Clean In Place Made Simple

Written By: John Robert Parraga

Global Process Technical Consultant

2 | Clean In Place Made Simple

Abstract
Clean in Place (CIP) Automation is typically a complex part of the automation process. In many
instances it is more complex to automate the cleaning process than to make the product since the
final CIP automation sequence is often defined after the process equipment is built and cleaning
tests are performed.
There are many requirements for cleaning equipment as well as many cleaning types. Some process
equipment is cleaned with only water while other equipment is cleaned using detergents such as
acids or caustic solutions. Some plants have taken to recovering the water used for a final rinse and
use it as the initial rinse of the next CIP sequence in order to reduce the overall cost of production.
Although there are many approaches to implementing a CIP solution, each approach has limitations
and/or allows for significant improvement. The following paper discusses an approach that makes
CIP automation a straight forward task and provides ample modularity and flexibility through the
use and application of ANSI/ISA-88 (S-88) concepts.

Fig. 1 Sample CIP Process Overview

Clean In Place Made Simple | 3

What Makes CIP a

Complex Problem?
Creating control code for the typical major steps of CIP including preliminary flush with water,
caustic cleaning, hot water flush, acid flush, and final rinse
Establishing the conditions that define when a step has completed, such as waiting for a
conductivity value following the preliminary flush before moving on to the next step.
Complex routing
Creating control code to perform the CIP procedures as defined during automation design
Physical factors, biological factors, chemistry of detergents, concentration, temperature, exposure
time, flow rate, etc.
Coordination between the CIP skid and the destination to be cleaned
Equipment arbitration
By applying the S-88 concepts, we are able to separate the Equipment Model (EM) from the
Procedural Model (PM). This approach allows for the creation of procedures (recipes) after the
process has been automated without requiring changes to the overall control system. This
modularity allows for rapid recipe creation, as well as optimization of the CIP procedures, typically
resulting in an overall cost reduction and CIP duration.

Fig. 2 ANSI/ISA-88 Fundamental Concept

4 | Clean In Place Made Simple

Focusing in the Equipment Model (EM) or What

can the equipment do? the following describes
the essence of a typical CIP process.
By using a single EM, we can expose all
parameters required on the CIP skid side as well
as the parameters required at the destination.
Fig. 3 - CIP Basic Overview
The key to the simplification of the CIP process
is to set up the equipment using a single EM.
This allows for the definition of all the possible equipment configurations in a simple modular
manner, and then by using the Procedural Model of S-88, we can specify the sequence required
to perform the required procedures.
In order to describe the automation
approach, we will independently
focus on what can be done on
the CIP skid side then move to
the destination side. First we will
look at a sample CIP station. By
gaining an understanding of this
automation approach, we will
see how this solution would be
applicable to different CIP skid
types.

Fig. 4 CIP EM Basic Overview - Operator Interface

Fig. 5 - Sample CIP Skid Detail

Clean In Place Made Simple | 5

What Can the CIP skid Do?

Deliver a material from a SOURCE
Detergent A, Detergent B, wash water, rinse water, return solution, air, in-line detergent
Control the FLOW RATE
Control the TEMPERATURE
Receive material and RETURN to
Detergent A, Detergent B, wash water, rinse water, return solution, drain
Monitor Supply and Return conditions
Supply temperature, flow rate, conductivity; return temperature, flow rate, conductivity
The destination may include tanks, transfer lines, etc. Each destination may have multiple options
for a supply inlet path as well as return path. For simplicity, only two destination tanks will be
used in this example. This methodology is applicable to one or many destinations and paths.

Fig. 6 - CIP Sample Destination

6 | Clean In Place Made Simple

What Can the Destination Equipment Do?

Deliver a material to a destination
Tank_1
Tank_2
If the destination is Tank 1 then the cleaning solution can enter via two paths
Spray ball, side of tank, or these can be used in conjunction
If the destination is Tank 2 then there are no options to select from
Spray balls is the only option
For the return path of each of these tanks, no options are possible
Adding more detail to the CIP EM of Fig. 4, the following parameters can be specified.

Fig. 7 - CIP EM Overview

Clean In Place Made Simple | 7

Additional parameters (not shown in diagram) that can be used by the EM include:
Duration of step, how much time should this step setting last
Amount (weight or volume) of fluid, for the step
Looking at the destination equipment, we are able to select which tank to CIP and, in the case of
Tank 1, we are able to specify which tank inlet to use.
The code implementation required to build the EM is straight forward, while the EM is running each
of the actions required to meet the parameters specified are enforced. No procedural sequence
resides in the EM, as EM actions are very basic and typically include:
Open paths
Control flow rate
Control temperature
Additionally, the EM monitors if the required flow rate and temperature are met and, only if these
conditions are within tolerance, will the timer and amount be enabled.
The duration has been met
The required amount has been met
Via the EM faceplate, we can see that any destination can be cleaned using any source of cleaning
material, at a specified flow rate, and at a specified temperature. This can run for a time interval or
for a designated amount.

