The importance of cleaning in the pharmaceutical industry is undisputed, especially when it comes to pharmaceutical dispensing systems. The use of efficient and safe cleaning technology to remove residual substances from the dispensing system is essential to improve the cleanliness of the entire pharmaceutical process. CIP (Clean In Place) technology is known to be effective in reducing or removing residues from aqueous and dosing systems.

so-called CIP cleaning station, also known as on-line cleaning system

It is able to clean without disassembling or moving the equipment, using a specific temperature and concentration of cleaning liquid, through the external force to thoroughly clean the parts that come into contact with the drugs.CIP cleaning station mainly consists of storage tanks, supply pumps, reflux pumps, heat exchangers, acid and alkali devices, valves, piping fittings, control cabinets and detection instrumentation, etc. , control cabinet and detection instrumentation and other components. According to industry sources, CIP cleaning station is divided into mobile and fixed type according to whether it is movable or not, and is divided into horizontal and vertical according to the way of tank installation, and is divided into single, double or multiple tanks according to the number of tanks.

About the operation principle of the CIP cleaning station

It is through the application of thermal, mechanical, and chemical energies to the residue on the surface of the equipment. The cleaning of the equipment is realized by the combined action of these three energies. Temperature, mechanical action, chemical action and time are the four key elements of the cleaning process, they are interdependent and interact with each other to complete the cleaning task.

In terms of installation

Modern pharmaceutical industry generally respected the modularity of the system's production and installation, the CIP cleaning station is no exception. Generally, the cleaning station is transported to the site after the project is fabricated and commissioned. The piping installation needs to meet certain requirements, such as the preference for welding, followed by clamping, then flange connection, threaded connection is not accepted. Once the installation is complete, a series of inspections and tests are required to ensure that the system is clean and protected from contamination.

The standard CIP cleaning process consists of a pre-rinse, a detergent cycle cleaning and a final rinse. Some studies have shown that adding a sterile compressed air purge step can save cleaning time and water. "The CIP workstation can automatically determine the end point of the system cleaning with a loop conductivity sensor." A pharmaceutical company professional said.

CIP cleaning stations offer numerous advantages over traditional cleaning methods, such as saving operating time, labor, and water for cleaning, improving productivity, repeatable verification of cleaning effects, adjustable cleaning procedures, environmentally friendly and energy saving, installation and operation, and improved productivity. adjustable, environmentally friendly and energy efficient, easy to install and operate, as well as enabling modular production and factory acceptance testing.

The CIP Cleaning Station has a low operating cost due to its compact structure, small footprint, and easy installation and maintenance. According to experts, the CIP cleaning station can effectively clean production equipment such as tanks, vessels and pipelines, and the entire cleaning process is carried out in a closed system, which reduces the risk of secondary contamination.

The design of the CIP cleaning station usually adopts the system optimization technology, which can be cleaned without affecting the operation of the production equipment or system and can be cleaned at the same time in accordance with the production requirements of the partition and realize the production and cleaning simultaneously. Production and cleaning are synchronized, greatly reducing the cleaning time.

Currently, the CIP cleaning station has become a widely used in-line cleaning technology in the pharmaceutical industry. With increasingly stringent standards and regulations, the pharmaceutical industry in China has become more stringent in its requirements for the design, installation and product quality of dispensing systems. Regardless of the form of CIP cleaning station, its ultimate goal is to serve the production, enterprises should realize that "product quality begins with the design", only excellent design and installation, in order to ensure the stability of product quality.