Split CIP Systems Built for Real Production Schedules

Most cleaning problems we hear about are not about chemistry. They come from a CIP unit that was sized on guesswork, or from a split system whose piping no longer matches the line after a plant expansion. This split CIP cleaning system is configured around your actual circuits: tank volumes, pipe runs, pump pressure at the furthest drop, and how long your operators can afford between product changeovers.

A split design keeps the tanks, pumps, and heat exchanger in one skid while the supply and return manifolds sit closer to the vessels being cleaned. Shorter return lines mean less product residue pushed back into the caustic tank, and cleaning temperatures hold better on long runs. Electric heating is a common choice where steam is not available or where the boiler load is already tight. We size the heater for the worst case — cold tank, full volume, and no recovery time between washes.

How the Cleaning Cycle Runs

Pre-rinse, caustic wash, intermediate rinse, acid wash where the process calls for it, final rinse, and sanitizing. Conductive or flow-based instrumentation tracks recovery, so the caustic is pushed out with water rather than dumped. Temperature, flow, pressure, and level are monitored at the control panel; PLC control with recipe storage is standard on automated units, while semi-automatic versions keep push-button sequence control for plants with simpler circuits.

Circuit count drives tank sizing as much as volume does. Two small tanks with good recovery will outrun one oversized tank with weak return piping. We ask for pipe diameters, total run length, and the number of valves before recommending capacity.

Applications

Dairy lines, beverage and brewery vessels, fermenters, sauce and liquid food kettles, cosmetic mixing tanks, and pharmaceutical process equipment in 316L or 304 stainless depending on the product contact requirement. Where a clean-in-place system is used in regulated production, validation documentation and surface finish requirements should be reviewed with our engineers early.

Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I size the tanks? Start with total circuit volume, then add 20–30 percent working headroom. Send us the loop drawings and we will run the numbers.

Can the system be added to an existing line? Yes, provided the return piping can handle the flow. Undersized returns are the most common retrofit mistake we see.

Is electric heating practical for large volumes? For tanks up to roughly 1,000 L with moderate duty cycles, yes. Above that, steam often wins on running cost.

What documentation is supplied? Piping and instrumentation diagrams, material certificates, and electrical schematics. Validation packages are available on request.

Get a Quote

Send us your industry and processed product, tank and piping details, required cleaning capacity, heat source available, automation level, stainless grade, and installation location. With those in hand we can recommend a configuration and quote it directly from our factory.