Drinking water is one of the most controlled food products. The materials of products in contact with drinking water can generate impurities and microbial growth. This makes a significant health risk as well as a danger to the environment.
Non harmonised regulation at the European and global level is leading to technical and normative constraints for the development of drinking water circuits. In Europe, the approval procedures for these applications are mainly regulated at national level. Approvals are granted by institutes mandated to carry out tests and issue certificates.
Today, 80 percent of the issued certificates correspond to the valves and pumps and 20 percent to the other equipment of a circuit such as fittings, filters, flow meters, meters etc.
All materials in contact with drinking water must guarantee their sanitary safety for:
Plastic materials (elastomers, thermoplastics or thermosetting)
Lubricants and additives;
Metallic materials;
Mineral materials (i.e. glasses and ceramics)
Certificates must be established for normal product use, while considering the risks related to the application such as peaks in temperature, pressure or chemical aggression. The innovation and technical expertise of the manufacturer are key to meet the multiplicity of European requirements.
What is KTW?
The KTW - W270 certification means that product components in contact with drinking water have been tested and approved by German laboratories (TZW and DVGW) according to the recommendations of the UBA (Umwelt Bundesamt). The specificity of this approval is to be one of the most restrictive in terms of lubricants composition restriction.
KTW and W270 are the most recognized requirements for German manufacturers in the water and beverages sector. Because of the representativeness of Germany in the European economy, these certifications become essential.
The LIQUIfit® Parker Legris products range
The LIQUIfit® fittings and tubes range from the Parker Hannifin LPCE division has been awarded KTW certification. With more than eight different certifications, this range now meets the most stringent requirements for drinking water and beverages worldwide.
The LIQUIfit® solution is the innovative solution of this sector. It is eco-designed from bio sourced material and offers unsurpassed compactness. LIQUIfit® is manufactured via a secure process offering traceability on each product and a unitary leak test. These unique features make it safe to operate and optimize use.
"It was important for us to offer manufacturers in the fields of drinking water and beverages, a new technology with the widest range of certifications for the peace of mind of our customers."
Chantal Beckensteiner, general manager, Low Pressure Connectors Europe Division
In addition, the range of LIQUIfit® fittings and tubes offers the widest mechanical performance with a pressure rating of 16bar and a temperature range of -10 ° C to 120 ° C.
"The worldwide Parker Group invests heavily in the water market. With the KTW certification of LIQUIfit® we now offer all European drinking water stakeholders a simple product to install with a wide range of performance in temperature and pressure."
Laurent Pouchard responsible for the OEM Business Unit of the LPCE divisions.
To conclude, the manufacturers of the drinking water and beverage industry want to ensure the health of people while optimizing their technical solutions and their manufacturing processes. Obtaining certifications is the guarantee to meet its requirements while allowing innovation to redefine technical solutions. LIQUIfit® is a new technology in this market and gives access to other markets such as process water transfer in liquid cooling systems.
For more information and to configure your product you can consult our Parker website or download our certificates KTW-W270 Fittings/KTW-W270 tubing
This article was contributed by Vivien Rialland, product manager, BU Industrial & Processing OEM, and Laurent Orcibal, e-Business Manager, E-business, Parker Hannifin's Low Pressure Connectors Europe Division.
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