In food manufacturing, clean in place (CIP) systems are essential—not just for meeting regulatory standards but for protecting the health of consumers. When you’re dealing with sensitive applications like infant formula, thorough, efficient cleaning is non-negotiable. But traditional CIP systems have limitations, especially when it comes to bulk materials that stick, cake, or clump during production.
Enter AirSweep CIP: a powerful innovation that acts as a flow aid and clean in place system, for one streamlined solution. It ensures hygienic operation without compromising production speed—perfect for industries that require both bulk material handling efficiency and strict sanitation.
What is Clean in Place?
Clean in place systems were developed to allow manufacturers to clean the interior surfaces of process equipment without disassembling machinery. In industries like infant nutrition, food, beverage, dairy, and pharmaceuticals, CIP ensures compliance with strict health regulations minimizes downtime, and improves product safety.
Without Clean in Place systems, workers must manually clean the bulk material processing vessels. This slow, tedious process causes downtime and wastes man hours.
What are the problems of traditional Clean in Place systems?
Not all CIP systems are created equal. Many traditional setups struggle with issues that affect product safety and production time.
- Residual buildup that CIP sprays can’t fully reach
- Inefficient cleaning that requires repeat cycles
- Manual scraping that adds labor costs and safety risks
- Separate nozzles and systems for material flow and cleaning
These challenges are magnified when handling powdered bulk materials—like milk powder, flour, cocoa, or protein blends—that cling to vessel walls, create dead zones, and clog process lines.
AirSweep CIP solves these problems with its revolutionary dual-function design.
AirSweep CIP: Complete Bulk Material Handling Solution for Material Flow and Cleaning
AirSweep CIP acts as both a flow aid and a clean in place system. It’s designed specifically for bulk material handling applications that require hygienic processing and thorough cleaning.
Here’s how it works:
During production, AirSweep CIP releases high-pressure, high-volume air pulses that dislodge material stuck to vessel walls, ensuring consistent flow.
During cleaning, the same unit sprays water and cleaning agents, flushing the vessel interiors. For dry cleanouts, AirSweep CIP can use only air to clean the system—ideal for processes that need to limit water or moisture.
AirSweep CIP can also be designed to reach dead zones or areas that existing CIP systems can’t reach.
Case Study: Infant Formula Manufacturer Cuts Cleaning Time by 75%
A global infant formula producer faced a critical challenge: they used the same vessels to manufacture both regular and hypoallergenic infant formula. Any trace of milk proteins in the hypoallergenic line could cause dangerous allergic reactions. Cleaning had to be flawless.
Before installing AirSweep CIP, the plant relied on traditional clean in place methods. Despite multiple wash cycles and manual scraping, the process still took up to 40 hours to fully clean the system between product changeovers.
After installing AirSweep CIP units in their blenders, vacuum receivers, sifters, and packaging lines, they saw a dramatic improvement:
- Shorter cleaning times (dropping from 40 hours to 10 hours)
- Improved product quality
- Significantly lower downtime
- No manual cleaning, which allowed workers to focus on more important tasks
By ensuring complete removal of bulk materials during and after production, AirSweep CIP gave the facility confidence that each batch met the highest safety standards—critical for a product meant for the most vulnerable consumers.
What industries can use AirSweep CIP?
While this case study highlights the value of AirSweep CIP in infant formula manufacturing, the technology benefits any facility that needs to prevent residue buildup, cross-contamination, and long downtimes.
AirSweep CIP solves these challenges by improving material flow and shortening cleaning times between batch runs. Its innovative, globally patented design enables:
- Higher productivity from reliable first-in/first out material flow
- Greater flexibility – choose from wet or dry cleaning options
- More efficient use of energy, water, and cleaning chemicals
- Less manual interventions, which reduces the risk for injuries or human error
Where Can You Install an AirSweep CIP?
AirSweep can be installed on any bulk material handling equipment, such as:
- Blenders
- Hoppers
- Silos
- Bins
- Chutes
- Conveying systems
AirSweep CIP is an ideal solution not just for sanitation—but for improving the overall flow performance of bulk materials throughout your production line.
Clean in place doesn’t have to mean long downtimes, complicated equipment setups, or inconsistent results. With AirSweep CIP, food manufacturers can meet the highest hygiene standards while staying lean and efficient.
Let’s talk about how to integrate AirSweep CIP into your bulk material handling system. Contact us online or email sales@controlconceptsusa.com.
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