In-situ cleaning unit, in-situ cleaning system and method thereof

Abstract

This invention relates to a Clean In-Place (CIP) unit for cleaning a liquid food processing plant with a cleaning fluid. The CIP unit (100) includes: one or more control valves (111a) configured to control the flow rate of the cleaning fluid in the CIP unit (100); a flow device (150); a balance tank (112); and a heat exchanger (113); forming a main circuit with the liquid food processing plant. The CIP unit (100) also includes a high-pressure circuit section (140) configured to bypass the balance tank (112), the high-pressure circuit section (112) including: another control valve (141); and a pressure device (170) configured to increase the pressure of the cleaning fluid to above atmospheric pressure, wherein the high-pressure circuit section (140) is connected to the main circuit, thereby forming a high-pressure circuit with the main circuit, while the high-pressure circuit section (140) bypasses the balance tank (112). A system for cleaning the liquid food processing plant is also provided. A method (300) for cleaning the liquid food processing plant is also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to in-place cleaning (CIP) units. More specifically, it relates to a CIP unit for cleaning a liquid food processing plant with a cleaning solution. The invention also relates to a CIP system comprising the CIP unit and the liquid food processing plant. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for cleaning a liquid food processing plant. Background Technology

[0002] In all food production, especially in the dairy industry, meticulous cleaning of all production equipment is essential for good production. Poor hygiene can have serious consequences because food, particularly dairy products, is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Clean-in-place (CIP) units are well-known in the art for cleaning equipment with cleaning solutions, such as rinsing and cleaning solutions. CIP units are configured to provide automated cleaning of equipment without extensive disassembly. CIP can be defined as circulating a cleaning solution through the equipment and plant components connected to the CIP unit. When the cleaning solution passes over the surface to be cleaned, residues on the surface undergo chemical and mechanical action, which is necessary for good cleaning results. Different equipment and plant components with different contaminants and objects require different cleaning procedures to achieve satisfactory cleaning results. CIP units are commonly used in the dairy industry as well as in soft drink production.

[0003] Although customers have been using CIP units to clean equipment and plant parts for decades, there is still room for improvement. For example, one challenge facing CIP units today is that it is difficult to achieve satisfactory cleaning results for some heavily contaminated equipment or plant parts. In this case, it may be necessary to increase the amount of cleaning fluid or the time required to clean the equipment or plant parts to achieve satisfactory cleaning results.

[0004] For these reasons, there is a need for a CIP unit that can clean objects in an efficient and environmentally friendly manner. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an efficient in-situ cleaning unit configured for cleaning liquid food processing plants.

[0006] Another objective is to provide an environmentally friendly, on-site cleaning unit configured for cleaning liquid food processing plants.

[0007] Another objective is to provide a timely on-site cleaning unit configured for cleaning liquid food processing plants.

[0008] Another objective is to provide a cost-effective on-site cleaning unit that can be configured to clean liquid food processing plants.

[0009] According to a first aspect, a Clean-in-Place (CIP) unit is provided for cleaning a liquid food processing plant using a cleaning solution, the CIP unit comprising: a flow rate (floW) The system includes a cleaning fluid flow rate control device; a balancing tank configured to balance the volume of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure; and a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to and / or from the cleaning fluid. One or more control valves, flow rate control devices, balancing tanks, and heat exchangers are connected in series to form a main circuit portion configured to connect to the liquid food processing plant, thereby forming a main circuit with the liquid food processing plant. The CIP unit also includes a high-pressure circuit portion configured to bypass the balancing tank. This high-pressure circuit portion includes: another control valve configured to control the flow rate of the cleaning fluid to bypass the balancing tank; and a pressure device configured to control the pressure of the cleaning fluid, wherein the pressure device is configured to increase the pressure of the cleaning fluid to above atmospheric pressure as the cleaning fluid bypasses the balancing tank. The high-pressure circuit portion is connected to the main circuit, thereby forming a high-pressure circuit with the main circuit, while simultaneously bypassing the balancing tank.

