What Makes Stainless Steel So Sanitary?

Posted by Deepak Seth on January 27th, 2023

Stainless steel wins hands down when it comes to sanitary needs. Whether it’s sanitary valves, sanitary strainers, or sanitary clamps, it doesn’t really matter. Stainless steel is extremely sanitary, as well as very durable. A stainless steel pipe has a lifespan of more than 100 years. 

In fact, stainless steel covers a wide range of steel types. Stainless steel comes in many forms, but all of them share the same “stainless” properties. In a two-step process, stainless steel is made from iron and carbon. It doesn’t matter if it is for sanitary valves or anything else, the first step is to molten raw pig iron and remove its impurities. As iron oxidizes very easily, normal steel corrodes and rusts very easily.

Over time, traditional steel rusts and pits due to oxygen exposure. Pits can trap products (food, bacteria, etc.). Most steel can become a sanitary nightmare because of this. Due to its corrosion resistance, stainless steel does not form these pits that trap food and other products, making it much easier to clean and maintain.

You can find sanitary stainless steel products in our selection. With our sanitary fittings and pipes, you have access to everything you need to manage your plant or facility properly.

Why do we use stainless steel in sanitary process system?

As with all steels, stainless steel is primarily composed of iron and carbon. Steel is made in two steps. First, iron ore is smelted in a blast furnace. Molten raw “pig iron” is blown with high purity oxygen in modern plants to reduce its carbon content. Modern plants reduce the carbon content of molten raw “pig iron” by blowing high purity oxygen into it.

The other type of steel we’ll see in sanitary process are precipitation hardened martensitic or semi-austenitic steels. These steels, which include 17-4PH feature the addition of elements like aluminum, copper, and niobium which makes the steel extremely strong while still easily machined. The properties of stainless steel, particularly austenitic steels, make it an excellent choice for sanitary process equipment in addition to corrosion resistance. As we’ve touched on already, stainless steel is strong, durable, easily fabricated, relatively cheap, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to clean. As a result, we can machine, weld, and shape steel into almost any shape. Finished steel products will be strong, durable and perform over a wide range of temperatures. What makes “stainless” “stainless” is its resistance to corrosion. Whenever steel is exposed to the elements, it rusts and pits. Pits like these can trap product. In a sanitary process, this is not acceptable. It is difficult to clean these places, and once the passive layer is gone, the steel is vulnerable to further attack.

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