Silver machinery
Haskell’s engineers specialize in up-front integration of CIP and SIP in in process designs.

July 26, 2022

Clean-in-Place (CIP), Steam-in-Place (SIP) Innovations Drive Efficiency

With a unique focus on hygienic solutions for complex manufacturing process systems, Haskell excels at incorporating CIP and SIP in its solutions.

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Clean-in-place (CIP) and steam-in-place (SIP) are essential pieces of the cleaning puzzle for manufacturing facilities, particularly in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. Ensuring there is a clean and, in many instances, sterile environment is necessary for product safety, shelf-life and value of the products being made at these facilities.

Seiberling, a Haskell Company, was founded as a design engineering firm with a unique focus on crafting hygienic solutions for complex manufacturing process systems. Developing innovative ways to incorporate the benefits of CIP and SIP into the appropriate environments has defined its work for more than 40 years.

“Our core business is designing for products that need a high degree of sanitation,” said Mike Byron, Design Director for Haskell Process Engineering. “Our specialty is we know the process, but we also integrate the cleaning and, if needed, the steaming into the process up front rather than appending it after the fact.”

It’s important to understand the nuanced differences between clean-in-place and steam-in-place.

Differentiating CIP and SIP

CIP generally relies on water-based solutions coupled with cleaning agents to remove soiled portions of the broader system. Hygienically designed equipment can be CIP’d to remove soil and return the product contact surfaces to a “like-new” condition.

SIP uses high temperatures from steam to kill microorganisms and sterilize the various pipes, valves and other elements of process systems. It often is used in conjunction with CIP. SIP requires a significant investment in infrastructure, resulting in more overhead related to the maintenance and upkeep of that equipment. It needs valves, temperature sensors and steam traps to make sure it’s working properly and to ensure that the steam remains at a consistently high temperature to effectively and efficiently kill microorganisms.

Despite these differences, Byron said there are some similarities in both processes, such as piping design, including deadlegs, properly sloped lines and shared duties of valves and instrumentation.

As such, it’s crucial for facilities to integrate effective, efficient cleaning systems during the planning, designing and building of their process systems. This can be challenging for clients who facing high demand and the need to get their product to market as soon as possible.

Byron noted, however, that finding the right balance between that demand and the need to properly plan and prepare a sound process system is imperative.

It’s something Haskell is uniquely positioned to do.

Automation is Key to Safety and Productivity

Automation also has further enhanced the efficiency and safety of CIP and SIP. These processes can be dangerous, as CIP can sometimes rely on harsh chemical agents to clean facilities, and SIP operates under high pressure that must be carefully monitored and regulated. As part of its continuous drive to innovate, Haskell has taken an intentional approach to managing these processes safely and securely.

Incorporating automated CIP and SIP into the process improves facility safety and efficiency. Automation can eliminate the need for plant personnel in various operations while still transmitting alarms and error signals well in advance of product quality being compromised.

Further, facilities can remove a single piece of equipment from an ongoing process, properly clean and/or sterilize it, and then reintroduced in the production line. This can be timed so it doesn’t interfere with an existing product run and can be done in phases so the various elements to be cleaned don’t result in lost production time – and lost money for the client.

“This approach keeps the client’s production lines up and running,” Byron said.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the difference between CIP and SIP?

    Clean in-place (CIP) is a process that uses a cleaning solution, which is circulated through a piping network for a period of time. The solution is then drained and replaced with a fresh solution and the process repeated until the piping is clean. Steaminplace (SIP) is similar, in that it involves the use of a cleaning solution and a piping network. The main difference is that SIP relies on high temperatures from steam to kill microorganisms and sterilize the pipes, valves and other elements of process systems.  

  • What industries use CIP and SIP?

    CIP and SIP are widely used in the food and beverage industry and pharmaceutical industries. 

  • What does CIP mean in cleaning?

    CIP stands for CleaninPlace.  CIP is used for equipment such as heat exchangers, fermenters, and tanks. CIP is also used for equipment that is difficult to disassemble, such as piping and valves. CIP is a common method used to clean and sanitize equipment in the food and beverage industry. 

  • What is the clean-in-place method?

    CIP is a method of cleaning and sanitizing equipment that is difficult to disassemble and clean. 

  • What is the benefit of cleaning in place?

    CleaninPlace (CIP) and Steam-in-Place can improve efficiency. Facilities can remove a single piece of equipment from an ongoing process, properly clean and/or sterilize it, and then reintroduced in the production line. This can be timed so it does not interfere with an existing product run and can be done in phases so the various elements to be cleaned do not result in lost production time. 

Haskell delivers more than $1.5 billion annually in Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC) and Consulting solutions to assure certainty of outcome for complex capital projects worldwide. Haskell is a global, fully integrated, single-source design-build and EPC firm with over 2,000 highly specialized, in-house design, construction and administrative professionals across industrial and commercial markets. With 20+ office locations around the globe, Haskell is a trusted partner for global and emerging clients.

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