CIP system
AssigneeE-CIP Concept ApS
InventorAnders Holdflod Poulsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) system and process for cleaning objects are provided for use in a CIP plant suitable for, e.g., producing products requiring a high level of hygiene. The plant includes primary and optionally secondary tanks for cleaning media, a freshwater supply, one or more forward lines forwarding liquid (e.g., cleaning media or water) from the plant to one or more objects. Objects may include one unit or a part of a unit, such as a tank or pipeline, or a combination of units, and each object is subjected to a separate CIP flow. Return line(s) and forward line(s) manage liquid (e.g., cleaning media or water or freshwater) between various components of the system.
Claims13
A Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) process plant for cleaning of one or more objects comprising:
- a primary tank for primary cleaning media;
- a supply of freshwater;
- one or more forward lines forwarding liquid in the form of primary or secondary cleaning media or water from the CIP process plant to one or more objects where one object comprises one unit or a part of a unit, such as a tank or pipeline, or a combination of units and each object is subjected to a separate CIP flow;
- one or more return lines returning liquid in form of cleaning media or water from the object to the CIP process plant;
- valves directing the flow through tanks and pipes of the CIP Process Plant, where each forward line comprises valves directing liquid from either the supply of freshwater or from a vessel or a tank into a forward line, and each return line comprises inlet valves directing liquid from the return line into a tank or into a drain;
- wherein the forward line(s) is dimensioned and adapted to hold a liquid amount that corresponds to the liquid amount to be used in a first pre-flush step.
A method for a CIP process in CIP plant comprising the following units:
- a primary tank for primary cleaning media;
- a supply of freshwater;
- one or more forward lines forwarding liquid in form of primary and/or secondary, cleaning media or water from the CIP process plant to one or more objects, which forward line(s) hold a liquid amount;
- one or more return lines returning liquid in form of primary, or secondary cleaning media or water from the object to the CIP process plant;
- valves directing the flow through tanks and pipes of the CIP Process Plant, where each forward line comprises valves directing liquid from either the supply of freshwater or from a vessel or a tank into a forward line, and each return line comprises inlet valves directing liquid from the return line into a tank or into a drain;
- wherein the process comprises the following step:
- a pre-flush step where the liquid volume held in the forward line of the object to be cleaned is pushed forward through the object by primary cleaning media by opening of the outlet valve from the primary cleaning media tank, opening the inlet valve to an object;
- the pre-flush step is stopped when the cleaning media front reaches the inlet to the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.