A Comprehensive Guide to Clean in Place (CIP) Systems

CIP involves the circulation of cleaning agents through tanks, pipes, and other equipment to remove residues and contaminants. This method offers several critical advantages:

• Enhanced Hygiene: Prevents cross-contamination and ensures compliance with industry standards
• Operational Efficiency: Automates cleaning, reducing downtime and labour
• Safety and Compliance: Minimises chemical exposure for workers and ensures adherence to regulatory requirements such as FDA, HACCP, and cGMP

Key Parameters:

• Flow Rate: A minimum velocity of 1.5 m/s creates turbulent flow, essential for dislodging residues
• Temperature: Elevated temperatures improve cleaning efficiency; a 10°C increase can boost efficiency by 50%
• Chemical Concentration: Tailored detergent levels ensure effective cleaning for specific residues
• Contact Time: Sufficient exposure to cleaning agents optimises results

Tailored to Equipment and Processes:

• Pipe diameter and equipment geometry have an impact on system design (e.g., 3-inch tubes at up to 3 m/s flow rate, processing up to 24 m³/hour)
• Separate circuits for tanks and pipelines ensure even greater efficiency
• Consideration for CIP-ability: Ensure existing equipment is compatible with CIP systems

Critical Considerations for CIP Design:

• Circuit Balance: Output flow must slightly exceed input flow to prevent process tank filling and contamination
• Safety Break System: Separation between process and cleaning circuits ensures safety and prevents backflow
• Dead Leg Prevention: Minimise stagnant areas to enhance cleanability
• Tank Capacity: Larger tanks required for prolonged cleaning cycles

Breweries:

• CIP skids for start-ups to clean process lines with water
• Boil-out systems using 200-300L vessels with hot water to flush brewing systems

Food-Grade Processes:

• Tailored systems for cleaning mixers, tanks, and transfer lines
• Addressing both oily and sugary residues using acidic and alkaline solutions, respectively

Cosmetics:

• Cleaning tanks and piping to prevent cross-contamination between product formulations
• Importance of tank size for long-run times

Healthcare:

• Ensuring sterility in equipment for processing creams and lotions
• Systems designed to minimise bioburden and endotoxins

Clean in Place systems can be categorised based on their design, operational approach, and level of complexity. Each type has unique advantages and disadvantages, making them suitable for specific industries and operational needs.

Boil-Out (Fill/Flood) Systems:
These systems involve filling or flooding equipment with cleaning solutions to remove residues, particularly in systems with challenging geometries.

Advantages:

• Minimal specialised equipment required
• Effective for small-scale setups with complex piping or hard-to-reach areas
• Can accommodate solvent-based cleaning for difficult residues

Disadvantages:

• High water and detergent consumption
• Long cleaning cycles due to slower circulation
• Potential risk of incomplete cleaning in large setups

Preferred Industries:

• Food & Beverage: Cleaning equipment used for sticky or fatty residues, such as caramel or dairy-based products
• Cosmetics: Ideal for emulsifiers and other complex formulations
• Healthcare: Cleaning small, intricate equipment used for ointments and creams
• Breweries: Effective for small tanks with unique geometries, such as whirlpool systems in artisanal brewing

Total Loss Systems:
In Total Loss Systems, cleaning solutions are used once and discarded after the cleaning cycle.

Advantages:

• Simple design with minimal infrastructure requirements
• Ideal for infrequent cleaning schedules or scenarios where reusing cleaning solutions is impractical
• Reduces risk of cross-contamination

Disadvantages:

• High operational costs due to single-use cleaning agents
• Environmental impact from increased water and chemical disposal

Preferred Industries:

• Cosmetics: Ideal for small-batch production of high-purity products like organic or allergen-free formulations
• Specialty Food Products: Cleaning allergen-specific lines to prevent cross-contamination (e.g., nut-free chocolate)

Single-Use Recirculation Systems:
These systems recirculate cleaning agents during the cleaning cycle and dispose of them after use.

Advantages:

• Highly flexible for varying cleaning parameters like temperature and detergent concentration
• Lower cross-contamination risk compared to re-use systems
• Efficient for small-to-medium-scale setups

Disadvantages:

• Higher running costs due to one-time use of cleaning solutions
• Limited scalability for very large operations

Preferred Industries:

• Breweries: Cleaning medium-sized tanks and pipelines for beer production with moderate residue buildup
• Food Processing: Useful for facilities processing viscous products like sauces or syrups
• Dairy & Beverages: Cleaning milk tanks or juice pipelines where residue build-up is common
• Cosmetics: Suitable for mid-scale production of lotions and creams

Re-Use Systems:
Re-Use Systems are highly efficient, involving multiple tanks for storing cleaning agents, which are used repeatedly across cleaning cycles.

Advantages:

• Cost-effective for large-scale operations with high cleaning frequency
• Reduces water and detergent usage, lowering overall running costs
• Customisable with multi-channel options for acid, alkaline, and water

Disadvantages:

• High upfront capital expenditure for installation
• Greater potential for cross-contamination if not maintained rigorously
• Complex design requiring skilled operators and monitoring systems

Preferred Industries:

• Breweries: Large-scale operations cleaning fermenters, Brite tanks, and kegging lines
• Food & Beverage: Efficient for cleaning high-capacity tanks used in beverage manufacturing
• Healthcare: Multi-channel systems for acid, alkaline, and water circuits to clean healthcare manufacturing equipment

Mobile CIP Units:
These are portable systems that can be moved between different equipment and areas for cleaning.

Advantages:

• Highly flexible and ideal for small operations with space constraints
• Requires minimal installation and infrastructure
• Adaptable to different cleaning needs across multiple units

Disadvantages:

• Limited capacity, unsuitable for large-scale operations
• Challenges in maintaining consistent heating and circulation in some configurations

Preferred Industries:

• Boutique Breweries: Cleaning small fermenters and transfer lines
• Artisanal Food Producers: Ensuring hygiene in small-batch food production
• Cosmetics Labs: Flexibility to clean small tanks and mixers used for R&D or custom formulations

Tanks play an important role in CIP systems, acting as reservoirs for cleaning agents and rinse water. Suitable tank design and capacity are critical for ensuring effective and optimised operations.

Key Types of Tanks in CIP Systems:

• Detergent Tanks: Used to store alkaline or acidic cleaning solutions. The size of this tank depends on cleaning cycle frequency and detergent reusability
• Rinse Water Tanks: Hold water for intermediate and final rinses and are critical for operations prioritising low contamination and water efficiency
• Heated Water Tanks: Essential for systems requiring elevated temperatures to improve cleaning efficiency
• Multi-Compartment Tanks: Used in Re-Use Systems, allowing multiple cleaning agents to be stored and recycled during cleaning cycles

Tank Sizing Considerations:

• Cleaning Volume: Ensure the tank capacity matches the total volume of equipment being cleaned
• Cycle Frequency: High-frequency operations may require larger tanks or automated refilling capabilities
• Residue Type: Systems cleaning high-residue equipment (e.g., dairy or cosmetics) need larger tanks to accommodate concentrated cleaning agents
• Energy Efficiency: Insulated tanks help maintain temperature, reducing heating energy costs

• Scale of Operations: Large facilities benefit from Re-Use Systems due to cost and resource efficiency, while smaller operations or those with variable production cycles may opt for Single-Use or Mobile units
• Residue Type and Cleaning Frequency: Oily or sugar-laden residues in food-grade industries require systems with robust chemical handling, while Healthcare applications prioritise sterility, making Single-Use or Total Loss Systems more suitable
• Budget and Long-Term Costs: Initial costs for Re-Use Systems are higher, but in turn lower the running expenses, while Total Loss Systems might seem cheaper initially but incur higher recurring operational costs
• Environmental Impact: Re-Use Systems align better with sustainability goals by reducing water and chemical waste, while Single-Use Systems may require advanced waste management solutions to minimise ecological footprint
• Flexibility and Customisation: Mobile units and Single-Use Systems are ideal for operations requiring frequent reconfiguration, while fixed systems like Re-Use or Boil-Out setups are better for consistent, large-scale production environments

Investing in a robust and well-designed CIP system ensures consistent product quality, enhances operational efficiency, and complies with stringent safety and hygiene standards. By understanding the nuances of CIP systems and tailoring them to specific industry needs, businesses can achieve sustainable growth while maintaining the highest levels of safety and efficiency.

Reach out to the team to learn more about how we can support your CIP requirements.