GEA NiSoX-Valve

Technical specifications

The design of the new GEA NiSoX-Valve combines mainly four factors optimizing the energy generated inside the system: 

• Elongation stretching
• Continuous acceleration along the passage
• Radial impact at the centre of the valve
• Cloud cavitation phenomenon

The effect of these factors on the flow is made possible only by virtue of a new mechanical configuration, the NiSoX-Valve is made up of only few active components: a deflector, a radial collider and the CCMS system (Cavitation Cloud Modulating System).

Passing through the adjustable deflector, the liquid accelerates to a high speed, whereupon the radial impact occurring in the radial collider generates a powerful cavitation effect, micronizing the particles more effectively and achieving an improvement in the physical properties of products.

Applications

Launched for VHP applications in pharma, cosmetic and chemical industries, the NiSoX-Valve is now suitable for processing emulsions (micro and nanoemulsions) in the pressure range of 200-1500 bar opening up to the food and beverage industries. 

The GEA NiSoX-Valve delivers unprecedented results in terms of standard deviation (or polydispersity index), and high level of micronization not reachable with other devices. 

Main advantages:

• Smaller particle size
• Better particles distribution on product
• Improved physical properties in terms of viscosity, transparency and glossy aspect and colours
• Low temperature increase
• Less energy consumption
• Longer life span
• Scalability consistency
• Easy and quick maintenance
• Cleanibility and sterilization performance
• Reliable and resistant device
• Available as retrofit for existing machines
• Available both in tungsten carbide and ceramic materials

The NiSoX-Valve is available for the complete GEA homogenizers range, from the laboratory unit to industrial scale. 

GEA’s solution to process pharmaceutical emulsions

GEA homogenizers are used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications with brilliant results in terms of cell disruption and emulsification effects since many years already. The NiSoX-Valve will further strengthen that leading position. Dedicated to emulsions, the results are promising to set a new standard in the production of pharmaceutical and cosmetic emulsions.

One recent example of a micro and nano emulsions formulation consisted of water (80%), fat phase (15%) and surfactant (5%).

The technology and application know-how leading position of GEA and a close collaboration with experts of key customers enabled GEA to develop a new system for homogenization which achieves distinctive results on the final products with unique efficiency. The new NiSoX-Valve technology facilitates fluid dynamic phenomena and improves the micronization effect on particles as well as the homogenization effect, resulting in almost transparent emulsions.

Tests performed in some production plants clearly show how effective the NiSoX-Valve can be in regards of particles size reduction and uniform particles distribution; as a consequence also the number of passages at a given pressure can be reduced. 

Kai Becker, Head of Product Group Management Homogenization adds:

“Customers have the chance to validate the results on their product in collaboration with our Process Technology Center in Parma. Application experts and a fully-fledged laboratory are at our customer’s disposal to develop the best operating conditions to homogenize the customers’ product. Customers further have the possibility to test the NiSo-X Valve on a «try and buy» basis in their facilities. Once the results are validated, the results can be scaled-up.