METHOD FOR CLEANING PROCESS PLANTS

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for cleaning a process plant, in particular a process plant in the food and beverage industry, comprising: adding a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent so as to form a cleaning flow, which flows through the process plant parts to be cleaned as a bubble flow or as a plug flow.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a process plant, comprising: adding a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent so as to form a cleaning flow, which flows through process plant parts to be cleaned as a bubble flow or as a plug flow.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning agent is dosed such that the cleaning flow has a mass ratio of liquid cleaning agent to gaseous medium of between 100/1 and 10,000/1.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning agent is dosed such that the cleaning flow is saturated with the gaseous medium at a predetermined maximum pressure prevailing in the process plant.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning agent is executed via a nozzle and/or in the form of an addition of material, which, when reacting with the liquid cleaning agent, produces gas bubbles in the liquid cleaning agent.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning agent is executed via a Venturi nozzle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gaseous medium comprises pressurized air.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid cleaning agent comprises water, acidic and/or alkaline solutions and/or disinfecting liquids.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning agent is executed in the flow path of the cleaning agent downstream of a pump of the process plant and/or wherein pumps in the flow path of the cleaning agent or in the flow path of the cleaning flow are circumvented in a bypass or in bypasses.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning agent takes place in a vicinity of process plant areas which are difficult to clean and/or in a vicinity of intensely contaminated areas.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning agent takes place in counter-flow to or in co-flow with the flow of the liquid cleaning agent, and/or wherein the addition of the gaseous medium takes place transversely to or vertically to the flow of the liquid cleaning agent and/or after an orifice plate in the flow path of the liquid cleaning agent.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning agent takes place in a clocked mode.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein, after having passed through the process plant, the cleaning flow is collected in a collection tank for separating the mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium.

13. A Cleaning-in-Place apparatus for cleaning a process plant which is configured for executing a method for cleaning the process plant, the method comprising: adding a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent so as to form a cleaning flow, which flows through process plant parts to be cleaned as a bubble flow or as a plug flow.

14. A process plant comprising a Cleaning-in-Place apparatus for cleaning the process plant, wherein the Cleaning-in-Place apparatus is configured for executing a method for cleaning the process plant, the method comprising: adding a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent so as to form a cleaning flow, which flows through process plant parts to be cleaned as a bubble flow or as a plug flow.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the process plant is a process plant in the food and beverage industry.

16. The method according to claim 2, wherein the mass ratio of liquid cleaning agent to gaseous medium is between 500/1 and 5,000/1.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein the addition of the gaseous medium takes place upstream of heat exchangers.

18. The Cleaning-in-Place apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the process plant is a process plant in the food and beverage industry.

19. The process plant according to claim 14, wherein the process plant is a process plant in the food and beverage industry.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] The following figures show, exemplarily:

[0046] FIG. 1A: an exemplary Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) apparatus for cleaning a process plant,

[0047] FIG. 1B: an exemplary Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) apparatus with a nozzle,

[0048] FIG. 2: an exemplary collection tank,

[0049] FIG. 3: an exemplary plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1A illustrates, exemplarily and schematically, a possible method step for cleaning a process plant, in particular a process plant of the food and beverage industry, on the basis of an exemplary arrangement of a Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) apparatus 100 for cleaning a process plant.

[0051] In this apparatus, an exemplary liquid cleaning agent 102 with an exemplary flow direction 107 within a part of a process plant has added thereto a gaseous medium 103 by means of an exemplary device 101, so as to form a cleaning flow 105 comprising a mixture 104 of liquid cleaning agent and of an added gaseous medium, which can flow as a bubble flow or as a plug slug flow through the process plant parts to be cleaned.

[0052] The flow direction 106 of the exemplary cleaning flow may here e.g. be substantially equal to or parallel to the flow direction 107 of the liquid cleaning agent before the addition of the gaseous medium.

[0053] Also FIG. 1B shows exemplarily a possible method step for cleaning a process plant, in particular a process plant of the food and beverage industry, on the basis of an exemplary arrangement of a Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) apparatus 200 for cleaning a process plant analogously to the apparatus 100.

[0054] As a device for adding a gaseous medium 203 to a liquid cleaning agent 202 so as to form a cleaning flow 204, an exemplary nozzle 201 for injecting the gaseous medium 203, e.g. pressurized air, is here exemplarily shown.

[0055] The exemplary nozzle 201 may e.g., as shown, add or inject/feed, the gaseous medium 203 to the liquid cleaning agent 202 in a co-flow, i.e. substantially parallel to the flow direction 207 of the liquid cleaning agent 202.

