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Clean-in-place (CIP) processes can literally be a lifesaver in the brewery. CIP is much safer than hand scrubbing because worker exposure to hazardous environments and chemicals is reduced. There is, however, more to CIP than simply turning on a pump and running some cleaning solution through a spray ball. This article takes a look at conventional stationary spray balls versus spinning type spray nozzles.
The spray ball is an integral component of the CIP process. The reason is quite simple. If the spray ball does not sufficiently deliver cleaning solution to the soiled surface, the equipment will still be dirty at the end of the cleaning cycle.
When evaluating the efficacy of the CIP process, time, temperature, chemical concentration and water hardness are the factors people generally take into consideration. For CIP, an additional (and equally important) factor is often over-looked.
MAKING AN IMPACT
Impact per square inch is the amount of pressure that is applied to the surface during cleaning. Impact is sometimes referred to as "mechanical action". (1) Basically, the two things that determine impact in the CIP process are the pump and the spray ball. The pump must deliver enough volume and pressure to the spray ball so the spray ball can then (in turn) deliver enough pressure to the surface being cleaned. Volume of water is measured as gallons per minute (gpm). Pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi). Spray pattern distribution and spray angles determine impact. (2)
The pump used to CIP is normally the same one used to pump wort or beer. Typically, spray balls are stainless steel hollow spheres with holes that create a spray when pressurized with cleaning or sanitizing solution. If the pump and spray ball(s) are sized correctly for the equipment being cleaned, this set-up works just fine. There can be problems with stationary spray balls, however.
Stationary type spray balls sometimes do not provide sufficient impact in cleaning. (Admittedly, this can be the fault of the pump not providing enough pressure to the spray ball). When cleaning brew house equipment such as the mashtun, brew kettle or lautertun, holes in stationary type spray balls can become clogged with spent grain. If even one hole in the spray ball gets clogged, it can create a "dead spot" where the cleaning solution simply does not reach the surface. As a result, equipment does not come clean and the dead spot typically requires re-cleaning or hand scrubbing to finish the job.
PUTTING A NEW SPIN ON THINGS
Household automatic dishwashers are designed so that spray arms rotate to provide better coverage and cleaning. In the brewery, an option to ensure efficient cleaning is to replace stationary spray balls with rotating or spinning spray nozzles or heads. Spinning or rotating heads or nozzles are typically more effective than their stationary counterparts. A properly sized moving nozzle offers better coverage and the spinning action creates a scrubbing-like effect that cannot be achieved with a fixed spray.
There are many types of spinning spray heads currently on the market. Many of these units are not round in shape and are therefore not called spray balls. Instead they are called nozzles or heads. What follows are a few examples: