Peracetic acid (PAA) is widely used in medical, pharmaceutical, and hygiene applications as a fast-acting, broad‑spectrum disinfectant. Its strong oxidizing properties allow it to eliminate bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores even at low temperatures, while breaking down into environmentally benign by-products such as acetic acid, oxygen, and water.
However, PAA’s effectiveness depends on precise concentration control. Underdosing can compromise disinfection, while overdosing risks equipment corrosion, material degradation, and unnecessary chemical exposure. Reliable, accurate, and chemically resistant flow measurement is therefore essential - qualities that define Titan Enterprises’ NSF‑Approved 800 Series flowmeters.
The Role of PAA in Critical Hygiene Environments
Peracetic acid is used widely because it fills several important roles in medical and other decontamination workflows:
- High-Level Instrument Disinfection: PAA is widely used in automated endoscope reprocessors and washer disinfectors for flexible endoscopes and other heat sensitive instruments. These systems require precise dosing to ensure effective disinfection without damaging delicate components.
- Surface Disinfection in Clinical Areas: Hospitals and labs apply diluted PAA as sprays or mists for operating rooms, isolation zones, and critical surfaces. Consistent, controlled dilution is essential to maintain reliable antimicrobial performance.
- Low Temperature Chemical Sterilisation: For devices unsuitable for steam autoclaves, such as those with electronics or sensitive coatings, liquid PAA offers a dependable sterilisation alternative. Accurate, repeatable flow and dosing control is key to safe, effective cycles.
- Pharmaceutical, Bioprocessing & Food Processing Applications: Beyond healthcare, PAA is frequently used in clean-in-place (CIP) and sterilise-in-place (SIP) systems within pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, biotechnology labs, and food production environments. Its strong oxidising properties make PAA ideal for fruit and vegetable washing, meat and poultry processing, and packaging line sanitation, providing reliable microbial control without leaving chemical residues. Here again, Titan’s NSF-Approved flowmeters provide precise flow monitoring, essential to maintain high hygiene standards and meet stringent regulatory standards.
Engineering Flowmeters for Chemical Resistance and Precision
To meet these diverse and demanding application requirements, Titan’s 800 Series flowmeters are built from materials carefully selected for their robustness and compatibility with aggressive chemicals like peracetic acid. Approved under the NSF standard 169 as ‘Special Purpose Food Equipment and Devices’, the meters incorporate PVDF, seal materials and sapphire, each chosen for specific performance advantages:
- PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride): Offers excellent resistance to acids and oxidizing agents, making it ideal for long-term contact with PAA.
- A variety of seal options including Viton™, EPDM and Kalrez®, chosen for their specific chemical compatibility.
- Sapphire Bearings: Provide extremely low friction and high wear resistance, ensuring long operating life even under continuous use.
One of the unique engineering strengths of the NSF-Approved 800 Series is Titan’s proprietary turbine flowmeter design, which utilises fully encapsulated magnetic components. In typical turbine flowmeters, exposed magnets or metallic elements can degrade when exposed to aggressive chemicals. Titan’s design eliminates this failure mode entirely, offering a reliable, contamination-free solution for PAA dosing systems – while maintaining the flowmeter’s competitive low cost. The 800 Series excels in these situations due to its high sensitivity to low flow velocities and the fast pulse output for precise electronic monitoring to ensure consistent and repeatable measurement performance. These characteristics enable operators and automated systems to maintain tight dosing control, ensuring that every millilitre of PAA is dispensed accurately.
Safety & Efficiency
Accurate flow measurement is not merely a technical convenience, it is a safety and performance requirement By delivering consistent, verifiable flow data, Titan’s 800 Series meters support safe sterilisation outcomes, reduced chemical waste, extended equipment life, preventing corrosion or material degradation resulting from over-concentrated acid and regulatory compliance.
