Portable clean-in-place system for batch processing equipment
AssigneeElectrol Specialties Company
InventorsJohn W. Franks, Dale A. Seiberling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable clean-in-place apparatus for a batch processing system. The present invention provides a clean-in-place system on a movable frame adapted to move about a batch processing facility such as a dairy, brewery, pharmaceutical plant, or the like, and clean any or all portions of the batch processing system. Since the CIP system is provided on a movable frame, it can be moved without requiring fixed piping to and from the batch processing line, and since it is relatively small in dimension, it can fit through a standard size doorway to facilitate storage. Moreover, through appropriately sizing and orienting the equipment the apparatus is not only kept relatively small, but can be manufactured at a relatively low cost as well.
Claims23
A portable clean-in-place apparatus, having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet adapted to feed cleaning solution to a batch processing apparatus, the inlet adapted to receive cleaning solution and soil from the batch processing apparatus, the portable clean-in-place apparatus, comprising:
- a movable frame;
- a water tank mounted on the frame and having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, the inlet adapted to be connected to a water supply;
- a supply pump mounted on the frame and having an inlet connected to the water tank and an outlet;
- a heat exchanger mounted on the frame and having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet connected to the outlet of the pump;
- at least one chemical supply mounted on the frame and having an outlet connected to the outlet of the apparatus;
- a processor adapted to control fluid flow between the batch processing apparatus and the portable clean-in-place apparatus;
- and
- wherein the frame inlet is mounted below an outlet of the batch processing apparatus to thereby enable the cleaning solution to flow to the portable clean-in-place apparatus using gravity.
A batch processing apparatus having a clean-in-place system for cleaning piping and tanks of the batch processing apparatus, the clean-in-place system being of the type including a water supply, a chemical supply, a heat exchanger and pumps and valves controlling flow of fluid between the water supply, chemical supply, heat exchanger and batch processing apparatus, the clean-in-place system being mounted on a movable frame and including a central processor for controlling the water supply, chemical supply, heat exchanger, pumps, and valves;
- wherein the clean-in-place system has an outlet for connection to an inlet of the batch processing apparatus, and a return inlet for connection to an outlet of the batch processing apparatus, the clean-in-place return inlet and outlet being provided on a back end of the movable frame;
- and wherein the clean-in-place return inlet is provided below the batch processing apparatus outlet to facilitate use of gravity for draining purposes and to avoid air pockets in the fluid and loss of prime in the pumps.
A portable batch processing system clean-in-place apparatus, comprising:
- a movable frame having a front end and a back end;
- a water tank mounted on the movable frame, the tank having first and second inlets adapted to be connected to first and second water supplies, and first and second outlets;
- a supply pump connected to the water tank first outlet;
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, the heat exchanger inlet being connected to the supply pump, the heat exchanger outlet being connected to a clean-in-place outlet;
- first and second chemical supply tanks connected to the clean-in-place outlet;
- a chemical supply pump connecting the first and second chemical supply tanks to the clean-in-place outlet;
- a clean-in-place return manifold, the clean-in-place return manifold being provided below an outlet of a batch processing system;
- a drain pump having open and closed positions, the open position allowing fluid to exit the apparatus through the drain pump, the closed position allowing the fluid to enter the supply pump and recirculate;
- and
- a processor electrically connected to the supply pump, chemical supply pump, and drain pump for control of the clean-in-place apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.