Tri Clamp Fittings (Tri Clover Fittings) and Tri Clover Valves

Tri clamp fittings (also called tri clover fittings) join sanitary stainless steel tubes using a ferrule, gasket and clamp that open by hand, which is why they are the standard connection in Malaysian food and beverage plants. The same connection is used on tri clover valves, so a valve can be removed or replaced without cutting the pipe.

Before Tri Clamp Unions were available, people had to rely on threaded unions like SMS and DIN11851 unions. They required special spanners to disassemble and were more troublesome to clean because of the thread would trap product and would need to be brushed thoroughly.

Tri Clover Fittings

Tri Clover used to be a brand name, but it is used interchangeably with Tri Clamp in the industry today. Tri Clamp fittings like Tri Clamp Reducers are preferred by production people because they are easier to disassemble and clean. Unlike other threaded sanitary unions, tri clover fittings are secured with a clamp ring by hand.

Tri clover fittings are available in SS304 and SS316L, with 316L preferred for more corrosive applications. They are manufactured to 3A Sanitary Standards which specify a smooth surface finish and design requirements to prevent bacterial harborage. Standards sizes range from 0.5" to12".

Size Chart

Tube Size	Ferrule OD
0.5" and 0.75"	25mm
1" and 1.5"	50.5mm
2"	64mm
2.5"	77.5mm
3"	91mm
4"	119mm

Tri Clamp Fittings Types

Other than unions, tri clamp fittings are available in a wide range of shapes to handle changes in direction, branching, and size changes in pipelines. Here are some examples:

• Elbows (45 and 90 Degrees) - used to change pipe directions while keeping the bend smooth and easy to clean

• Tees, Crosses, Reducing Tees - create branches for splitting or combining flow

• Concentric and Eccentric Reducers - transition between two different tubes sizes, eccentric types are commonly used in horizontal applications to prevent pooling

• Hose Ferrule Adaptors - a tri clamp ferrule connected to a hose barb so that a rubber hose can be connected into a tri clamp system

Tri Clover Valves (Hygienic Valves)

Most sanitary valves are available in tri clover ferrule connections. Tri clamp ferrules allow the valves to be dismantled easily for maintenance, the connection even allows the valve to be quickly removed to be replaced with another valve or different pipe line with a ferrule connection.

Tri clover valves are usually shorter than valves with threaded connections so they take up less space. For pipe lines with multiple valves, the savings in space add up, this means a smaller production area is viable.

Types of Tri Clover Valves

• Three-piece body ball valves have a body that comes apart for cleaning and seat replacement, so they suit lines that are inspected or serviced often.

• Two-piece body ball valves are a more economical option for lines that need full-bore flow and quick shut-off.

• Butterfly valves are lighter and more compact, which makes them cost-effective for larger line sizes and high-volume transfer.

• Diaphragm valves keep the product away from the valve’s moving parts, because a flexible diaphragm does the sealing. They are a good fit for products that need gentle handling and a crevice-free flow path that is easy to clean.

• Sampling valves let you draw a representative sample from a tank or pipeline without opening the system or exposing the product. They’re used for quality checks during production.

How to Choose a Tri Clover valve

• Body material: SS304 suits most food and beverage products. SS316L is preferred for acidic, salty or chloride-containing products and harsher cleaning chemicals.

• Seat and seal material: Choose from PTFE, EPDM, silicone, Viton, and NBR, based on your product temperature, fats and oils, and CIP chemicals.

• Manual or actuated: Manual handles are fine for occasional operation. Pneumatic actuators are used where valves are opened and closed automatically, such as on CIP lines.

• Size: The valve must match the ferrule size of your tube, so check it against the size chart above before ordering.

The Tri Clamp Gasket (FDA Gasket)

The tri clamp gasket is the most important part for preventing leaks and contamination. Different material types are available and you need to select the one suitable for your product and cleaning chemicals.

Material	Temperature Range	Disadvantages
Buna (Nitrile) Ferrule Gasket	-51°C to 121°C	High temperatures
EPDM Ferrule Gasket	-51°C to 149°C	Fats and oils
Silicone Ferrule Gasket	-40°C to 232°C	Acids and alkali
PTFE (Teflon) Ferrule Gasket	-40°C to 232°C	Not flexible, slightly more difficult to properly install
FKM (Viton)Ferrule Gasket	-40°C to 232°C

Flexible Transfers: The Tri Clamp Hose

For mobile equipment where fixed piping is not suitable, a tri clamp hose offers the flexibility. Tri clamp hoses usually come in rubber or stainless steel types. Hoses also handle vibration much better than fixed piping that are prone to breaking if the vibration is not dampened properly.

The tri clamp ferrules can either be secured to the hose with a hose clip for low pressure applications, or hydraulic crimped or clamped with bolt and nuts using a safety clamp.

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NKE supplies tri clamp fittings, tri clover fittings and tri clover valves to customers in Malaysia and Singapore. Contact us for sizes, pricing and stock.