Cleaning In Place

INTRODUCTION

Cleaning in Place (CIP) is a method used to clean and sanitize equipment and pipelines without dismantling them. The CIP process involves circulating a cleaning solution through the equipment and piping using pumps, while valves and control systems regulate the flow rate and pressure. The cleaning solution is typically a mixture of water and cleaning agents, including detergents, acids, or alkalis, depending on the type of equipment being cleaned and the type of soil to be removed. CIP is widely used in various industries, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and biotechnology, to ensure equipment cleanliness and product quality while minimizing downtime and labour costs.

Mobile CIP

Our MobileCIP systems allow the cleaning of process equipment without dismantling, or manual cleaning with minimal operator involvement and all have mobile ability.

STATIC CIP

CIP systems or in its full form, Cleaning In Place systems, are defined as equipment and techniques to allow cleaning of process equipment without dismantling.

Importance of CIP in various industries

Cleaning in Place (CIP) is essential in various industries because of its ability to clean and sanitize equipment without dismantling it, thus minimizing downtime, labour costs, and risks of contamination. The following are some of the key industries where CIP is crucial:

Pharmaceutical Industry
In the pharmaceutical industry, CIP is critical to ensuring drug product quality and patient safety. CIP systems are used to clean equipment such as reactors, mixers, and filling machines, which are used in the production of drugs. CIP helps prevent cross-contamination of drugs and ensures that the equipment is free of any residues that may affect drug potency or purity.

Biotechnology Industry
In the biotechnology industry, CIP is essential in the production of biologics, including vaccines, therapeutic proteins, and monoclonal antibodies. CIP systems are used to clean equipment such as fermenters, bioreactors, and chromatography columns, which are used in the production of biologics. CIP helps prevent contamination of biologics and ensures that the equipment is free of any residues that may affect the quality or efficacy of the products.

Food and Beverage Industry
In the food and beverage industry, CIP is vital to ensuring food safety, product quality, and compliance with regulatory requirements. CIP systems are used to clean equipment such as tanks, pipes, pumps, and valves, which are used in food processing, storage, and distribution. CIP helps prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause spoilage or contamination of food products.

Cosmetics Industry
In the cosmetics industry, CIP is crucial to ensuring product quality, safety, and compliance with regulatory requirements. CIP systems are used to clean equipment such as mixers, tanks, and filling machines, which are used in the production of cosmetics. CIP helps prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause spoilage or contamination of cosmetics products.

Dairy Industry
In the dairy industry, CIP is essential to ensure product quality and safety. CIP systems are used to clean equipment such as milking machines, storage tanks, and processing equipment, which are used in the production of milk and dairy products. CIP helps prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause spoilage or contamination of dairy products. In summary, CIP is essential in various industries to ensure product quality, safety, and compliance with regulatory requirements. CIP helps prevent contamination of products, minimize downtime and labor costs, and ensure that the equipment is free of any residues that may affect product quality or safety.

Sustainability in Cleaning In Place Systems

Sustainability is an increasingly important consideration in various industries, including those that use cleaning in place (CIP) systems. Here are some ways in which sustainability can be incorporated into CIP systems:

Chemical Selection
The chemicals used in CIP systems can have a significant impact on the environment. It is important to choose cleaning solutions that are biodegradable and non-toxic. This reduces the impact on the environment and ensures that the cleaning agents are not harmful to people who may come in contact with them.

Water Conservation
Water is a vital resource, and its conservation is essential. CIP systems use a significant amount of water in the cleaning process. It is important to design CIP systems with water conservation in mind. This can include recycling and reusing water, using low-flow or high-pressure nozzles, and optimizing the cleaning solution concentration to reduce water usage.

Energy Efficiency CIP systems use pumps, heat exchangers, and other equipment that consume energy. It is important to design CIP systems with energy efficiency in mind. This can include selecting equipment that is energy-efficient, designing the CIP system for optimal flow rates and pressure, and optimizing the cleaning solution temperature to reduce energy consumption.

