Tank cleaning equipment not chosen correctly

Bo Boye Busk Jensen,R&D Engineer, Alfa Laval Tank Equipment, told FoodProductionDaily he set up the group last year to provide a ‘decision tree for end-users’ on the right selection of tank cleaning technology.

Also, Alfa Laval recently launched a monitoring system called the RotaCheck that can self-calibrate the cleaning pattern of a tank cleaning machine and signal either to the PLC or a visual alarm on the sensor.

Cleaning technology​

“A lot of time tank cleaning equipment is not chosen in the best way. Often it is chosen based on investment cost and not on total cost of owner ship (investment + running costs)​,” he said.

“There is a huge potential in savings (cleaning time, water, energy and chemistry) in selecting the right tank cleaning technology for the right purpose​.

“There has to be a focus on the hygienic design of the tank, the appurtenances and the installation of these in the tank​.

“We often see tank cleaning equipment with design features that do not follow even the simplest guidelines from EHEDG and at the same time have not been tested cleanable by CIP (European Commission Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme) using the EHEDG test method​.”

Spray devices​

Jensen said at its last meeting in November, the subgroup, made up of end users, engineering companies and manufacturers, focused on static spray devices, but, on February 28 it will discuss the fluid mechanics of tank cleaning and hygienic design.

Tank cleaning includes the type of spray device used e.g. static spray (ball, disc etc.), one-axis rotating spray (ball, disc, elliptic)​ or multi-axis spray (jet devices).

EHEDG guidelines include definitions and selection of tank cleaning technology, sizing of chosen tank cleaning, best practice, tank design and installation of tank appurtenance and performance data alignment.

Alfa Laval​

"This guideline is intended to provide recommendations on cleaning aspects and hygienic design of vessels​," said Jensen.

“I became the chairman of the subgroup as I have previously been heavily involved in EHEDG in the education group and in the ExCo of EHEDG​.

“When I started at Alfa Laval Tank Equipment is was natural to suggest a Tank Cleaning guideline in EHEDG as I felt this was needed. And with my involvement in tank cleaning working groups under the 3-A organisation and also ASME BPE is was natural for me to be involved in this one​.”

He added, if appurtenances are installed in a non-hygienic matter or in itself is designed non-hygienic, then cleaning the tank is perhaps not possible at all or a specific tank cleaning technology is needed.

“The better hygienic design of appurtenances the easier (faster, less water and less chemistry) it is to get full coverage and thereby clean the tank​.”