[0010] The CIP unit is configured to clean a liquid food processing plant, preferably its piping. In other words, the CIP unit is configured to provide a cleaning process for the liquid food processing plant. The food processing plant can be a processing facility. It can be one or more equipment components included within the processing facility. Therefore, in this context, the term "food processing plant" should be interpreted as a complete processing plant, processing facility, plant component included in processing facility, or equipment component thereof. Liquid food processing plants are typically closed facilities. A liquid food processing plant can be any processing plant or facility that includes closed facilities, loops, or circuits. The CIP unit is configured to clean the food processing plant by circulating a cleaning solution through it one or more times to achieve satisfactory cleaning results. The cleaning solution typically includes rinsing and cleaning solutions, such as water and / or one or more cleaning agents. The cleaning agents can be alkalis or acids. Other cleaning agents suitable for cleaning liquid food processing plants may also be used.

[0011] In this document, the flow device can be arranged with any component configured to control the flow rate of the cleaning fluid during circulation. The pressure device can be arranged with any component configured to control the pressure of the cleaning fluid during circulation.

[0012] The balancing tank is configured to supply fresh water to the cleaning solution when needed. For this purpose, the balancing tank is typically connected to a fresh water inlet. The balancing tank is connected to or open to the environment so that the liquid present in the balancing tank (e.g., water and / or cleaning solution) is maintained at atmospheric pressure. The balancing tank may be directly or indirectly connected to the environment. The balancing tank may have a level sensor configured to indicate the volume of liquid present in the balancing tank. Because the pressure and / or temperature of the cleaning solution may change as it circulates within the CIP unit, the volume of liquid present in the balancing tank may expand or decrease throughout the cleaning process. Therefore, the balancing tank should generally not be filled to its maximum or minimum volume of liquid, allowing for expansion or contraction of the liquid volume, while still maintaining the required liquid volume.

[0013] The flow control unit, balance tank, and heat exchanger can be arranged in any order suitable for the cleaning process to achieve satisfactory cleaning results. The flow control unit, balance tank, and heat exchanger are preferably connected by piping, allowing the cleaning fluid to circulate or be supplied between the different components contained within the CIP unit.

[0014] The high-pressure circuit is a closed-loop circuit. A closed-loop circuit is formed by another control valve bypassing the balance tank and by the liquid food processing plant as a closed system, i.e., the equipment including the closed loop or circuit connected to the CIP unit during cleaning. The advantage of the high-pressure circuit is that the pressure device is configured to increase the pressure of the cleaning fluid to above atmospheric pressure. When a high-pressure circuit is present, where the pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure, the boiling point of the cleaning fluid is higher than the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure. By increasing the boiling point of the cleaning fluid, the temperature of the cleaning fluid can be raised above the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure, where the risk of the cleaning fluid starting to boil is reduced. This allows the CIP unit to use cleaning fluids with higher temperatures compared to those used in conventional CIP units. In this case, the higher temperature should be interpreted as a temperature above the boiling point at atmospheric pressure. In other words, since overpressure raises the boiling point, cleaning fluids with higher temperatures are stable. The ability to clean liquid food processing plants using cleaning fluids with higher temperatures provides a highly efficient CIP unit. This also provides an efficient cleaning process, as cleaning fluids with higher temperatures are more effective than those with lower temperatures (below the boiling point at atmospheric pressure).

[0015] Another advantage of CIP units is that they reduce the time required to clean liquid food processing plants by using cleaning solutions with higher temperatures. This, in turn, reduces downtime at liquid food processing plants.

[0016] Another advantage of CIP units is that by using cleaning solutions with higher temperatures, the amount of water and / or cleaning agents required to clean liquid food processing plants is reduced. This results in more environmentally friendly CIP units.

[0017] Therefore, the disclosed CIP unit achieves an efficient and environmentally friendly cleaning process.

[0018] Pressure devices configured to control the pressure of cleaning fluid may include a pressure pump and a pressure detector, such as a known pressure transmitter and / or pressure sensor, wherein the pressure detector may be configured to control the operation of the pressure pump.

[0019] This is advantageous because the pressure detector is configured to control the operation of the pressure pump, causing the pressure of the cleaning fluid to increase above atmospheric pressure when a high-pressure loop is formed. This also facilitates reducing the pressure of the cleaning fluid below atmospheric pressure when needed. The operation of the pressure pump can be effectively controlled by incorporating a pressure detector (such as a transmitter).

[0020] The CIP unit may also include a heating medium inlet, which can be configured to provide a heating medium for the heat exchanger, such as steam or any other heating medium known in the art, wherein, when the cleaning fluid is supplied to the high-pressure circuit, the heat exchanger can be configured to raise the temperature of the cleaning fluid to above the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure.

[0021] When a heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat to a cleaning fluid, a heating medium is used. In this case, the heating medium inlet can be controlled by a heating medium valve configured to control the amount of heating medium supplied to the heat exchanger. In this context, the term "fed in the high-pressure circuit" should be interpreted as the cleaning fluid circulating in the high-pressure circuit. The cleaning fluid can circulate in the high-pressure circuit once or multiple times to achieve satisfactory cleaning results.

[0022] The heating medium supplied to the heat exchanger can have a temperature of 130-170°C, preferably 140-160°C, and more preferably 150°C.

[0023] This is advantageous because it allows the heat exchanger to raise the temperature of the cleaning fluid above its boiling point at atmospheric pressure. Typically, the boiling point of a cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure is around 100°C.

[0024] When the cleaning fluid is supplied to the high-pressure circuit, the cleaning temperature of the cleaning fluid can be 120-160°C, preferably 130-150°C, and more preferably 135-145°C.

[0025] The CIP unit may also include a cooling medium inlet configured to supply a cooling medium, such as water or any other cooling medium known in the art, to a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger may be configured to reduce the temperature of the cleaning fluid to below the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure.

[0026] When a heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the cleaning fluid, a cooling medium is used. In this case, the cooling medium inlet can be controlled by a cooling medium valve configured to control the amount of cooling medium supplied to the heat exchanger. This is advantageous because it allows the heat exchanger to lower the temperature of the cleaning fluid below its boiling point at atmospheric pressure. This is particularly advantageous after cleaning in a liquid food processing plant and before the supply of cleaning fluid through the balance tank begins, thereby disconnecting the high-pressure loop section from the main loop. When the balance tank is part of the loop, the CIP unit is an open unit, i.e., open to the surrounding environment, where the boiling point of the cleaning fluid corresponds to its boiling point at atmospheric pressure. Therefore, if the temperature of the cleaning fluid is not lowered below its boiling point at atmospheric pressure before it is supplied to the main loop (including the balance tank), there is a pressing risk that the cleaning fluid may begin to boil uncontrollably while circulating in the main loop. Such uncontrolled boiling could pose a risk of personal injury and equipment damage.

[0027] The temperature of the cooling medium supplied to the heat exchanger can be 70-100°C, preferably 80-100°C, and more preferably 95°C.

[0028] This is advantageous because when a cooling medium is used in a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the cleaning fluid, causing the temperature of the cleaning fluid to drop below its boiling point at atmospheric pressure.

[0029] A flow device configured to control the flow rate of a cleaning fluid may include a flow pump and a flow detector, such as a known flow transmitter and / or sensor, wherein the flow detector may be configured to control the operation of the flow pump.

[0030] This is advantageous because the flow detector is configured to control the operation of the flow pump, allowing the flow rate of the cleaning fluid to be increased or decreased as needed. By having a flow detector (such as a transmitter), the operation of the flow pump can be controlled efficiently. In this case, the flow pump is configured to operate to achieve the desired flow rate of the cleaning fluid as it circulates within the CIP unit.

[0031] The CIP unit may also include a control unit configured to control one or more of a control valve, flow device, balance tank, heat exchanger, another control valve, and pressure device.

[0032] The advantage of this approach is that the CIP unit can be remotely controlled via a control unit. Another advantage is that the CIP unit can be controlled efficiently. It should be noted that the control unit can control any component contained within the CIP unit.

[0033] The CIP unit may also include at least one detergent inlet and at least one detergent outlet, the detergent inlet and the detergent outlet being configured to be connected to one or more detergent tanks, the detergent tanks being connected to the main circuit section and being configured to supply detergent to the cleaning fluid.

[0034] The CIP unit may also include at least one waste liquid valve, which may be connected to the main circuit section and configured to discharge cleaning fluid from the main circuit section.

[0035] The CIP unit may also include a freshwater valve, which can be connected to the balance tank and configured to supply freshwater to the balance tank.

[0036] This is advantageous because the balance tank is configured to mix the cleaning solution with fresh water when needed.

[0037] According to a second aspect, a Clean In-Place (CIP) system is provided, configured to clean a liquid food processing plant, the CIP system comprising a CIP unit according to a first aspect and the liquid food processing plant connected to the CIP unit.

[0038] According to a third aspect, a method for cleaning a liquid food processing plant is provided, the method comprising: connecting a CIP unit according to a first aspect to the liquid food processing plant to form a main loop, wherein the CIP unit includes a pressure pump and a pressure detector, such as a known transmitter and / or sensor, to form a pressure device for the CIP unit; activating another control valve such that a high-pressure loop portion bypasses a balance tank to form a high-pressure loop; controlling the pressure pump via the pressure detector to cause the pressure of the cleaning liquid to be higher than atmospheric pressure, while circulating the cleaning liquid in the high-pressure loop; supplying a heating medium (e.g., steam) to a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the heating medium to the cleaning liquid, causing the temperature of the cleaning liquid to rise above the boiling point of the cleaning liquid at atmospheric pressure; and supplying the cleaning liquid to the liquid food processing plant to clean the liquid food processing plant.

[0039] The method may further include: after cleaning the liquid food processing plant, supplying a cooling medium (e.g., water) to a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger may be configured to transfer heat from the cleaning liquid such that the temperature of the cleaning liquid can be reduced to below the boiling point of the cleaning liquid at atmospheric pressure; and when the temperature of the cleaning liquid can be reduced to below the boiling point of the cleaning liquid at atmospheric pressure, activating another control valve such that the high-pressure circuit section can be disconnected and the cleaning liquid can be supplied through a balance tank in the main circuit.

[0040] The effects and characteristics of the second and third aspects are largely similar to those described above regarding the first aspect. Therefore, please refer to the above content to avoid unnecessary repetition.

[0041] Other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The implementation scheme will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of example, wherein:

[0043] Figure 1 A cleaning-in-place (CIP) unit for cleaning a liquid food processing plant is schematically shown, wherein cleaning fluid from the CIP unit is supplied to the main circuit;

[0044] Figure 2 A cleaning-in-place (CIP) unit for cleaning liquid food processing plants is schematically shown, wherein cleaning fluid from the CIP unit is supplied to a high-pressure circuit;

[0045] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the steps of a method for cleaning a liquid food processing plant is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0046] refer to Figure 1 A cleaning-in-place (CIP) unit 100 for cleaning a liquid food processing plant (not shown) is illustrated schematically by way of example. The CIP unit 100 and the liquid food processing plant form a CIP system. The CIP unit 100 includes a connection inlet 128 and a connection outlet 129. The connection inlet and outlet 128, 129 are configured to connect to the liquid food processing plant, thereby connecting the CIP unit 100 to the liquid food processing plant. When the CIP unit 100 and the liquid food processing plant are connected, a cleaning solution can circulate between the two, thereby cleaning the liquid food processing plant. During the cleaning solution circulation, the CIP unit 100 receives the cleaning solution from the liquid food processing plant through the connection inlet 128 and discharges the cleaning solution from the CIP unit 100 back into the liquid food processing plant through the connection outlet 129. The cleaning solution circulates once or multiple times in the liquid food processing plant to achieve a satisfactory cleaning effect. The cleaning solution typically comprises water and / or one or more cleaning agents.

[0047] Before the cleaning process begins, cleaning fluid is supplied to CIP unit 100 through one or more inlets. The cleaning fluid supplied to CIP unit 100 can be a mixture of water and cleaning agent. Water and cleaning agent can also be supplied to CIP unit 100 separately, allowing them to mix within CIP unit 100. Figure 1 As shown, CIP unit 100 includes a detergent inlet 130 and a detergent outlet 131. Detergent inlet 130 is configured to supply water and / or detergent from a detergent tank (not shown) to CIP unit 100. Therefore, the detergent tank may include detergent or a mixture of detergent and water forming a cleaning solution. Detergent outlet 131 is configured to discharge cleaning solution from CIP unit 100. The cleaning solution may be discharged into the detergent tank. The cleaning solution may be discharged into a drain pipe (not shown). CIP unit 100 may include multiple detergent inlets 130 and multiple detergent outlets 131 for various advantages.

[0048] like Figure 1 As further shown, the cleaning fluid is supplied in a counterclockwise direction in the main circuit portion 110 of the CIP unit 100.

[0049] Starting from connection inlet 128, the cleaning fluid then passes through pressure detector (transmitter in this detailed description) 145 and first waste valve 122a, and then through cleaning agent inlet 130 and cleaning agent outlet 131. Pressure transmitter 145 will be discussed in more detail below. First waste valve 122a is connected to drain pipe 123a and can be configured to direct the cleaning fluid to drain pipe 123a. Drain pipe 123a can be connected to a sewer.

[0050] Subsequently, the cleaning fluid is supplied through another control valve 141, which is configured to control the liquid flow of the cleaning fluid. This other control valve 141 is configured to direct the cleaning fluid to either the main circuit section 110 or the high-pressure circuit section 140. The high-pressure circuit section 140, indicated by dashed lines, will be combined with... Figure 2 Further discussion. If the cleaning fluid is directed to the main circuit section 110, the cleaning fluid will be supplied toward control valve 111a. Control valve 111a is configured to control the flow of the cleaning fluid and direct it to balance tank 112. Balance tank 112 is configured to balance the volume of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure. CIP unit 100 also includes a fresh water inlet 119, which is configured to supply fresh water to balance tank 112 via fresh water valve 120c. Fresh water valve 120c is configured to control the flow of water at the fresh water inlet, thereby controlling the supply of fresh water to balance tank 112. Therefore, balance tank 112 is also configured to mix the fresh water with the cleaning fluid supplied to the main circuit section 110 via balance tank 112, thereby providing a predetermined mixture of cleaning fluid and fresh water. The cleaning fluid is supplied from balance tank 112 toward pressure pump 144, which will combine Figure 2 Let's have a more detailed discussion.

[0051] Cleaning fluid is supplied from pressure pump 144 to flow pump 114. Flow pump 114 is configured to be controlled by flow detector (transmitter in this detailed description) 115. Specifically, flow transmitter 115 is configured to control the operation of flow pump 114. Flow pump 114 and flow transmitter 115 form flow device 150, which is configured to control the flow rate of cleaning fluid. Figure 1 In the diagram, the relationship or connection between the flow transmitter 115 and the flow pump 114 is shown by the dashed line 116.

[0052] Subsequently, the cleaning fluid is supplied to heat exchanger 113. Heat exchanger 113 is configured to transfer heat to and / or from the cleaning fluid when supplied. Heat exchanger 113 includes a cleaning fluid inlet 113a and a cleaning fluid outlet 113b, wherein the temperature of the cleaning fluid differs at the cleaning fluid inlet 113a and the cleaning fluid outlet 113b. Heat exchanger 113 also includes a heating / cooling medium inlet 113c and a heating / cooling medium outlet 113d, wherein the temperature of the heating / cooling medium differs at the heating / cooling medium inlet 113c and the heating / cooling medium outlet 113d. Heating / cooling medium inlet 113c is configured to supply heating / cooling medium to heat exchanger 113, wherein the heating / cooling medium is configured to transfer heat from the cleaning fluid to and / or from the heating / cooling medium to the cleaning fluid.

[0053] CIP unit 100 also includes a heating medium inlet 117 configured to supply a heating medium (steam in this detailed description) to CIP unit 100. Steam is supplied via control valve 111b and temperature regulating valve 124 to the heating / cooling medium inlet 113c of heat exchanger 113. When heat exchanger 113 is configured to transfer heat to the cleaning liquid, steam is configured to be used as the heating medium in heat exchanger 113. This causes the temperature of the cleaning liquid to rise. Control valve 111b is configured to control the steam flow rate so that the required amount of steam is supplied to heat exchanger 113. The steam entering heat exchanger 113 preferably has a steam temperature of 150°C. Other temperatures, such as 130-170°C, preferably 140-160°C, can be used to take advantage of this. The cleaning liquid entering the liquid food processing plant preferably has a cleaning temperature of 135-145°C. Other temperatures, such as 120-160°C, preferably 130-150°C, can be used to take advantage of this.

