Are Your Positive Displacement Pumps Clean?
At one time, most positive displacement (PD) pumps in a processing plant were taken apart daily to be cleaned by hand. While thorough, this process is costly and inefficient. Over time, clean-in-place (CIP) capable pumps started showing up in the market place.
When talking about PD pumps, what does CIP-able mean? A natural presumption is that the pump is fully cleaned during typical CIP cycles, without being taken apart.
Many people buy a CIP-able pump, thinking they will save time by cleaning-in-place, only to find out that the pump doesn’t get clean enough. Is it possible that a pump can be advertised as CIP-able, but requires a multitude of special modifications and CIP process conditions to meet cleanability requirements? Have you ever looked at the “fine print” on a Waukesha U2’s claim to be CIP-able?
The term CIP-able, when applied to most PD pumps, indicates that the pump will not be damaged if left assembled during CIP cycles. However, it does not indicate that the pump will be thoroughly cleaned.
The questions processors are asking are "Will this pump fully clean during CIP?" and "Does this pump meet any cleanability standards, like EHEDG?"
People who have started asking these questions often find that the CIP-able pumps they have been using do not meet EHEDG certification. They also find that they need expensive modifications or upgrades to the pump and the process to meet EHEDG standards or the plant’s cleanability requirements. Or even worse, they discover the quality of their product has been compromised, because their pump is not as cleanable as they were told.
However, there are PD pumps on the market that are truly able to be cleaned-in-place. These pumps can remain untouched during normal CIP cycle and will get fully cleaned in the process. They don’t require extensive modifications to meet cleanability standards, because they were designed from the start to be fully cleaned during CIP.
Note: Central States Industrial (CSI) only sells PD pumps that are truly CIP-able or have CIP-able options. All of the pumps featured above have CIP capabilities.
Expert Bio
Eric Gore, Business Development Leader - Food, Dairy, Beverage
Eric Gore has worked at Central States Industrial (CSI) since 1998. He graduated Missouri State Springfield in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Design and Drafting and worked as a Sr Designer - Estimator before becoming a Business Development Leader. He excels in detailed technical and engineering tasks and enjoys connecting with new people over industry commonalities.
ABOUT CSI
Central States Industrial Equipment (CSI) is a leader in distribution of hygienic pipe, valves, fittings, pumps, heat exchangers, and MRO supplies for hygienic industrial processors, with four distribution facilities across the U.S. CSI also provides detail design and execution for hygienic process systems in the food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and personal care industries. Specializing in process piping, system start-ups, and cleaning systems, CSI leverages technology, intellectual property, and industry expertise to deliver solutions to processing problems. More information can be found at www.csidesigns.com.