SANITRX HPX® and HPX® II
How do you fit a reverse-acting rupture disc directly between two clamp ferrules, without a holder, and keep 95% of burst pressure in service on a tank that goes from vacuum to SIP several times a day?
Continental Disc®’s SANITRX HPX® and SANITRX HPX® II answer this question for pharmaceuticals, biotech and food processing: DN 25 to DN 100, 0.689 to 34.5 barg, gas or liquid, integrated USP Class VI gasket, ASME BPE and 3-A compliant.
HPX® Product Family brochure (PDF)
SANITRX HPX / HPX / LPX installation manual
SANITRX HPX®, reverse-acting sanitary rupture disc between clamp ferrules
Scored semi-circular reverse-acting disc, SANITRX HPX® 1″ to 3″ up to 17.2 barg, SANITRX HPX® II 1½″ to 4″ up to 34.5 barg, 90% or 95% ratio, ASME BPE, 3-A, USP Class VI
Reverse-acting sanitary rupture disc, precision semi-circular score machined on the vent side: the process face remains smooth, with no groove to clean. Non-fragmenting, leak-tight, full vacuum resistant. It fits directly between two standard sanitary ferrules, between NovAseptic® NA-CONNECT® flanges or in dedicated SANITRX® fittings. A permanently attached three-dimensional flow-direction tag protrudes from the clamp: installation direction can be checked visually, without dismantling.
Two models. The SANITRX HPX® covers 1″ to 3″ from 0.689 to 17.2 barg. The SANITRX HPX® II covers 1½″ to 4″ and goes up to 34.5 barg at 1½″. Disc materials: 316 and 316L stainless steel, Alloy C276, Alloy C22. Integrated gasket certified USP Class VI, FDA compliant, free of animal or human derivatives, polishing compound and release agent. Delivered in sanitary packaging. National Board certified KR coefficients: KRG 1.13 and KRL 1.60 for the SANITRX HPX®, KRG 1.60 and KRL 1.88 for the SANITRX HPX® II.
What it is for
In a hygienic installation, every flanged holder adds an interface, retention zones and a dismantling point. The SANITRX HPX® eliminates the holder: the disc and its gasket take the place of a standard clamp gasket between two ASME BPE ferrules. Same clamp, same tapping, same installation procedure as the rest of the process piping.
The HPX® family is validated in testing over 5 million cycles from full vacuum to 95% of burst pressure. This is what matters on a bioreactor or fermenter: vacuum after draining, steam ramp-up to 121°C or 130°C, repressurisation with sterile air, and the disc does not drift.
Typical applications: autoclaves, bioreactors, fermenters, process tanks, storage and transport tanks, WFI tanks and loops, clean steam piping, heat exchangers, filters, freeze-dryers, mixing, drying and granulation equipment, CIP/SIP skids and piping.
For a burst pressure below 0.689 barg, this role is taken over by the SANITRX LPX, a low-pressure sanitary rupture disc. To also eliminate the integrated gasket and pass the ASME BPE Appendix M spray coverage test, see theIntegrX-HPX™.
Characteristics
| Characteristic | Value |
| Type | Reverse-acting disc, scored semi-circular on the vent side, non-fragmenting |
| SANITRX HPX® diameters | 1″, 1½″, 2″, 3″ (DN 25 to DN 80) |
| SANITRX HPX® II diameters | 1½″, 2″, 3″, 4″ (DN 40 to DN 100) |
| Burst pressure range | SANITRX HPX®: 0.689 to 17.2 barg; SANITRX HPX® II: 0.689 to 34.5 barg (at 22°C, depending on diameter) |
| Operating ratio | 90% (-90 version) or 95% (-95 version) of marked burst pressure |
| Burst tolerance | ±5% above 2.76 barg (40 psig); ±0.138 barg (±2 psig) at 2.76 barg and below |
| Cycling resistance | HPX® family tested for 5 million cycles from full vacuum to maximum operating pressure |
| Fluid | Gas, steam or liquid (specify compressible or incompressible when ordering) |
| Disc materials | 316 SS, 316L SS, Alloy C276, Alloy C22 |
| Connection | Between standard sanitary ferrules, NovAseptic® NA-CONNECT® flanges or SANITRX® fittings |
| Tag | Permanently attached 3D flow-direction tag: vertical on ferrule, horizontal on NA-CONNECT® |
| Integrated gasket | Peroxide silicone, platinum silicone, white or black FKM, white or black EPDM, PTFE, steel-reinforced PTFE |
| Gasket compliance | USP Class VI (Section <88>), FDA 21 CFR 177.1550 (PTFE) and 177.2600 (elastomers) |
| Steam sterilisation | SIP up to 130°C |
| Finish | Electropolishing as an option |
| National Board certified KR factor | SANITRX HPX®: KRG 1.13 / KRL 1.60; SANITRX HPX® II: KRG 1.60 / KRL 1.88 |
| Compliance | ASME BPE, 3-A |
| Certifications on request | ASME Section VIII Division 1 (UD), PED 2014/68/EU (CE) |
| Burst detection | Integrated B.D.I.® or integrated Continental Disc alarm system |
Burst pressure ranges by diameter, 316 / 316L disc
Minimum and maximum pressures available at 22°C, at the limits of the manufacturing range.