[0054] CIP unit 100 also includes a cooling medium inlet (in this detailed description, the cooling medium is water) 118, which is configured to supply water to CIP unit 100. Water is supplied to the heating / cooling medium inlet 113c of heat exchanger 113 via control valve 111b and temperature regulating valve 124. When heat exchanger 113 is configured to transfer heat from cleaning fluid, water is configured to be used as the cooling medium in heat exchanger 113. Thus, the temperature of the cleaning fluid is reduced. Control valve 111b is configured to control the water flow so that the required amount of water is supplied to heat exchanger 113. The water entering heat exchanger 113 preferably has a water temperature of 95°C. Other temperatures, such as 70-100°C, preferably 80-100°C, can be used to take advantage of certain conditions.

[0055] Control valve 111b is configured to control the supply of steam or water to heat exchanger 113.

[0056] Temperature regulating valve 124 is controlled by temperature detector (in this detailed description, it is a transmitter) 125. Temperature regulating valve 124 and temperature transmitter 125 form temperature device 160, which is configured to control the temperature of steam or water supplied to heat exchanger 113. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the diagram, the relationship or connection between the temperature transmitter 125 and the temperature regulating valve 124 is shown by the dashed line 126.

[0057] The cleaning fluid outlet is connected to valve 127. Valve 127 is configured to direct the cleaning fluid to connection outlet 129. The cleaning fluid passes through flow transmitter 115 before entering the liquid food processing plant through connection outlet 129.

[0058] The heating / cooling medium outlet is connected to a regulating valve 121. The regulating valve 121 is configured to guide the heating / cooling medium discharged from the heat exchanger 113 to either a first drain port 123c or a second drain port 123b. The second drain port 123b is controlled by a waste liquid valve 122b.

[0059] Control valve 111a, flow device, balance tank 112, and heat exchanger 113 are connected in series to form main loop section 110. As described above, main loop section 110 is configured to connect to the liquid food processing plant, thereby forming a main loop with the liquid food processing plant.

[0060] CIP unit 100 also includes control unit 133. Control unit 133 is configured to control the operation of the components included in CIP unit.

[0061] refer to Figure 2As described above, another control valve 141 directs the cleaning fluid in the high-pressure circuit section 140, instead of in the main circuit section 110. Control valve 141 is configured to control the liquid flow of the cleaning fluid to bypass the balance tank 112. This is shown by the dashed line between the other control valve 141 and the pressure pump 144 (through the balance tank 112). Instead, the cleaning fluid is supplied directly to the pressure pump 144. Thus, the high-pressure circuit section 140 is connected to the main circuit, forming a high-pressure circuit with the main circuit, while the high-pressure circuit section 140 bypasses the balance tank 112. When the high-pressure circuit section 141 bypasses the balance tank 112, if the liquid food processing plant is a closed system as described above, the CIP unit 100 forms a closed loop or circuit with the liquid food processing plant. Pressure transmitter 145 is configured to control the operation of pressure pump 144. Pressure pump 144 is controlled by pressure transmitter 145 to increase the pressure of the cleaning fluid to above atmospheric pressure. Pressure pump 144 and pressure transmitter 145 form pressure device 170, which is configured to control the pressure of the cleaning fluid. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the diagram, the relationship or connection between the pressure transmitter 145 and the pressure pump 144 is shown by dashed line 146. When the pressure of the cleaning fluid increases to above atmospheric pressure, the boiling point of the cleaning fluid increases to above the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the heat exchanger 113 is configured to use steam as a heating medium to transfer heat to the cleaning fluid, causing the temperature of the cleaning fluid to increase to above the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure.

[0062] Before another control valve 141 is configured to control the liquid flow of the cleaning fluid supplied through the balance tank 112 (i.e., after cleaning the liquid food processing plant), a heat exchanger 113 is configured to reduce the temperature of the cleaning fluid to below its boiling point at atmospheric pressure, as in combination with... Figure 1 As stated above.

