RE: Modeling Hygienic Unions

>These clamps are made by Tri-Clover, Waukesha, or Swagelok, and are rated to
>200 psig.

I know the Tri-clover clamps. I've been involved in the design of two segment clamps for moderate pressures up to 600 psi in the food processing industry. To my knowledge there have been no problems with the design, but the nature of the external load is different. My guess is that an external load heavy enough to break the seal would destroy the clamp, since they're mated by a wedging action like the Gralock clamps.

>By meeting code, I mean to demonstrate that the unions will not
>leak during sterilization.

I gather you mean a code other than B31.

>is to ask the manufacturers to test and publish
>the data as a group or individually

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen. ;->

Christopher Wright P.E.    |"They couldn't hit an elephant at
chrisw@skypoint.com        | this distance"   (last words of Gen.
___________________________| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania 1864)