Tank size follows circuit volume, not the other way around

Most CIP problems we see at commissioning trace back to sizing. A 500 L tank serving a brewhouse loop with 40 m of return piping will lose caustic temperature and concentration between batches faster than the operator expects. Before picking a tank, get the circuit volume — wetted pipe, vessel, pump, and heat exchanger — then add the fill margin. That number drives heater size, pump head, and cycle time.

We build these integrated CIP units on a single stainless frame: tank, supply pump, return pump, heater, and valve manifold, piped and wired before shipment. Single-tank versions suit plants running one alkaline detergent with a separate fresh rinse. Two- and three-tank arrangements keep caustic, acid, and hot rinse or sanitizer separate, which shortens changeover and stops you from neutralizing chemicals you meant to reuse.

Common configurations

• Single, two, three, or multi-tank with dedicated recovery and rinse water tanks
• Electric immersion or steam heating, sized to your temperature rise and cycle volume
• Supply and return pumps matched to line length and spray-ball pressure drop
• Temperature, conductivity, flow, pressure, and level instrumentation
• Manual, semi-automatic with timers, or PLC/HMI control with recipe memory and logging

These are options, not a fixed bill of materials — we confirm each item against the project before quoting.

Technical specifications

Where these units run

Dairy receivers, pasteurizer and filler circuits, juice and sauce lines, brewery fermenters and bright tanks, winery transfer piping, cosmetic mixing vessels, and pharmaceutical process skids. Cleaning requirements differ sharply between them — a fermenter spray ball and a plate heat exchanger need different flow and velocity, so tell us which equipment is on the circuit.

Questions buyers usually ask

Can I add a tank later? Yes if the skid and frame allow it. We prefer to build the extra tank pad in during fabrication rather than cut and re-weld a finished frame.

Electric or steam? Steam is cheaper to run if you already have it at the wall. Electric is simpler to install and easier to control precisely on small volumes.

Do I need conductivity control? Worth it if you reuse caustic across many cycles. Without it, operators tend to dump and remake solution more often than necessary.

What slows a project down? Undefined circuit volumes and missing pipe drawings. Send those first.

Request a configuration

To quote accurately, we need: your industry and product, tank and piping details including circuit volume, required cleaning capacity and cycle frequency, available heat source, preferred automation level, stainless grade, and installation site conditions. Send those details and we will return a recommended layout, utility requirements, and pricing.