[0063] Although not shown, the high-pressure circuit section 140 can be connected to the main circuit before the pressure pump 144.

[0064] In addition to another control valve 141 guiding the flow of liquid in the high-pressure circuit section 140, Figure 2 The CIP unit shown includes a combination with Figure 1 The same characteristics.

[0065] Although not shown, the high-pressure circuit section 140 may be connected to the main circuit before the pressure pump 144.

[0066] In addition to another control valve 141 guiding the flow of liquid in the high-pressure circuit section 140, Figure 2 The CIP unit shown includes... Figure 1 The same features discussed in the text.

[0067] refer to Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method 300 for cleaning a liquid food processing plant. The method includes a first step S302, in which... Figure 1 The CIP unit 100 discussed herein is connected to the liquid food processing plant, thus forming the main loop. Subsequently, in the second step S304, another control valve 141 is actuated, causing the high-pressure loop portion 140 to bypass the balance tank 112, thereby forming the high-pressure loop. In the third step S306, the pressure pump 144 is controlled by the pressure transmitter 145, causing the pressure of the cleaning liquid to rise above atmospheric pressure, while simultaneously circulating the cleaning liquid in the high-pressure loop. Subsequently, in the fourth step S308, steam is supplied to the heat exchanger 113. The heat exchanger 113 is configured to transfer heat from the steam to the cleaning liquid, causing the temperature of the cleaning liquid to rise above its boiling point at atmospheric pressure. In the fifth step S310, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the liquid food processing plant, thereby cleaning the liquid food processing plant.

[0068] Optionally, in the sixth step S312, after cleaning the liquid food processing plant, water is supplied to a heat exchanger 113, which is configured to transfer heat from the cleaning liquid, causing the temperature of the cleaning liquid to drop below its boiling point at atmospheric pressure. In the seventh step S314, when the temperature of the cleaning liquid is below its boiling point at atmospheric pressure, another control valve 141 is actuated, causing the high-pressure circuit section 141 to disconnect and the cleaning liquid to be supplied through the balance tank 112 in the main circuit.

[0069] Although the illustrations and descriptions are presented in a specific order, other orders may also be used.

[0070] As can be seen from the above description, although various embodiments of the present invention have been described and shown, the present invention is not limited thereto, but may be implemented in other ways within the scope of the subject matter defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A Clean In-Place (CIP) unit (100) for cleaning a liquid food processing plant with a cleaning solution, the CIP unit (100) comprising: A flow control device (150) is configured to control the flow rate of the cleaning fluid; A balancing tank (112) is configured to balance the volume of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure; as well as A heat exchanger (113) is configured to transfer heat to and / or from the cleaning fluid; One or more control valves (111a), the flow device (150), the balance tank (112), and the heat exchanger (113) are connected in series to form a main loop section (110), which is configured to be connected to the liquid food processing plant, thereby forming a main loop with the liquid food processing plant. The CIP unit (100) further includes a high-voltage circuit section (140), which is configured to bypass the balance tank (112). The high-voltage circuit section (112) includes: Another control valve (141) is configured to control the liquid flow of the cleaning fluid to bypass the balance tank (112), and A pressure device (170) is configured to control the pressure of the cleaning fluid, wherein the pressure device (170) is configured to increase the pressure of the cleaning fluid to above atmospheric pressure as the cleaning fluid passes over the balance tank (112). The high-voltage circuit section (140) is connected to the main circuit, thereby forming a high-voltage circuit with the main circuit, while the high-voltage circuit section (140) bypasses the balance tank (112).

2. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The pressure device (170) configured to control the pressure of the cleaning fluid includes a pressure pump (144) and a pressure detector (145), wherein the pressure detector (145) is configured to control the operation of the pressure pump (144).

3. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a heating medium inlet (117) configured to provide a heating medium for the heat exchanger (113), wherein, The heat exchanger (113) is configured to raise the temperature of the cleaning fluid to above the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure when the cleaning fluid is supplied to the high-pressure circuit.

4. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 3, wherein the temperature of the heating medium supplied to the heat exchanger (113) is 130-170°C.

5. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 4, wherein the temperature of the heating medium supplied to the heat exchanger (113) is 140-160°C.

6. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 5, wherein the temperature of the heating medium supplied to the heat exchanger (113) is 150°C.

7. The CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6, wherein when the cleaning fluid is supplied to the high-pressure circuit, the cleaning temperature of the cleaning fluid is 120-160°C.

8. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 7, wherein when the cleaning fluid is supplied to the high-pressure circuit, the cleaning temperature of the cleaning fluid is 130-150°C.

9. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 8, wherein when the cleaning fluid is supplied to the high-pressure circuit, the cleaning temperature of the cleaning fluid is 135-145°C.

10. The CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9 further includes a cooling medium inlet (118) configured to provide a cooling medium to the heat exchanger (113), wherein the heat exchanger (113) is configured to reduce the temperature of the cleaning fluid to below the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure.

11. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 10, wherein the temperature of the cooling medium supplied to the heat exchanger (113) is 70-100°C.

12. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 11, wherein the temperature of the cooling medium supplied to the heat exchanger (113) is 80-100°C.

13. The CIP unit (100) according to claim 12, wherein the temperature of the cooling medium supplied to the heat exchanger (113) is 95°C.

14. The CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, or 13, wherein the flow device (150) configured to control the flow rate of the cleaning fluid includes a flow pump (114) and a flow detector (115), wherein the flow detector (115) is configured to control the operation of the flow pump (114).

15. The CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, or 13, further comprising a control unit configured to control one or more of the one or more control valves (111a-b), the flow device (150), the balance tank (112), the heat exchanger (113), the other control valve (141), and the pressure device (170).

16. The CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, or 13, wherein the CIP unit (100) further comprises at least one detergent inlet (130) and at least one detergent outlet (131), the detergent inlet and the detergent outlet being connected to the main circuit portion (110) and configured to be connected to one or more detergent tanks configured to supply detergent to the cleaning fluid.

17. The CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, or 13, wherein the CIP unit (100) further comprises at least one waste liquid valve (122a) connected to the main circuit portion (110) and configured to discharge the cleaning fluid from the main circuit portion (110).

18. The CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, or 13, wherein the CIP unit (100) further comprises a freshwater valve (120c) connected to the balance tank (112) and configured to supply freshwater to the balance tank (112).

19. A Clean In-Place (CIP) system configured to clean a liquid food processing plant, the CIP system comprising a CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1-18 and the liquid food processing plant connected to the CIP unit (100).

20. A method (300) for cleaning a liquid food processing plant, the method (300) comprising: The CIP unit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 18 is connected (S302) to the liquid food processing plant to form the main circuit, wherein the CIP unit (100) includes a pressure pump (144) and a pressure detector (145), which form the pressure device (170) of the CIP unit (100); Activate (S304) the other control valve (141) so that the high-pressure circuit section (140) bypasses the balance tank (112), thereby forming the high-pressure circuit; The pressure pump (144) is controlled (S306) by the pressure detector (145) to increase the pressure of the cleaning fluid to above atmospheric pressure, while the cleaning fluid is circulated in the high-pressure circuit. A heating medium is supplied (S308) to the heat exchanger (113), wherein the heat exchanger (113) is configured to transfer heat from the heating medium to the cleaning liquid, such that the temperature of the cleaning liquid rises to above the boiling point of the cleaning liquid at atmospheric pressure. as well as The cleaning solution is supplied (S310) to the liquid food processing plant to clean the liquid food processing plant.

21. The method (300) according to claim 20, further comprising: After cleaning the liquid food processing plant, a cooling medium is supplied (S312) to the heat exchanger (113), wherein the heat exchanger (113) is configured to transfer heat from the cleaning liquid, causing the temperature of the cleaning liquid to drop below its boiling point at atmospheric pressure; and When the temperature of the cleaning fluid is lower than the boiling point of the cleaning fluid at atmospheric pressure, the other control valve (141) is activated (S314) to partially disconnect the high-pressure circuit and supply the cleaning fluid through the balance tank (112) in the main circuit.

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