Waste Reduction
CIP systems can generate waste, such as cleaning solution, rinse water, and solids. It is important to design CIP systems with waste reduction in mind. This can include using cleaning solutions that generate less waste, designing the system to minimize waste generation, and treating and disposing of waste in an environmentally responsible manner.

Life Cycle Assessment
Conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) of CIP systems can help identify areas where sustainability can be improved. LCA considers the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of a product or process, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. This can help identify areas where improvements can be made, such as reducing energy consumption, water usage, and waste generation.

Incorporating sustainability into CIP systems is essential to ensure that the cleaning process is environmentally responsible, reduces waste, conserves resources, and ultimately leads to a more sustainable future.

Testimonials

“ Suncombe stand-out because they are specialists in the items and elements they produce. If they say they’re going to do something, they will do it… In summary, Suncombe are experts in what they do, and they’re great people to work with. ”

John Draysey Lofthouse of Fleetwood

“ Suncombe have always been very helpful, particularly during the commissioning phase, and if we have an occasional operation problem, they are very quick to respond. I would certainly recommend them to other professionals. ”

Simon Caidan Director of Safety, Health and Sustainability, The Francis Crick Institute

“ Suncombe's major strength is their understanding our business… They are very, very accommodating. Very knowledgeable. Always there to explain what I wasn't sure of; clarifying things. Great experience. Great people to work with. ”

Peter Timotheou Operations Director, Tims Dairy Ltd

“ I would not hesitate to recommend or to use Suncombe again in the future. Throughout this project from design to build and test they delivered at every single milestone in terms of date and budget. Working with Dave, Steve, Mark, and the build team was a joy throughout what was a very technically difficult project to execute. For me Suncombe operate with integrity, with trust and deliver what they promise. ”

Mark Hodgson Process Design Lead, GSK Ulvertson

“...the Suncombe engineers were incredibly highly regarded by the client ...they somehow managed to keep to the original time schedule, which was a credit to their staff and their project management skills. They are a really friendly team, and I look forward to working with them again. ”

Fearghal Downey Hyde Engineering + Consulting

“ As well as one project for Roche in Shanghai, we’ve worked with Suncombe on projects for Novartis in Switzerland, and most recently in Spain. The communication was good. Their documentation was brilliant. …if you asked me whether I'd work with Suncombe again – I’d say ‘definitely’ ”

Andrew Lemaire Director, DEC Group

“ We're happy with the machine [the washer], the performance, the build quality, everything. It ticks all the boxes and it does what’s required. It’s robust and reliable, and just ticks along in the background, which is exactly what we need. ”

John Large Technician, BCM Specials

“ I worked closely with Suncombe to develop and manufacture wash booths for several secondary pharmaceutical applications. Manufacturing workmanship has always been superb and occasional quality issues addressed quickly and efficiently. Management commitment and support is second to none. ”

Peter Slee-Smith Operations Director, Matcon (2001 to 2008)

“ It's definitely the most complex filtration, cleaning and sterilisation process I’ve worked on. Their technology knowledge was very impressive and their ability to build bespoke units was very impressive too. Also, I think just the friendliness of the team really helped; it was a nice group of guys to work with. ”

James Finn CEng MIChemE, Senior Process Engineer at Integrated Project Services Ltd

“Suncombe have been excellent. They’ve supported us with aftersales servicing and calibration needs... They’ve recently assisted us with a non-Suncombe skid, too, which has been a great help in extending the life of this asset. I always get a quick response to any requests for help. A very professional and courteous service.”

Graeme Forbes - Manufacturing Engineer - Thermo Fisher Scientific

Despite what some might say, it is possible to have fond memories of HAZOPs and if the Suncombe team are attending you know they will have excellent technical representation from their team which really makes everyone’s lives a little easier 😃.

Tony Smith - Animal Services Capability Leader at The Pirbright Institute (retired)

Our good friend “Google” helped me track down “Suncombe” and that got me in contact with the team. With the little information I had, they were able to track the original installation that had taken place in the UK back in the early 2000’s. From there they were able to trace all the paperwork and offer us it on as electronic documents which enabled us to get it to the engineers in Malaysia in double quick time. We were certainly having a bad day but Suncombe turned it into a very good day.

Tim Withers General Manager, First Grade International Limited