The Importance of Industrial Washdown Stations in Food Processing Facilities

Industrial washdown stations are often used in manufacturing, chemical or petrochemical, and food processing facilities as part of cleaning and sanitation procedures where maintaining hygiene is crucial. A bucket of water with a mop and a cleaning agent does not effectively sanitize a plant the way food processing cleaning equipment can.

Cleaning and Sanitation Procedures in the Food Industry

Food assembly workers on Plant Line

Using industrial washdown systems for food processing is important because they help to keep the facility clean and sanitary. They also help to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses.

Authoritative agencies like the FDA have defined sanitation requirements that each facility must adhere to such as identifying hazards that could impact a production facility.

Food production and detergent residue, liquid, and airborne contamination, transient soil, and microorganisms often are present in food production facilities, which is why washdown stations are recommended in these corporations.

While the hazards present on a production line vary from facility to facility and depend primarily on the specific products produced, they all must be effectively and routinely removed to preserve sanitation and product quality.

Using food processing cleaning equipment can help to reduce costs, too. Regular maintenance and repair of equipment can help to reduce downtime, saving your facility time and money. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of surface areas can also help to reduce labor costs while following a daily process.

Food Processing Cleaning Equipment Limits Downtime

Industrial washdown stations can be used in both commercial and industrial production facilities and are described as stationary equipment that produces a high-pressure and high-temperature stream of water to remove debris while cleaning. However, when used in production facilities such as food processing for meat and dairy, this cleaning equipment offers a fast and efficient cleanup while maintaining sanitation standards.

Food processing cleaning equipment for food processing typically utilizes stations that produce water temperatures at 150°F (65.5°C) or above to quickly cleanse and sanitize surfaces like processing equipment, walls, floors, and other surfaces.

To properly follow cleaning and sanitation procedures for food processing, a washdown system frequently includes a mixing valve that combines hot and cold water along with an industrial-use cleaning agent, if needed.

Using Food Processing Cleaning Equipment Sanitize

Having efficient cleaning equipment in a food processing facility can provide several benefits. By keeping the facility clean, the risk of food contamination is minimized. Food allergies and foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria and viruses can be avoided.

ThermOmegaTech created several washdown systems that offer high-temperature sanitation and maintenance equipment necessary for industrial and food facilities, including steam and water washdown stations with hot water mixing unit hose stations.

To be even more effective, ThermOmegaTech created a specific mixing valve that combines steam and cold water to create a steam water mixing station that lowers the decibel sound in facilities while producing a flow of user-defined stream of water to efficiently sanitize, clean, and kill bacteria.

Choosing The Right Equipment for Food Plant Sanitation

Choosing the right washdown station for your facility can be a challenge. There are a few key factors that should be considered when choosing the equipment for food plant sanitation. Staff should receive proper training on the washdown station when using such as donning the correct clothing and protective gear as well as regularly inspecting and cleaning your equipment.

The ThermOmegaTech® STVM® Washdown Station is used in many processing facilities where a high-temperature washdown is required. The STVM® industrial washdown station combines steam and cold water at a user-set temperature using its proprietary mixing valve.

STVM Steam and Water Washdown Station for Talking With TOTS for Industrial Sanitation

STVM® Steam & Water Washdown Station

The unique Venturi valve throttles open and closed, using a scouring action that minimizes the buildup of minerals, offering a quieter wash without the ‘water hammer effect.’ Plus, the in-line cartridge is easy to replace or clean with no special tools required and takes just a few minutes.

Ultimately, food processing cleaning equipment is an essential component of food-processing plants. They offer a dependable, safe, and easy-to-implement way of keeping these facilities clean and sanitized.

By following the correct processes and safety protocols, companies can ensure that their food-processing facilities are well-maintained and properly sanitized as well as sustain production line schedules.

Questions? We can help! Find more info here or contact us.

ThermOmegaTech Launches New Safety and Maintenance Content at Safety Show ’23 in San Antonio

ThermOmegaTech’s highest priority is safety, where we have developed tepid water solutions for emergency showers and eyewash stations to meet OSHA and ANSI requirements, and also prevent water lines from freezing or overheating to protect personnel and ensure a safe working environment.

ThermOmegaTech recently attended the ASSP Safety Show in San Antonio, Texas, and launched new safety and maintenance content. Andy Reichlin, Industrial Sales Manager, and Tim McCollum, OEM, showcased their thermostatic solutions for maintenance and safety with the STVM® Washdown StationTherm-O-Mix® Tepid Water Delivery StationESS Tepid Water Heater, and Thermal Relief Valves for pumps.

ThermOmegaTech Products

Federal regulations require that any facility where workers may be exposed to hazardous or corrosive materials must have immediate access to a tepid water emergency drench system to protect the eyes and body in the event of accidental exposure.

The Therm-O-Mix® station consistently supplies tepid water on demand to these fixtures to meet OSHA and ANSI Z358.1 safety requirements.

Tepid Water Delivery System, Therm-O-Mix® station

Therm-O-Mix®

Read more about ThermOmegaTech’s Therm-O-Mix® station here.

Factory-packaged with ThermOmegaTech’s Therm-O-Mix®, the ESS combines cold and tank-heated hot water to deliver a constant 85°F tepid water outlet temperature at the point of use. The unit is completely mechanical and requires no outside electricity to function, making it particularly ideal for explosion-proof industrial environments.

See how the Therm-O-Mix® station works here.

ThermOmegaTech recently launched a new STVM video in their video series, Talking with TOTs, that speaks to the effectiveness of the STVM® Washdown Station. In the video, Senior Product Specialist Glenn Quinty takes the viewer through the ease of maintenance and the safety of the washdown station. “It’s so important to maintain a clean environment in food processing, chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical facilities,” Quinty says.

STVM Steam and Water Washdown Station for Talking With TOTS for Industrial Sanitation

STVM® Steam & Water Washdown Station

See the STVM® Washdown Station Talking With TOTs video here.

ThermOmegaTech supplies an innovative solution to the challenge of difficult-to-maintain steam and water mixing stations used to provide a high-temperature washdown for sanitization procedures at processing plants.

See how the STVM Washdown station works here.

Food Industry Executive tells us more here!

ThermOmegaTech Launches New Talking with TOTS Video Featuring STVM® Washdown Station

Video Focuses on High-Temperature Washdown Equipment For Industrial Sanitation

ThermOmegaTech is excited to introduce their newest Talking With TOTS video, featuring Senior Product Specialist Glenn Quinty on ThermOmegaTech’s STVM® Washdown Station.

“We know how critical it is to maintain a clean environment in food processing, dairy, beverage, chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical facilities,” Quinty says. “High-temperature washdown equipment is used to quickly and efficiently clean and sanitize equipment in place to keep production running on time.”

Washdown stations are recommended in food production facilities where transient soil, food production residue, and microorganisms can be present. Not every facility encounters these hazards depending on the specific product it produces, but removing debris, cleaning, and sanitizing is essential to preserving sanitation and product quality.

Steam Water Mixing Valve for Sanitization

Simply put: sanitizing kills bacteria.

Industrial Sanitation comprises several sequences created to protect workers’ health and safety in industrial environments and designed to protect the environment from pollution and industrial waste.

With high temperature washdown equipment, industrial sanitation is achievable. In the Talking with TOTS video, Quinty takes viewers through the washdown process, demonstrating how ThermOmegaTech’s proprietary Silent Venturi Mixing Valve (STVM®) combines steam and water to a user-defined temperature.

STVM Steam and Water Washdown Station for Talking With TOTS for Industrial Sanitation

STVM® Steam & Water Washdown Station

“The steam and water mixing valve’s design is self-scouring, which prevents mineral buildup in tight spaces and reduces maintenance frequency. Maintaining competitor steam and water mixing stations can be time-consuming due to complex disassembly, special tooling requirements, and non-reusable components,” Quinty says.

The compact, reliable, and entirely mechanically operated STVM® Washdown Station is beneficial to any industrial processing plant’s sanitation procedures.

It is more durable and at least 8-15 decibels quieter when compared to competitor units, as found in recent testing.

How to Choose the Right High Temperature Washdown Equipment for Your Facility

Choosing the right washdown equipment can be a challenge, taking into account your facility’s needs and government regulations.

To minimize maintenance downtime and get production lines moving again, the STVM® station is in-line serviceable. The operator simply switches out the STVM® mixing valve cartridge with a spare using a standard wrench, and the unit is operational again in minutes. In contrast, competitor stations must be removed from the wall and completely disassembled to repair, which takes hours and results in more extended downtime.

Operator’s safety is another crucial element that positions the STVM® Station above the competition. Employees should wear the correct PPE (personal protective equipment — including gloves, masks, smocks, etc.) when operating any washdown equipment and have the proper training on the unit. In addition to these safety guidelines, our station has two safety features to help keep your employees safe.

“The mixing valve is designed to reduce flow if the output temperature exceeds the factory set-point and will completely stop flow 15°F above that,” Quinty notes in the video. “The station also has interlocking steam and water shut-off ball valves, so both inlets shut off at the same time to prevent accidental steam-only operation.”

Using food processing cleaning equipment can help to reduce costs, too. Regular maintenance and repair of equipment can help to minimize downtime, saving your facility time and money. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of surface areas can also help to reduce labor costs while following a daily process.

Watch the full Talking With TOTS video here.

If you have questions about the STVM® Washdown Station or want information on pricing and lead times, please don’t hesitate to contact us or one of our authorized distributors.

In the News: ThermOmegaTech’s A&D Division Featured in Aviation Week Webinar

ThermOmegaTech was featured in the AviationWeek webinar, as Sr. Design Engineer, Glenn Quinty discusses the need for thermal bypass and thermostatic control in critical aerospace & defense applications.

As technology advancements in A&D applications continue to rapidly develop, key factors such as strength, weight, and reliability are essential when evaluating components to be integrated into your designs. During the AviationWeek webinar, peers learned the benefits of using thermostatic technology in aerospace and defense applications such as thermal bypass, electronics cooling, avionics cooling, airflow control, and scald protection.

The goal of the webinar was to educate our peers on the importance of self-powered devices in various A&D applications, how thermostatic wax valve actuators operate under different conditions, best practices of thermal management, and what customizations can be made to thermostatic valve designs.

Get To Know the Speaker

ThermOmegaTech WebinarGraduating from Villanova University with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1990, Glenn Quinty is a highly trained and technical design engineer, with 30+ years of experience.

Previously employed by Hale Products Inc., as their Product Engineer/Designer and Thermo Seatronics, as a Project Engineer, Quinty has extensive knowledge of actuators, valves, pumps, sensors, hydraulics, pneumatics, and other mechanical operations used in a multitude of applications.

Quinty has been part of the ThermOmegaTech team for 18 years and is currently the Sr. Design Engineer, developing innovative thermostatic solutions for the aerospace and defense, industrial, railroad, and commercial plumbing industries. With expertise in complex design mechanisms and new product development, Glenn oversees projects from start to finish, utilizing DFM and DFA techniques to design thermostatic, self-operating valves and devices.

Click here to watch the full webinar.