Transcript
Recommended Profile® Star Operating Procedures General Cleaning Recommendations Each filter stage, if in a filter train, should be cleaned to drain independently. This helps prevent waste material and particles from one filter fouling the downstream one. All water, hot cold & sterile, used for cleaning should be filtered to at least the micron limit of the process filters to remove particulates. Backflushing is optional. Depending on the types of filter blocking contaminants a forward rinse and / or detergent clean may adequately clean the filter. Coarser filters do not backwash as effectively as finer ones. Filter cleaning and sanitization is recommended prior to longterm storage. Detergent cleaning may be performed, ensure all precautions are taken in respect of the type of detergent, simple NaOH at 45-50 °C @ <2% has been found to be suitable if the detergent make up water is suitable. Install pressure gauges upstream and downstream of the filter housing. Pressure should be monitored during filtration, cleaning and water flushes. Recommended filter change out at 500 mbar differential pressure, above new Dp and after cleaning. This figure can be varied, but experience has shown that filters that exhibit a pressure drop >500+ mbar after cleaning exhibit extremely short life between cleans. The filters are safe to operate at 5 barg differential at temperatures < 50 °C giving a high safety margin but flow will be significantly affected at pressure drops above 1.5 barg and rapid blocking will be observed.
Filtration 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Connect all mains / hoses to appropriate connections for forward flow. Open housing vent With outlet valve closed initiate product flow at a low flow rate (0.5x process) Close housing vent after housing is filled and air is removed, open outlet valve Increase flow rate to process flow rate Continue product filtration until the batch is complete or differential pressure is >500 mbar. 7. Initiate a cleaning cycle at Pd > 500 mbar, or at end of batch.
Water Flush (Cleaning in forward direction) 1. Open upstream valve and vent on the filter housing, ensure that downstream valve is closed. 2. Introduce water to inlet of the filter housing, Close housing vent after housing is filled and air is removed 3. Open outlet valve and allow ambient temperature water to flow in the forward direction to drain at up to 1.5 times the process flow rate. 4. Run cold water to waste for 10 minutes or until the outlet is clear. These next steps are optional, but help to remove soluble contaminants 1. Slowly increase the water temperature to 45-50 °C over 10 minutes. 2. Run water at 45-50°C for 10 minutes 3. Optional Step: Hold 50°C water in housing for 10 minutes to assist in dissolving of soluble contaminants 4. Slowly decrease the water temperature to ambient over 10 minutes 5. Stop water flow.
Water Flush (Cleaning: Backflush) 1. Open down stream (inlet for backwash) valve and vent on the filter housing, ensure that upstream valve (outlet for backwash) is closed. 2. Introduce ambient temperature water to outlet (downstream) of the filter housing 3. Fill housing in reverse direction until water issues from vent, close vent valve. 4. Open down stream valve, allow water to flow in the reverse direction to drain at minimum 1.5 times the process flow rate. The differential pressure must not reach above 300 mbar at ambient temperature. 5. Run cold water for 10 minutes or until the outlet is clear. 6. These next steps are optional, but help to remove soluble contaminants. 7. Slowly increase the water temperature to 45-50°C over 10 minutes. The differential pressure should not reach above 300 mbar 50°C at this temperature. 8. Run 45-50°C warm water for 10 minutes. 9. Note; if hotter water is used (max 85°C) then this must be used in the forward direction.
10. Optional Step: Hold 50°C water in housing for 10 minutes to assist in dissolving of soluble contaminants. 11. Resume flow and slowly decrease the water temperature to ambient over 10 minutes. 12. Stop water flow.
Detergent cleaning in forward or backward direction Ensure all appropriate pre-cautions are taken in regards of the type of detergent being used. We recommend that the detergent, simple caustic (NaOH @ <2%) be used warm, at 45-50 °C, not hot 80 °C A detergent clean on a weekly basis will remove beer deposits left by warm water and increase the service life of the filter. It is important that only clean detergent, and the minimal amount of detergent is flowed through the filter, any debris in dirty detergent will be removed by the filter and shorten its life. The removal of these beer deposits will loosen the retained DE powder from within the matrix of the filter and allow it to be removed. If a forward rinse is used then this loosened material will be driven into the filter and shorten its life. For this reason we recommend a backwash be performed immediately after a detergent clean. 1. Open upstream valve and vent on the filter housing, ensure that downstream valve is closed. 2. Attach mains to inlet of the filter housing and allow ambient to warm temperature detergent to flow into the housing until it is full 3. Close housing vent after housing is filled and air is removed 4. leave for 20-30 minutes with NO flow through the filter. 5. Open drain on upstream side of filter, and open vent 6. Drain until detergent has gone to waste. 7. Close drain, introduce cold or warm water into the housing. 8. At this time flushing can be either forward or reverse, we would recommend reverse cleaning 9. Run cold / warm water to waste for 10 minutes or until the outlet is clear. 10. continue with either forward / reverse cleaning procedure as outlined above
Short term storage 1. 2. 3. 4.
Cold / warm water flush as per above procedure Drain all water from system under counter pressure of N2 or CO2 Keep counter pressured (N2 or CO2) by closing and locking off all valves. Vent housing and sterilize as per standard procedures in the morning prior to filtration.
Long term storage 1. 2. 3. 4.
Sterilize filters by chosen method Drain and seal housing assembly Counter pressurize with N2 or CO2. Filter assembly may stand indefinitely under these conditions sterilize filters prior to filtration.
“Sterilization” Hot Sanitization: Hot water 1. 2. 3. 4.
Connect water source to inlet and outlet to drain. Open valves and vent to housing Flow water in the forward direction Slowly increase water temperature until it reaches >80 °C at the coldest point. Maximum differential pressure at 80 °C is 14.5 psid. 5. Maintain flow at >80 °C for 20 minutes. Flow through all vents and sample ports. 6. Slowly decrease water temperature to process temperature.
Cold Sanitization: PAA (Peroxyacetic acid) 1. In a separate tank mix 150/200 ppm PAA at ambient temperature 2. Connect appropriate hoses for re-circulation in the forward direction from cleaning tank through pump to housing and back. 3. Open valves and vent and initiate flow 4. Close housing vent once air is removed. 5. Re-circulate PAA through filter assembly for >30 minutes. 6. Stop re-circulation, close valves. 7. Empty solution to drain from housing 8. Connect water line to housing inlet 9. Open valves and vent and flush ambient, sterile water through the filters in the forward direction for 10 minutes or until the pH of water from the inlet is equivalent to the outlet + 3 minutes which may be sooner (note PAA test strips can be used to determine that all the PAA has been rinsed away..
