Sanitary diverter valve, drying system including an improved valve assembly comprising such a valve, and method of cleaning the system

A method for cleaning a system including one or more conveying lines and at least one purge line of a purge arrangement, and a valve assembly including at least one sanitary diverter valve wherein the at least one sanitary diverter valve of the valve assembly is connected to at least one of the one or more conveying lines in normal operation, the method comprising:

• determining that a cleaning-in-place (CIP) procedure is to be started;
• supplying CIP liquid through the at least one purge line to the valve assembly;
• after the CIP procedure of the system is complete, draining the CIP liquid from the system;
• and
• blowing drying air/gas through the valve assembly in order to dry the system,
• wherein the at least one sanitary diverter valve comprises:
• a valve housing having a number of openings configured to be connected to respective lines of the system, wherein the valve housing is substantially cylindrical and includes a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening;
• that the at least one sanitary diverter valve furthermore comprises a rotatable diversion member provided with a flow channel having a first end and a second end, an open space being defined between the valve housing and the rotatable diversion member, wherein the rotatable diversion member is configured to be rotated between a first position in which the first end of the flow channel is located opposite the first opening of the valve housing and the second end of the flow channel is located opposite the third opening of the valve housing, and a second position in which the first end of the flow channel is located opposite the second opening of the valve housing and the second end of the flow channel is located opposite the first opening of the valve housing, such that fluid communication is selectively provided between the first opening and the third opening and between the first opening and the second opening of the valve housing;
• and that fluid communication is provided between the open space and the second opening of the valve housing in the first position and between the open space and the third opening of the valve housing in the second position, and
• wherein the valve assembly comprises a second valve connected to the at least one sanitary diverter valve via a fourth opening included in the number of openings of the valve housing, the fourth opening being in fluid connection with the open space of the at least one sanitary diverter valve, wherein the second valve is configured to be brought in fluid connection with the at least one of the one or more conveying lines and with the at least one purge line, and wherein the second valve is a plug valve having a plug end adapted to close off the fourth opening of the valve housing.

A method for cleaning a system including one or more conveying lines and at least one purge line of a purge arrangement, and a valve assembly including at least one sanitary diverter valve, wherein the at least one sanitary diverter valve of the valve assembly is connected to the at least one of the one or more conveying lines in normal operation, the method comprising:

• determining that a cleaning-in-place (CIP) procedure is to be started;
• supplying CIP liquid through the at least one purge line to the valve assembly;
• after the CIP procedure of the system is complete, draining the CIP liquid from the system;
• and
• blowing drying air/gas through the valve assembly in order to dry the system,
• wherein the at least one sanitary diverter valve comprises:
• a valve housing having a number of openings configured to be connected to respective lines of the system, wherein the valve housing is substantially cylindrical and includes a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening;
• that the at least one sanitary diverter valve furthermore comprises a rotatable diversion member provided with a flow channel having a first end and a second end, an open space being defined between the valve housing and the rotatable diversion member;
• that the rotatable diversion member is configured to be rotated between a first position in which the first end of the flow channel is located opposite the first opening of the valve housing and the second end of the flow channel is located opposite the third opening of the valve housing, and a second position in which the first end of the flow channel is located opposite the second opening of the valve housing and the second end of the flow channel is located opposite the first opening of the valve housing, such that fluid communication is selectively provided between the first opening and the third opening and between the first opening and the second opening of the valve housing;
• and that fluid communication is provided between the open space and the second opening of the valve housing in the first position and between the open space and the third opening of the valve housing in the second position;
• and
• wherein the valve assembly comprises a second valve connected to the at least one sanitary diverter valve via a fourth opening included in the number of openings of the valve housing, the fourth opening being in fluid connection with the open space of the at least one sanitary diverter valve.