[PB] Cleaner Production - Utilisation of a Fully Automated Cleaning System {01}

[Magyartoto Tersiawan]

Cleaner Production - Utilisation of a Fully Automated Cleaning System in a Milk Processing Plant Pauls Limited (N.T)   Pauls Limited (N.T) is the only company that fully processes milk in the Northern Territory. Pauls has completed a major upgrade and expansion of its processing plant in Bishop Street, Stuart Park. The fully automatic plant is built to the highest Australian standards and it replaces the older, manually operated plant. The upgrades costing more than $2.5 million have been undertaken over the past 14 months. Major works included the installation of a fully automated cleaning facility for the pasteurised milk vats and associated lines. The new fully automated clean in place (CIP) system provides greater efficiency in plant cleaning and milk production. It also has the added bonus of allowing cleaning and sanitising chemicals to be recycled for use which has proven to be an extremely effective cleaner production initiative. The installation of this 'recycling cleaning system' has not only improved the economic efficiency of Paul's operation in Darwin but has also achieved their environmental objective of 'Producing an integrated and on-going approach for managing the business efficiently and improving profitability whilst having full consideration of possible environmental impacts." BACKGROUND Pauls Limited (N.T) manufactures and markets a range of recognised brands of dairy food and beverage products for Northern and Central Australia. They are committed to a program of waste management and have established an Environmental Policy which includes minimising the use of raw materials and energy; ensuring that products and services are produced, packaged, delivered, disposed of and recycled in a responsible manner with minimal adverse impact on the environment; assessment of the environmental impacts associated with new projects at the planning stage; and staff acceptance of environmental responsibilities in day to day activities. Pauls Limited (N.T) is legally required to conform to hygiene requirements in milk product manufacture. These requirements are established to meet the key objectives of assuring that the product:- Will not be a hazard to the consumer; and Will not spoil within the set shelf life and under the intended distribution and retail conditions. To achieve this, hygiene must be seen to encompass a consideration of all features of building design and maintenance, engineering services and production procedures. That is the whole production unit should be designed, maintained and operated with hygiene in mind and with thought given to both minimising relevant contamination and to the cleanability of equipment and factory environment. THE PROCESS Pauls Limited (N.T) had previously utilised a single use single use CIP system (Figure 1). This system was based on the premise that all required chemicals and water were used only once following each clean before they were discharged as waste. The single use CIP system had a number of associated problems when employed by Pauls Limited (N.T) such as: Cost inefficiency; Excessive use of cleaning chemicals; Involved too much time out of the production schedule to clean on a continuous basis; Limited documented proof of cleans performed on the milk production system; and Parts were no longer available for repairs. CLEANER PRODUCTION INITIATIVE Pauls Limited (N.T) has adopted as part of the plant's $2.5 million upgrade a multiple-use CIP System to replace the single use CIP system. The multi-use Clean in Place (CIP) System has been adopted by Pauls Limited (N.T) as their cleaner production initiative as it provides the best possible technology for attaining the required hygiene standards whilst achieving the goals of their Environmental Policy. The multi-use CIP efficiently cleans and sanitises all of the milk lines and associated pasteurised milk vats whilst minimising wastage. The process of cleaning in place is based on taking the cleaning and sanitising chemicals to the equipment rather than taking the equipment to the chemicals. The effectiveness of the procedure is determined by factors of time, temperature, concentration and the physical action involved. Figure 2 is a generic diagram of a multi-use CIP system such as that employed by Pauls Limited (N.T). The development of the multi-use CIP system by Pauls Limited (N.T) as their cleaner production initiative involved the following 7 steps: The determination of process line requirements; The development of CIP circuits; The design of suitable supply return system to clean these circuits and to handle also all mechanical spray-cleaning operations; The selection of materials of construction; The making of the actual installation; The selection and installation of recirculating equipment; and The application of instrumentation and controls to assist in continuous maintenance of the desired cleaning program The Paul's Limited (N.T) CIP System has the benefit of allowing the operators to select a specific vat or line to be cleaned via a computer interface. The system then proceeds through a preset cleaning regime. A typical CIP clean such as that employed by Pauls Limited (N.T) involves the following established stages: A cold alkali water pre-rinse that removes any milk product remaining in the lines and utilises recovered final rinse water from an earlier cleaning cycle; Circulation of an alkaline detergent that is timed from the point when the fluid returns to the CIP tank at the desired temperature; Circulation of potable water; Circulation of approved sanitiser/hot water. All the chemicals that are used in the system are returned and circulated via holding vats. A conductivity and temperature meter monitors the concentration and temperature of the cleaning solutions used. If either one of these parameters is out of specification, the system will automatically compensate and whilst holding its cycle time ensuring that specifications are met. The chemicals in the system, Acid Sanitiser and Sodium Hydroxide can be reused as many times as possible until the protein build up in the solution becomes excessive and has to be discarded. ADVANTAGES OF THE PROCESS The advent of automatic multi-use CIP systems has made it economically and physically feasible to install sensitive, complex measuring and control equipment for further process automation. The potential for damage is also eliminated as the necessity for repeated disassembly, washing and reassembly of processing equipment which was common for single use CIP systems is no longer required through the new automatically controlled mechanical cleaning. By utilising Acid Sanitiser and Sodium Hydroxide within the system, the following direct benefits have also be attained: Reduction in the clean-up labour costs; Improved sanitation of the complete system through the ability to use higher temperatures and stronger chemicals; and Elimination of contamination when assembling dismantled equipment. Pauls Limited (N.T) has been using this multi-use CIP System for a period of 5 months and has not as yet had to dispose of the chemicals, which they use within the system. The decision to adopt the multi-use CIP System by Pauls Limited (N.T) was based on the obvious cost savings associated with cleaning the system, and operational advantages such as labour saving, reduced product loss and improved process sanitation. Table 1 contains the direct benefits, costs and pay back period attributable to the adoption of the CIP technology by Pauls Limited (N.T). Costs and Savings of the CIP System Table 1 BENEFITS SAVINGS/Costs Costs of multi-use CIP installation $40,000 Savings per annum made by using the CIP System $40,000. Economic Reduced chemical usage Reduced water usage Improved cleaning effectiveness Enhanced product quality Environmental Reduced chemical waste Reduced water waste Health & Safety Reduced direct handling of chemicals Total Savings $40,000 Payback Period 1 year CLEANER PRODUCTION INCENTIVE The main incentive for adopting the cleaner production practice was Pauls Limited (N.T) ongoing commitment to minimising the production of waste and adopting the best available technologies. The cleaner production activities of Pauls Limited (N.T) are successful because the entire organisation understands the importance of efficiency through waste minimisation; and they are continually identifying new opportunities for improvement. BARRIERS No barriers were encountered in implementing this cleaner production initiative. The management of Pauls Limited (N.T) is committed to a program of waste minimisation through continuous improvement of their production systems and processes. Their commitment to cleaner production through a waste management strategy is driven by management and extends to all functions and levels of the organisation. The Cleaner Production Case Studies Directory is part of EnviroNET Australia. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DANA MITRA LINGKUNGAN {Friends of the Environment Fund} Pusat Niaga Duta Mas Fatmawati, Blok B1/12 Jl. RS. Fatmawati 39, Jakarta 12150 - INDONESIA Telp. : (62-21) 724 8884, 724 8885 | Fax. : (62-21) 724 8883 Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] | URL# http://www.dml.or.id   Konperensi KMB 2001 @ http://kmb2001.dml.or.id FORLINK @ http://forlink.dml.or.id Bursa Limbah @ http://w2p.dml.or.id Forum KMB Indonesia @ http://forumkmb.dml.or.id Join Milis PB, kirim email ke mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~