In the beer production process, the hygienic condition of equipment directly affects the quality and stability of the beer, and cleaning and sterilization are key steps to ensure hygiene. With the expansion of production scale and the improvement of production standards, more and more breweries are adopting CIP (Clean-In-Place) automated cleaning systems to replace traditional manual cleaning.
Part 1 – What’s the CIP Cleaning System?
The CIP (Cleaning In Place) system is a cleaning system that allows the interiors of tanks, pipes, and other equipment to be cleaned and disinfected without disassembling the equipment.
Part 2 – Why Choose a CIP Cleaning System?
1. Achieving Comprehensive Cleaning
The main raw material for beer is wheat, and some brewing processes also include supplementary ingredients such as rice. During the mashing process, these ingredients will produce sugars, proteins, and other substances, some of which will stick to the interior surfaces of the tanks. Additionally, foam generated and yeast residues during fermentation will also adhere to the inner surfaces. If not cleaned in time, these residues can become a breeding ground for microorganisms, leading to mold growth and the formation of harmful substances.
Manual cleaning may not guarantee comprehensive cleaning, especially in hard-to-reach areas such as the tank pipe elbows and the conical bottoms. However, using a CIP cleaning system can effectively solve these problems. By installing a rotary full-opening spray ball at the top of the tank and connecting it to the CIP system, achieving 360° all-around cleaning.
2. Cleaning Thoroughly to Reduce the Risk of Microbial Residues
Sugars, proteins, and other substances produced during the previous brewing process, as well as residual yeast, can generate harmful compounds if not properly cleaned. During the next brewing cycle, these residues may cause off-flavors, turbidity, over-fermentation, or souring, negatively affecting the quality and stability of the beer. In a CIP system, the final step typically involves hot water disinfection or chemical disinfection to reduce the risk of bacterial residues, thereby preventing contamination issues at the source.
3. Reducing Cost
With traditional manual cleaning, pipe fittings often need to be disassembled; this way, cleaning a tank will take 2–3 hours or even longer. In contrast, a CIP cleaning system does not require disassembling equipment and can be started with “a single button”, requiring minimal manual intervention. This significantly saves both labor and time. For highly automated CIP systems, chemical dosing can even be fully controlled and added automatically through the control system.
Additionally, CIP systems are equipped with a circulation and recovery system, allowing cleaning solutions to be reused. Over time, this can save a substantial portion of operational costs.
Part 3 – How to Choose a CIP Cleaning System?
For beer brewing equipment of different sizes, it is necessary to select a suitable CIP cleaning system.
1. Microbreweries (Single-batch Mashing 3 HL–20 HL)
Two CIP tanks
Common configuration includes:
~ Hot alkaline tank + Sterilisation tank
~ Heating method: electric heating
~ Control cabinet
~ Cleaning pump
~ Small trolley
~ Related auxiliary equipment
Reason for suitability: The tanks are relatively small, the cleaning frequency is low, and the small-scale equipment is easy to manage manually.
2. Medium-sized Breweries (Single-batch Mashing 20 HL–500 HL)
Three CIP tanks
Common configuration includes:
~ Hot alkaline tank + Hot water rinse tank + Acid tank/Sterilisation tank
~ Heating method: Steam heating (Achieving efficient heat transfer through a heat exchanger)
~ Control cabinet
~ Cleaning pump
~ Floor-mounted design
~ Related auxiliary equipment
Reason for suitability: The tanks are larger in volume, more numerous, and require more frequent cleaning. Therefore, this CIP system has a certain degree of automation, uses manifold piping for cross-connection, and is equipped with safety devices to ensure personnel safety.
3. Large Breweries (Single-batch Mashing >500 HL)
Four-or even Six-tank CIP systems
Common configuration includes:
-Hot alkaline tank + Hot water rinse tank + Acid tank + Sterilisation tank + Water recovery tank + Concentrated alkaline tank
-Heating method: steam heating (Achieving efficient heat transfer through a heat exchanger)
-Control cabinet
-Cleaning pump
-Floor-mounted design
-Related auxiliary equipment
Reason for suitability: The tanks are large in volume, numerous, and require frequent cleaning, with a tight production schedule. Therefore, this CIP system is highly automated, using valve arrays to control piping switching and typically featuring multiple circulation loops, enabling unmanned operation.
Note: The above CIP configurations are standard setups based on production capacity and the scale of brewing equipment. If you have specific cleaning processes or particular requirements for equipment configuration, that would be even better. We can design the system according to your needs.
