Achieve Functional Equivalence with the Jacoby-Tarbox Hy-Trap Hygienic Bubble Trap

Nov 29, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Aug 11

Want the advanced features of a Hy-Trap, but currently have another manufacturer's bubble trap installed? Jacoby-Tarbox's Hy-Trap Hygienic Bubble Traps can be arranged to match your current process connections while incorporating most of the standard Hy-Trap features. The unit pictured is a custom bubble trap headed to a major pharma company in the Northeast US.

Why Functional Equivalence Matters

Switching bubble trap suppliers doesn't have to mean redesigning your skid. Because the Hy-Trap can be arranged to match existing process connections, a facility running a competitor's bubble trap can upgrade to Hy-Trap's design advantages - centered inlet, Aggressive Drain Design, and the self-centering L-shaped seal - without reworking the surrounding piping and instrumentation the trap connects into. This is what "functional equivalence" means in practice: matching the physical footprint and connections of what's already installed, while upgrading the internal design quality.

Design Features Across All Sizes

Centered Inlet: Promotes even dispersion of fluid entering the trap, supporting more consistent degassing performance.

Inlet Positioned Away From the Wall: Leads to faster, more consistent cleaning, since fluid entering away from the trap wall reduces dead zones where residue could otherwise accumulate.

Aggressive Drain Design (ADD): Featuring the highest drain angle of any manufacturer (greater than 10°), along with intersecting OD-to-ID and ID-to-OD tapers, a radiused drain entry, and SF4 wetted surface finishes - each element working together to maximize how completely the trap empties between cycles.

L-Shaped Seal: Eliminates glass-to-metal impingement, is designed specifically for each glass size rather than a generic fit, is self-centering during assembly, and supports superior cleanability - all directly addressing the crevice-free, contamination-prevention requirements essential to chromatography and other sanitary applications.

Sizes and Materials

Standard sizes run 4" to 10" (100-250mm), with additional sizes available by consulting the factory. Standard materials are 316L stainless steel and Type 1 borosilicate glass, with custom materials and pressure ratings also available by consulting the factory.

Mounting Brackets: Reducing Stress on Both the Trap and the Tubing

The Hy-Trap comes standard with unit and accessory mounting brackets. This addresses a real mechanical consideration that's easy to overlook: without proper mounting support, a bubble trap relying on tubing-only mounting places ongoing stress on the trap itself, while the weight of a heavy bubble trap in turn places stress back on the tubing supporting it. Standard mounting brackets remove this mutual stress, protecting both the trap and the surrounding tubing connections from fatigue over time.

Why This Matters for Pharma Applications

Pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities often standardize equipment specifications across multiple skids or production lines. Being able to achieve functional equivalence with an existing bubble trap design - matching connections while upgrading internal performance - gives pharma facilities a practical path to adopt Hy-Trap's cleanability and drainage advantages without a full skid redesign.

Applications

Functional equivalence bubble trap upgrades are valuable for:

Pharmaceutical & Biotech: Upgrading existing chromatography skids without redesigning connections
Any Facility Standardizing on Hy-Trap: While maintaining compatibility with existing process piping
Multi-Skid Operations: Where consistent trap performance across different equipment generations matters