APV has long been recognized as the innovative leader in the development of equipment for the broadest range of homogenizers. APV homogenizers are capable of handling pressures up to 30,000 psi for products with viscosities up to 5000 cP. APV offers the widest range of homogenizer sizes from lab scale through high capacity production units.
Although the homogenizer is commonly considered a machine to process dairy products, it is an essential part of many industrial applications. Chemical, pharmaceutical, specialty food and biotechnology (cell disruption) facilities use homogenizers to emulsify, disperse, mix and process their products. Because of these diverse applications, the homogenizer, consisting of a positive displacement pump and homogenizing valve, has been designed to accommodate the demands required by these different processing protocols. Ongoing research in the mechanism of homogenization has brought new insight into how to design the most efficient homogenizing valve. High-pressure operation, sanitary design, sturdy construction, wear-resistant materials and automated pressure control are some of the elements incorporated into the modern APV Homogenizer.
A choice of application-specific homogenizing valve assemblies include APV’s patented Super Micro-Gap Valve technology that makes it possible to process milk at up to one-third less operating pressure than a conventional valve. Depending on the flow rate, single-stage and two-stage homogenizing valve assemblies also can be specified in a choice of hydraulic or manual actuation.
Homogenizers can be supplied with aseptic design. All aseptic pump cylinders and homogenizing valve assemblies are designed for sterilization with steam or hot water at temperatures up to 300°F. APV’s sanitary in-line flow pattern eliminates dead ends to reduce cleaning and sterilization costs.