A DUE is able to meet all customer needs, starting from the receipt of the raw materials (sugar, powders, concentrates, juices, etc.) up to the product transfer to the filler; process water treatment (WTP); the interface with filling equipment (PET, CAN, CARTON, GLASS, POUCHES, Bag-in-Box); the supply of utilities (Boiler, Chiller, Cooling tower, etc.); EASY.Clean washing, the CIP washing of process plants.
The EASY.Clean washing system optimized for the CIP washing process
The CIP (Clean-in-Place) washing consists in the removal of organic and inorganic substances present on the inner surfaces of the beverage production plants; inadequate cleaning can lead to serious risks of violations of food safety regulations with considerable damage to the corporate image.
As the CIP process is extremely consuming in terms of time and natural resources, A DUE has undertaken a series of studies and trials to optimize the EASY.Clean washing systems in a green perspective. With the aim of achieving the best possible effectiveness, in less time possible and with the reduced water and energy consumption, with a view to sustainability providing also for the abatement of the release of potentially harmful substances for humans or the environment.
Study of the insulation of the tanks for the acid and soda solutions storage
Lower energy consumption and CO2 emissions are guaranteed thanks to the total insulation of the storage tank. For example, for a tank of approximately 6.000 l, assuming an average of 10 daily washes at a temperature of 85° C, by insulating not only the shell, but also the lid and the bottom of the tank, it is possible to reduce the total energy consumption from 509.769 to 228.184 kcal per day with a daily saving of about 14 Euro, which, considering the higher purchase cost due to the total insulation of the tank, brings the payback period to about 1.6 years. Not to mention the reduction of CO2 emissions of about 20 tons per year. For larger tanks up to 20.000-litre capacity, even better results can be obtained.
The Study of tank rinsing technologies
Experimental trials were carried out, in collaboration with the Engineering Department of the Parma University, with the purpose to verify the influence of various washing technologies on washing efficiency and speed, as well as on water consumption.
Taking into consideration hard-to-clean food products, such as triple tomato concentrate, wildflower honey, vinegar cream, spreadable chocolate cream, the tests compared the continuous and intermittent (burst rinsing) washing technologies and confronted different washing devices:
- static spray ball;
- rotary spray ball;
- rotary jet head.
It was found that burst rinsing allows water savings but in the long run becomes economically disadvantageous. The use of the rotary spray ball or the rotary jet head compared to the static spray ball guarantees savings of 30%-70% in terms of both water and time; considering a 30% saving on water and time consumption and the purchase costs of rotating devices, we can estimate the payback period of about one year for the rotary spray ball and three years for the rotary jet head.
If we consider, for example, a 10.000-litre tank, N.5 daily rinses, a flow rate of 14.000 l/h and a 3-phase CIP (rinse, soda/ acid cleaning, rinse), an efficient washing cycle will last 40 minutes (10 minutes/20 minutes /10 minutes):
- with static spray ball, 34 minutes (7 minutes/20 minutes/7 minutes);
- with rotary spray ball, 30 minutes (5 minutes/20 minutes/5 minutes) with rotary jet head.
For these last two solutions, the annual water/time saving is, respectively, 1,890 m³/270 hours and 3,150 m³/450 hours. Results validated during testing even for higher flow rates and tank sizes.
The possibility of increasing the washing mechanical action by air blowing capable of creating turbulence inside the pipes to be cleaned is being studied.
Installation of a second tank (balance tank) of a smaller capacity to serve soda storage tank
Always with the objective of reducing water and saving energy along with washing times cut, in addition to implementing the recirculation of the detergent on the main tank until possible, the insertion of the balance tank allows to carry out the following:
- remove a given soil-type, e.g. Fouling in the circuits;
- clean with the use of specific chemical agents having a greater effectiveness (Cleaning Booster agent);
- perform cleaning phases composed of several steps, with temperatures and times according to the degree of soiling to be removed in the different parts of the system;
- perform occasional sterilization (hot or cold) without using a dedicated recovery tank.
Study of alternative disinfectant methods
Studies are underway to verify the applicability of alternative chemical products for the tank disinfection, including the use of water-dissolved ozone, which, not requiring a subsequent rinsing phase, is able to guarantee, compared to sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid, considerable water savings, as well as a reduction of chemical-related costs and allow significant benefits in terms of handling, storage and disposal of the same.
Study of rinsing technologies
Another study in progress aimed at optimizing consumption and times of the final rinsing phase of the CIP cycle has analysed the different performances of the continuous washing (the rinsing water from the top is gradually introduced inside the tank as the dirty soda solution is drained from the bottom of the tank at the end of the cycle) and burst rinsing (the dirty soda solution at the end of the cycle is completely drained from the bottom of the tank and only then the rinsing water is introduced inside the tank from the top) . The second rinsing method results in time saving of about 50% and rinsing water of about 25%.
EASY.Clean washing: reduction of release of potentially harmful substances for humans and the environment
A DUE, thanks to international collaborations, is also able to provide systems for the recovery and treatment of caustic soda used in CIP processes, thus ensuring a reduction of environmental impact and operating costs.
Other aspects evaluated by A DUE for the optimization of its CIP EASY.Clean washing units is an in-depth study of the plant lay-out and footprint in the design phase, to reduce the distances the cleaning fluid should cover, thus saving time, water and energy, together with the use of an adequate automation software for the control of every aspect of the process and the verification of its correct execution, as well as the monitoring of the plant performance through appropriate key performance indicators (KPI).
