Tri-Clamp Fittings

Tri-Clamp fittings are used to easily mate two or more elements in a process line. This is accomplished by connecting the flanged ends of fittings, with a gasket in between, and securing the connection with a clamp.

Sanitary Tri-Clamp tube fittings are widely used in the food and beverage industry, particularly in Food Processing Plants, Breweries, Wineries, and Dairies. Also known as Tri-Clover fittings, they connect to the process line with a gasket, a clamp, and another clamp fitting. They disconnect just as easily for cleaning or replacement.  

You may wonder if Tri-Clamp and Tri-Clover fittings are different in some fundamental way. The answer is that they are one and the same, identical in every way. Tri-Clover was an Alfa-Laval trademark for their sanitary clamp fitting type. The term became commonly used in the industry, but while the name Tri-Clover was copyrighted, the design was not. Soon other manufacturers entered the marketplace, and the name Tri-Clamp was born. If you need a certain Tri-Clover fitting, you can safely purchase Tri-Clamp. It will integrate perfectly into your existing system.

James Duva, Inc. offers sanitary Tri-Clamp fittings in 304 and 316 stainless steel. With a polished ID to 32RA or better, sanitary tube fittings help to prevent impurities from settling and corrupting your medium. Our clamp end fittings meet all 3-A requirements.

Heavy-Duty and High Pressure clamps complete the union between two clamp ends. It’s very important to make sure the gasket is properly seated before tightening the clamp, as improper alignment is a leading cause of leaks and contamination. The clamp should be tight and secure, but not overtight. If the gasket bulges, it may push into the process line. This can create spaces for bacteria to develop.

There are several commonly used gasket materials. Below are the types offered by James Duva, Inc.

• Buna – Rubber gaskets for general purpose industrial sealing at moderate temperatures (between -22° and 250°F).
• Viton® – Rubber gaskets providing indefinite seal from 5° to 400°F, and an excellent seal at 600°F up to 48 hours.
• EPDM – A very stable rubber-like gasket that resists heat, oxidation, and aging, with flexibility at low temperatures. Working range is -60° to 300°F.
• Teflon® – Also known as PTFE, these chemically resistant plastic gaskets are unaffected by most corrosive liquids and gasses from -400° to 500°F.

At James Duva, Inc., we offer an extensive inventory of sanitary stainless Tri-Clamp fittings, all certified to the required industry standards. Call us today, or visit DuvaSanitary.com to buy online.