharge water temperature is 5 degrees above that, typically 40°F (4.4°C). Once the freeze danger passes, the valve will modulate closed again to conserve water and reduce wastewater disposal costs.

These 100% mechanical valves require no power source to operate, eliminating the human errors associated with manual valves. They can also save you thousands on your water or energy bills.

Result: Guaranteed freeze protection and water savings because of the reliable and automatic HAT/FP thermostatic valves.

Read the feature on HAT/FP valves in the latest issue of Plant Engineering.

TJM Electronics to Merge with ThermOmegaTech

TJM Electronics Merger Announcement

Electronics manufacturer to merge with affiliate company.

(Warminster, Pennsylvania) TJM Electronics is pleased to announce that it will merge with its affiliate company, ThermOmegaTech. Effective January 1, 2023, TJM will operate under the ThermOmegaTech brand as their electronics division.

TJM Electronics has been leading the way in electronics contract manufacturing since 1989. TJM became one of the first automated SMT companies certified to MIL-STD-2000 on the East coast. Since then, TJM has provided high-quality PCB assemblies utilizing cutting-edge technology to the aerospace, defense, medical, industrial, LED lighting, and non-commodity consumer electronics markets.

In 2019, TJM was purchased by Logue Family Holdings, the parent company of ThermOmegaTech, a leading thermostatic valve, and actuator design and manufacturing corporation. For almost 40 years, ThermOmegaTech has been creating temperature control solutions for a wide range of applications and currently services the railroad, commercial plumbing, aerospace, defense, and an array of industrial markets.

Last summer, TJM moved from its Bristol location to its current facility in Warminster, PA, located in the same building as ThermOmegaTech’s manufacturing plant and office space.

“This merger is a huge strategic advantage for TJM as it will help streamline processes and improve communication channels throughout the organization,” said Jim Logue, Jr., President & CEO of ThermOmegaTech and TJM Electronics. “Combining ThermOmegaTech’s mechanical design and manufacturing capabilities with TJM’s electrical manufacturing abilities will open the door to new opportunities and help to continue growth in our current markets.”

This partnership is also expected to result in greater efficiencies and eliminate redundancies in their systems, such as combining the AS9100D certification for both companies into one.

As with all important business decisions, ThermOmegaTech will work closely with its customers and employees to make the integration process as smooth as possible. Beyond the name change, customers should not see any major changes in the products and services they receive from both companies.

 

About ThermOmegaTech, Inc:

For almost 40 years, ThermOmegaTech has been a leader in designing and manufacturing self-actuated thermostatic technology valves and actuators. Founded in 1983, ThermOmegaTech is a privately held small business with 40,000 square feet of manufacturing and office facility located near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The company provides innovative solutions for various applications, including freeze & scald protection, mixing & diverting, steam tracing control, thermal bypass, tepid water delivery, washdown, balancing, drain tempering, and many others applications where temperature control is critical. Key industries it serves include railroad, commercial plumbing, aerospace & defense, and industrial.

ThermOmegaTech specializes in manufacturing prototype/small volume and highly engineered custom products utilizing phase-change thermostatic actuator technology to satisfy individual project needs.

ThermOmegaTech’s R&D, manufacturing, assembly, testing, inspection, sales, and customer service departments are all located in one facility for maximum efficiency and effective communication. Its QMS is certified to AS9100D standards demonstrating the focus on quality, and its products are distributed and used worldwide.