CIP Systems For Process Development And Clinical Production, Part 3

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•Application Note: CIP Systems For Process Development And Clinical Production

Part three of four

Selecting a cost effective CIP System
Perhaps the most challenging part of developing a CIP process is matching a CIP system to the equipment intended to be cleaned. If the system selected is too small or too large, it may not be possible to optimize the cleaning process. In addition to sizing, a wide range of portable and fixed in place CIP systems are available, with features and automation ranging from simple to complex. Consider the traditional recirculated, single tank, portable CIP system. Over the years, this design has become an industry standard because it reduces the likelihood of cross contamination between units by preparing and using cleaning solutions only once and then discarding them. Chemical solutions are recirculated between the tank and the bioreactor. Rinse solutions are sent directly to the drain. Simple and flexible, but the design is not without its shortcomings.

Eductor Systems
One promising alternative is the use of a portable eductor-based CIP system. Eductor systems eliminate the bulky holding tank, therefore offering a smaller footprint. Eductor systems also use a minimal amount of solution to clean a line circuit or tank – typically just enough to flood the lines, plus enough water to provide head pressure on the system's supply pump to prevent cavitation. Eductor-based systems are also selfcleaning, thus reducing or eliminating additional steps in the cleaning cycle (e.g. residue removal from the holding tank). The self-cleaning process can be accomplished by designing the system's air separator tank to create a swirling cyclone in the tank. Eductor systems move solution in excess of 10ft per second while expelling air out through top vents, thus reducing cross contamination. By using less chemicals and less water, the design reduces operating costs. The small footprint also allows use and maneuvering in pilot plants with limited space and narrow clearances between equipment.

SOURCE: Sartorius Stedim Biotech

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•Application Note: CIP Systems For Process Development And Clinical Production