CIP - NANOTEC

Project Description

This project aims to develop new products and high performance processes for improving hygiene operations in circuits in food industries.

CIP (Cleaning-in-place) systems are commonly used in food industries for maintaining hygiene inside circuits. These are complex operations due to the multiple operative parameters involved in the process: temperature, flow velocity, time of residence, product dosage, etc. Furthermore, these processes do not allow large contact times between cleaning solutions and inner surfaces and it is difficult to optimize process parameters due to lack of monitoring techniques.
 
For these reasons, this project endeavours to explore new technologies for formulation of detergents, improving their performance in CIP cleaning operations, such as introducing nano-materials for enhanced cleaning effect and specific surfactants for residues commonly found in these facilities. Additionally, cleaning processes will be improved by identifying the optimal combination of their operative parameters, reducing energy costs and developing analytic tools for monitoring these processes.

Project Objectives

The aim of the project is to improve CIP cleaning operations in food industries, particularly in the milk and cheese production sector. To achieve this aim, the following specific objectives are proposed:

  • Improvement of performance of cleaning products by introducing nano-materials and specific surfactants.
  • Modelling and optimization of CIP cleaning processes by optimally combining their operative parameters.
  • Development of tools for continuous monitoring of cleaning operations.

Project Participants

  • Betelgeux
  • Universidad de Valencia 
  • Universidad de Granada
  • Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha.

Funding:

  • CDTI (IDI-20120160)
  • Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional