Like all electric steam generators, Indirect Steam Generators effectively sterilize components by injecting clean steam into piping, autoclaves, or other laboratory and production equipment so pharmaceutical professionals can easily control conditions of their processes.   Learn more about the advantages of indirect clean steam generators, the applications of clean steam, and what to look for in a high-performance generator.

Benefits and Applications of Steam Cleaning in the Biopharma and Pharma Industries

Green capsule medicine pill production line, Industrial pharmaceClean steam simplifies the process of maintaining a sterile facility by providing a no-contact yet reliable clean, even for tools with complex profiles, edging, or small interiors. The following are the top advantages of steam cleaning in the biopharma and pharma industries:

  • Prevention of contaminant entry. Unlike traditional steam, clean steam is sterile at the point of vaporization and clean steam generators do not have vulnerable entry points for biological or chemical contaminants to enter. This successfully maintains steam’s purity during the full sterilization procedure.
  • Protection against pathogen growth. The extremely high temperatures of clean steam can kill all types of microorganisms that are contamination concerns in pharmaceutical processes, and also help prevent their initial growth by handling condensate buildup.
  • Corrosion resistance. Metal parts are prone to corrosion when in the presence of traditional utility steam. Clean steam, however, has corrosion-inhibiting properties that counteract this risk. As a result, clean steam increases the life span of equipment.

Steam sterilization has many beneficial applications within the biopharma and pharma industries, particularly in  biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The goal is to keep the bacteria, yeast, or animal cells present in manufacturing environments from contaminating healthcare materials, products, and equipment. Steam sterilization, SIP and CIP can assist professionals in these industries by controlling and maintaining sterile environmental conditions, allowing safe manufacturing of things such as ophthalmic products, parenteral, injectable solutions, and more. 

Pharmaceutical companies commonly use clean steam generators for sterilize-in-place (SIP) procedures, which utilize steam to sterilize and clean pharmaceutical instruments, equipment, and surfaces between production cycles. Pharma professionals also use clean steam generators to support humidification processes for clean rooms, lyophilizers, and sterilizers.

Electro-Steam’s Steam-to-Clean Steam Generators’ Operational Characteristics

Steam-to-clean steam generators, or indirect clean steam generators, from Electro-Steam Generator Corp. capitalize on the functionality, steam output, ease of use, and footprint that standard electric steam generator varieties provide but improve upon their operation by using “house steam” energy that converts deionization (DI) or reverse osmosis (RO) water into clean steam. In contrast to the all-electric generators that use submerged electrical elements, the indirect clean steam units save on energy consumption as they use steam that your facility is already producing and then repurposes it.

Electro-Steam’s indirect generators function at pressures ranging from 9 to 90 psi.  They use an electric control circuit of 120VAC to regulate steam input, output, water level, and operating pressure within the generator automatically. Requiring only a total amperage of only 15 amps—with an 8-amp Full-Load Amperage (FLA) rating—eliminates the need for 3ph power.

Partner With Electro-Steam

As an OEM manufacturer, Electro-Steam Generator Corp. has been a leader in providing standard or customized clean steam generators for 70 years both domestically and internationally. All of our USA-made generators have all the required features such as safety valves, automatic low water cut-offs, and adjustable pressure control, with custom control and instrument packages available on request.

We currently offer our indirect steam-to-clean and all electric clean steam generator models with 138-828 lb/hr gross steam output ratings for pressures as high as 150 psig (MAWP). Our team skid-mounts all of our components as a unit, and at installation, the generators only need utility service connections. For most generators, we provide two-four week production times to best serve you, and offer same-day shipping available on most orders for parts. We also offer extended warranties as part of our commitment to excellence and superior customer service.

For additional information about our capabilities and how our safe, economical indirect clean steam generators can help support efficiency, reliability, and cleanliness in your pharmaceutical application, contact us today.

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