[0056] The flow direction 206 of the exemplary liquid cleaning agent 202 mixes with the added gaseous medium, i.e. the flow direction of the cleaning flow may e.g. also be substantially parallel to the flow direction 207 of the liquid cleaning agent 202 prior to the addition of the gaseous medium.

[0057] As mentioned above, the gaseous medium 203 may e.g. also be added to the liquid cleaning agent 202 in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of the liquid cleaning agent.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows exemplarily a possible collection tank 300 with an inlet 303 for receiving therein an exemplary cleaning flow 301, an exemplary turbulent cleaning flow, having an exemplary flow direction 302 after having passed along a cleaning flow path through process plant areas or parts to be cleaned.

[0059] In the collection tank 300, the cleaning flow 301, i.e. the mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium, can be divided/segmented/separated into its components, so that the liquid cleaning agent 306 can e.g. collect in the base area of the collection tank, whereas the gaseous medium emitted from/released by/escaping from the mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium can be collected/concentrated on top of this liquid cleaning agent.

[0060] The collection tank may e.g. have an outlet 307 for discharging the collected liquid cleaning agent as well as a discharge duct 304 for discharging the collected gaseous medium 305 that escaped from the mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium.

[0061] In order to avoid discharging or recirculating of dirt particles in the liquid cleaning agent, the discharge or the recirculation of the collected liquid cleaning agent can take place below the filling level and below the feed line.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows exemplarily a process plant 400 of the food and beverage industry for processing a liquid product, which comprises an exemplary short-time heating unit 424 and an exemplary Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus 401 that is exemplarily configured for executing above-described steps for cleaning the process plant 400 or the short-time heating unit 424.

[0063] The exemplary Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus 401 may e.g. comprise a plurality of reservoirs or tanks 402, 403, 404 for receiving therein/storing therein and for providing liquid cleaning agents, e.g. a hot water tank 402 for providing hot water as a cleaning agent, an alkaline tank 403 for providing a liquid alkaline cleaning agent and an acid tank 404 for providing a liquid acidic cleaning agent. The provision of the above-mentioned exemplary liquid cleaning agents from the exemplary tanks 402, 403, 404 may take place e.g. via possible feed pumps.

[0064] In addition, the exemplary short-time heating unit 424 may have connected thereto an exemplary buffer tank 405, which may be located upstream of e.g. a filler 408.

[0065] The product path, provided with reference numeral 418, within the process plant 400 or the short-time heating unit 424 may here e.g. be configured such that, after the product feed 410, the pressure of the liquid product is increased via an exemplary pressure increasing pump 416 and that subsequently the temperature of the product is heated to a desired temperature, e.g. to a temperature for sterilizing the product, e.g. via a heat exchanger 421 and/or an exemplary heater 422 and an exemplary heat retention section 409, and can then be cooled or tempered to a desired product temperature via another possible, exemplary heat exchanger 423 with an optional exemplary cooling circuit 407, before the product can be supplied e.g. to a filler 408 or stored intermediately in an optional buffer tank 405.

[0066] Reference numeral 415 identifies an exemplary cleaning path or an exemplary cleaning flow path (identified by a short-dashed line), in the case of which e.g. a liquid cleaning agent from the alkaline tank 403 is used for cleaning the short-time heating unit 424 by means of the exemplary Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus 401. After the cleaning, the cleaning flow may either be discharged, e.g. via a gully 406, or it may be recirculated into a tank, e.g. the alkaline tank 403, via a return flow 419.

[0067] Reference numeral 417 identifies an exemplary further cleaning path or an exemplary further cleaning flow path (identified by a long-dashed line), in the case of which e.g. a liquid cleaning agent from the acid tank 404 is used for cleaning the exemplary product buffer tank 405 by means of the exemplary Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus 401.

[0068] After the cleaning, the cleaning flow may also here be discharged, e.g. via a gully, or it may be recirculated into a tank, e.g. the acid tank 404, via a return flow 420.

[0069] Reference numeral 425 identifies an exemplary further cleaning path or an exemplary further cleaning flow path, in the case of which e.g. a liquid cleaning agent from the hot water tank 402 may be used for cleaning the process plant 400 or the short-time heating unit 424. In addition, this exemplary further cleaning flow path 425 may here be routed via or along the above-described line paths or cleaning paths 415 or 417.

[0070] As described above, the liquid cleaning agents of the exemplary Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus 401 may have added thereto, e.g. by injection by means of a Venturi nozzle, at least one gaseous medium so as to form a cleaning flow 415, 417, 425, which may flow as a bubble flow or as a slug flow or as a plug slug flow or plug flow through the parts of the process plant 400 or of the short-time heating unit 424 to be cleaned.

[0071] This addition may take place in line sections which come into contact with the product during production operation of the process plant 400 and/or the addition of the gaseous medium may take place in the feed line of the Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus 401.

[0072] FIG. 3 shows exemplarily a few possible optional positions 411, 412, 413, 414 for an exemplary addition of a gaseous medium, e.g. pressurized air, to a liquid cleaning agent, the positions 412, 414, by way of example, being located in a feed line of the Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus 401, whereas e.g. the positions 411, 413 are located in line sections that may come into contact with the product during production operation of the process plant.

[0073] Other positions within the process plant 400 or the short-time heating unit 424 or within the Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus 401, used for an exemplary addition of a gaseous medium, e.g. pressurized air, to a liquid cleaning agent are, however, imaginable as well.

[0074] Three sheets comprising the figures FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 follow hereinafter.

[0075] The respective reference numerals identify the following:

[0076] 100 exemplary Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) apparatus for cleaning a process plant

[0077] 101 exemplary device for adding a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent so as to form a cleaning flow

[0078] 102 exemplary liquid cleaning agent

[0079] 103 exemplary gaseous medium, exemplary gas bubble, mixed with a liquid cleaning agent

[0080] 104 exemplary liquid cleaning agent mixed with an added gaseous medium

[0081] 105 exemplary cleaning flow, exemplary bubble flow or plug slug flow, exemplary multi-component two-phase flow, exemplary mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium, exemplary turbulent cleaning flow

[0082] 106 exemplary flow direction of the cleaning flow

[0083] 107 exemplary flow direction of the liquid cleaning agent

[0084] 200 exemplary Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) apparatus for cleaning a process plant

[0085] 201 exemplary device for adding a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent so as to form a cleaning flow, exemplary nozzle for injecting the gaseous medium, e.g. pressurized air

[0086] 202 exemplary liquid cleaning agent

[0087] 203 exemplary gaseous medium, exemplary gas bubble, mixed with a liquid cleaning agent

[0088] 204 exemplary liquid cleaning agent mixed with an added gaseous medium

[0089] 205 exemplary cleaning flow, exemplary bubble flow or plug slug flow, exemplary multi-component two-phase flow, exemplary mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium, exemplary turbulent cleaning flow

[0090] 206 exemplary flow direction of the cleaning flow

[0091] 207 exemplary flow direction of the liquid cleaning agent

[0092] 300 exemplary collection tank

[0093] 301 exemplary cleaning flow, exemplary turbulent cleaning flow, exemplary bubble flow or plug slug flow, exemplary multi-component two-phase flow,

[0094] exemplary mixture of a liquid cleaning agent and a gaseous medium, e.g. after the mixture has passed along a cleaning flow path through process plant areas or parts to be cleaned

[0095] 302 exemplary flow direction of the cleaning flow

[0096] 303 exemplary inlet of the collection tank for receiving therein the cleaning flow

[0097] 304 exemplary discharge of gaseous medium, which has been separated from the mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium

[0098] 305 exemplary gaseous medium separated from the mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium

[0099] 306 exemplary liquid medium separated from the mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium

[0100] 307 exemplary discharge/exemplary outflow of liquid cleaning agent, which has been separated from the mixture of liquid cleaning agent and gaseous medium

[0101] 400 exemplary process plant

[0102] 401 exemplary Cleaning-in-Place, CIP, apparatus

[0103] 402 exemplary hot water tank

[0104] 403 exemplary alkaline tank

[0105] 404 exemplary acid tank

[0106] 405 exemplary buffer tank

[0107] 406 exemplary outlet for the cleaning flow, e.g. gully

[0108] 407 exemplary cooling circuit

[0109] 408 exemplary product path to a filler/exemplary filler

[0110] 409 exemplary heat retention section

[0111] 410 exemplary product feed

[0112] 411 exemplary supply/addition of a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent

[0113] 412 exemplary supply/addition of a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent

[0114] 413 exemplary supply/addition of a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent

[0115] 414 exemplary supply/addition of a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning agent

[0116] 415 exemplary cleaning path/exemplary cleaning flow path/exemplary line path

[0117] 416 exemplary pressure increasing pump

[0118] 417 exemplary cleaning path/exemplary cleaning flow path/exemplary line path

[0119] 418 exemplary product path

[0120] 419 exemplary return flow of the cleaning flow

[0121] 420 exemplary return flow of the cleaning flow

[0122] 421 exemplary heat exchanger

[0123] 422 exemplary end heater

[0124] 423 exemplary heat exchanger with cooling circuit

[0125] 424 exemplary short-time heating unit

[0126] 425 exemplary cleaning path/exemplary cleaning flow path/exemplary line path