Beverage Dispenser CIP Circuit for Sealed In-Place Sanitizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing frozen beverage dispensers require frequent disassembly for cleaning and sanitizing, which can diminish product quality and introduce ambient contamination, and previous Clean in Place (CIP) systems are inefficient in maintaining hygiene.
Innovation Solution
A food and beverage dispenser with a CIP function that allows for minimal to no operator interface and disassembly, featuring a CIP connector that creates a closed circuit for fluid circulation with a water source and optional sanitizer, using a microcontroller for control, and incorporating a heater to elevate temperatures for sanitization, along with independent refrigeration systems for precise temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the dispenser is periodically disassembled for cleaning and sanitizing, then hygiene is maintained, but product quality diminishes and ambient contamination is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs cleaning and sanitizing automatically without requiring operator disassembly. The CIP circuit circulates cleaning solutions through all product-contact surfaces, and the refrigeration system provides heating capability for thermal sanitizing, enabling the dispenser to clean itself while maintaining product quality and preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The CIP (Clean in Place) system uses hydraulic circulation of cleaning solutions through dedicated circuitry that reaches all product-contact surfaces. The system pumps cleaning fluids through the dispenser components and uses fluid dynamics to ensure thorough cleaning without disassembly.
2Reliability
If heat pasteurization is applied periodically to destroy bacterial components, then clean and sanitize frequency is extended, but product quality diminishes and cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigeration system with reversing valve changes temperature parameters to provide both cooling for product storage and heating for sanitizing. By controlling the refrigeration cycle, the system can elevate temperatures to pasteurization levels when needed, then return to cooling mode for product storage, thus achieving bacterial destruction without compromising product quality.
3Productivity
If a CIP system is implemented with minimal disassembly, then cleaning efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigeration system serves dual purposes: cooling the product barrels during normal operation and heating the CIP circuit for sanitizing. The reversing valve enables the same refrigeration components to provide both cooling and heating functions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high cleaning efficiency.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the dispenser operates in a sealed environment, then ambient contamination is prevented, but cleaning access becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The CIP system uses hydraulic circulation to deliver cleaning solutions through sealed pathways to all product-contact surfaces. The system employs pumps, valves, and circulation circuits that operate within the sealed environment, ensuring both contamination prevention and effective cleaning without requiring opening or disassembly of the sealed structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables automated, efficient cleaning and sanitization of all components contacted by food or beverages, reducing bacterial growth without the need for machine disassembly, ensuring product safety and quality by maintaining a sealed and sanitized environment.
Implementation Method 1
heating a water rinse to an elevated temperature, such as a sterilizing and/or pasteurizing temperature
Implementation Method 2
a primary refrigeration system that may include a reversing valve for cooling and heating the product barrels, and a secondary refrigeration system for cooling an integrated ingredient refrigerator
Data Source
AI summary
A food and beverage dispenser for dispensing food and beverage products may have a clean in place (CIP) system that functions with minimal to no operator interface and disassembly. The dispenser may include one or more product barrels and an ingredient supply refrigerator. A nozzle cap containing a cleaning/sanitizing agent may be placed on a dispensing valve of the dispenser, and a CIP connector may be connected to a BIB connector after disconnecting the BIB connector from a BIB package. The CIP connector completes a CIP circuit that places the product barrel in fluid circulation with a water source and optionally another sanitizer source to help clean the dispenser in place. A heater may be included in the CIP circuit to heat the circulating fluid. A microcontroller or other computer processor may control the CIP process.