Fig. 8 Destinations to be Cleaned are Units

Fig. 9 Phase Instances of Each Unit

Continuing with the equipment definition, the destinations to be cleaned are considered units, since
a procedure or recipe needs to be used to specify how to clean the equipment. In this example,
Tank 1 and 2 are units. The CIP skid equipment is not considered a unit unless a procedure needs to
be specified for that equipment; typically the functionality required around the CIP skid is made up
of EMs, which can be responsible for controlling temperature, agitation, etc.
Each of these units will contain one (1) Equipment Phase to perform the CIP process. In our example
these phases belong to different classes because they can specify different parameters sets.
The phase parameters expose what the equipment is capable of to the recipe editor.

8 | Clean In Place Made Simple

Fig. 11- Parameter Values for Class 1 Phase

Clean In Place Made Simple | 9

The phase reports when the desired conditions are met. These then can be used in a recipe
transition in order to move forward with the operation.

Fig. 12- Reported Information

The factors that can be used to make decisions in the recipe are exposed to the recipe by
defining Unit Tags. These can be used to build simple or complex Transitions Expressions.

Fig. 13 Unit Tags

Once the Equipment Phase (EP) is defined it can be used to construct the recipes or procedures.

10 | Clean In Place Made Simple

What Do We Want to do With the Equipment?

Using the recipe editor, different, reusable, operations can be built to perform major tasks. The
following are traditionally associated with the cleaning procedures:
Set up equipment
Preliminary flush with water
Caustic cleaning
Hot water flush
Acid flush
Final rinse

Fig. 14 Equipment and Procedural Models

Clean In Place Made Simple | 11

Fig. 15 Equipment and Procedural Models

During recipe execution, a CIP phase instance will contain the required parameters for a specific
step. These parameters are downloaded from the recipe phase to the equipment phase then to
the EM. Note that all parameters related to the equipment to be cleaned, as well as the CIP skid, are
specified in the recipe phase.
The sample operation contained in Fig. 16 is set to perform the following tasks:
1. Check that all equipment is ready (all in Auto, none failed, etc.) and, if not,
prompt operator to check.
2. Prompt operator to make required equipment setup, transfer panel connections,
close tank hatch, etc.
3. Download operating parameters to CIP EM and evaluate the transition
conditions before proceeding.

12 | Clean In Place Made Simple

In Fig. 16, transition T4 is defined to move from the first instance of the CIP phase
(CIP_CLS_1:1) to the second instance (CIP_CLS_1:2) once the specified amount has been met.
During this transfer (transfer of control), the new specified parameters get downloaded
to the EM without stopping the CIP process. The timer and amount are reset and the new
operating parameters are evaluated in the following transition conditions T5.

Fig. 16 Sample Operation

Clean In Place Made Simple | 13

In some processes, a single destination equipment can be cleaned using one of multiple CIP
stations, but each CIP station is used on a first come first served basis. For example: Destination
TK_1 can be cleaned by CIP A or CIP B. If all CIP stations are being used by other destinations, then
the recipe for cleaning TK_1 will wait until any CIP station gets released and becomes available to be
acquired by TK_1.
The following is an approach used to allow the multiple CIP stations to be allocated and arbitrated.

Fig. 17 Skid with Two CIP Circuits

14 | Clean In Place Made Simple

A CIP_AQUIRE equipment phase is added

to each unit and a recipe phase is added in
parallel in the CIP recipe Operation.
The CIP_ACQUIRE phase logic determines
if any of the CIP stations are available
then makes the request to reserve the
appropriate CIP station. -(CIP_A or CIP B).
Once a CIP station has been allocated to the
phase, the phase reports that the CIP station
is available. This report is used in the recipe
transition to start running the cleaning
process. Once the destination equipment
cleaning is complete, the CIP_ACQUIRE
phase releases the CIP station used, making
it available for other destination equipment
to use.

Fig. 16 Sample Operation

Clean In Place Made Simple | 15

Conclusion
By applying S-88 concepts, we have provided a modular and flexible CIP process with
significant advantages:
The automation team is not required to know how to CIP the equipment
It provides a modular, straight forward design and implementation approach
There is no need to change the code to create or change the CIP procedure
Create reusable operations to meet standard CIP operating procedures
This straight-forward methodology results in reduced costs in both engineering and
implementation time, as well as a flexible solution that can be implemented across a facility with
limited re-work of code.

Author
Rockwell Automation
John Robert Parraga
Global Process Technical Consultant
15458 North 24th Dr, Suit B
Phoenix, Arizona 85053
(+1) 623 225 8273
jrparraga@ra.rockwell.com

Publication PROCES-WP003A-EN-P July 2010

Copyright 2010 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA