Lesson 2 - Cleaning Systems and Control

In older designs, CIP plants were centralised. This approach is no longer viable due to cost and flexibility considerations, where individual CIP requirements demand a just in time schedule. CIP plants are thus installed in the area of use. The CIP plant is where the cleaning solutions are made up, used and returned for re-use or dumping.

CIP plants come in two types; single use and recovery. The choice of which to install is based on the cost of purchasing the equipment versus the cost of operating it. If the number of tanks to clean is low, as in a smaller brewery, the cheaper, simpler single use system may be the best option. With a recovery system, the higher capital cost is paid back by the savings in water, chemicals, energy and effluent treatment making them more suited to larger breweries with numerous tanks.

The following factors summarise the two systems:

Recovery system

• High initial capital cost of the vessels, instrumentation, pumps, valves, piping, and control system
• Complex control system and instrumentation
• High maintenance
• Control of detergent chemicals requires complex instrumentation
• High and variable effluent loads when discharging entire vessels with caustic, acid or sanitisers
• Recovery of detergent for re-use

Single use system

• Low initial capital costs as few to no vessels, short piping routes, simpler valve arrangements, and instrumentation
• Can be a portable unit
• Simple controls
• Lower maintenance
• Simple detergent chemical instrumentation
• Control of effluent discharges and smaller volumes
• Reduced footprint area for CIP station
• No recovery of detergent or water
• Longer cycle times due to a need to make up detergent before use