| Model and diameter | Minimum burst pressure (barg) | Maximum burst pressure (barg) |
| SANITRX HPX® 1″ (DN 25) | 1,72 | 17,2 |
| SANITRX HPX® 1½″ (DN 40) | 0,689 | 13,8 |
| SANITRX HPX® 2″ (DN 50) | 0,689 | 10,3 |
| SANITRX HPX® 3″ (DN 80) | 0,689 | 6,89 |
| SANITRX HPX® II 1½″ (DN 40) | 13,8 | 34,5 |
| SANITRX HPX® II 2″ (DN 50) | 10,3 | 31,0 |
| SANITRX HPX® II 3″ (DN 80) | 6,89 | 12,1 |
| SANITRX HPX® II 4″ (DN 100) | 0,689 | 6,89 |
Temperature limits of integrated gaskets
The allowable temperature of the assembly is set by the gasket, not by the disc.
| Gasket material | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
| Peroxide silicone | -62 | 232 |
| Platinum silicone | -62 | 177 |
| White or black FKM | -29 | 204 |
| White EPDM | -48 | 135 |
| Black EPDM | -48 | 149 |
| PTFE | -40 | 232 |
| Steel-reinforced PTFE | -29 | 232 |
Options
Electropolished finish. Fluoropolymer coating on the process and/or vent side against corrosion. ASME Section VIII Division 1 (UD) stamp and CE marking per PED on request. Split replacement gaskets in the same material and with the same seat type (SF or IS). Continental Disc 316L fittings compliant with ASME BPE and 3-A: spool, butt-weld ferrule, concentric reducer, spool with ¼″ NPT pressure gauge tap, from 1″ to 4″. MBC™ multi-bolt clamp in cast stainless steel, 4 bolts, from 1½″ to 4″. Burst detection by B.D.I.® integrated.
Frequently asked questions
SANITRX HPX® or SANITRX HPX® II?
The two ranges follow on from each other without overlapping. At 1½″, the SANITRX HPX® stops at 13.8 barg and the HPX® II starts at 13.8 barg. At 2″, the changeover is at 10.3 barg; at 3″, at 6.89 barg. At 1″, only the SANITRX HPX® exists, from 1.72 to 17.2 barg. At 4″, only the HPX® II, from 0.689 to 6.89 barg. For a given diameter, the HPX® II covers the higher pressures.
SANITRX HPX®, SANITRX LPX or IntegrX-HPX™?
Below 0.689 barg: SANITRX LPX, gas only. From 0.689 to 34.5 barg with an integrated gasket: SANITRX HPX® or HPX® II. If the audit requires elimination of the integrated gasket and the ASME BPE Appendix M spray coverage test, or if the process goes down to -196°C: IntegrX-HPX™.
What is the maximum SIP temperature?
The disc withstands steam sterilisation up to 130°C. The practical limit is that of the gasket: 177°C for platinum silicone, 135°C for white EPDM, 232°C for PTFE. For SIP at 121°C with caustic CIP, EPDM works; for a biotech process sensitive to extractables, platinum silicone is the usual choice.
Why specify gas or liquid?
Continental Disc manufactures and tests each batch for compressible or incompressible relief. A gas-qualified disc may not open correctly under a liquid surge. On a media tank or fermenter that may overflow, the liquid scenario must be included in the specification.
Can the SANITRX HPX® be mounted on an NA-CONNECT® flange?
Yes. The NovAseptic® NA-CONNECT® flange allows the disc to be mounted flush with the tank wall, with no dead leg, making cleaning and sterilisation easier. The tag is then horizontal instead of vertical.
Is a special clamp needed?
A standard sanitary clamp is sufficient in most cases. For high pressures and temperatures, Continental Disc offers the 4-bolt MBC™ clamp in cast stainless steel, from 1½″ to 4″: the clamping force is distributed, and the failure of one bolt does not release the assembly.