Winery Cleaning and Sanitation
Manual or Clean-In-Place Systems in the Winery
Cleaning and sanitizing operations can be broken down into two types: manual or mechanically by clean-in-place (CIP) systems and barrel washers.
Manual Cleaning and Sanitizing in the Winery
Manually cleaning is just exactly what it sounds like- a worker physically cleans the winery equipment. Many wineries do not have the luxury of cleaning-in-place (CIP) systems and have to manually clean and sanitize their equipment. They often have to use soft-bristled brushes, non-abrasive pads, cloths, and handheld high-pressure spray guns for cleaning.
Clean-In-Place Systems in the Winery
Clean-in-place (CIP) systems were developed by the dairy industry as a means of reducing the amount of labor needed for cleaning and sanitizing operations. One of the main advantages of CIP systems is that they can often readily remove organics and buildup at a fraction of the cost associated with the use of an equivalent amount of detergent or sanitizer needed to accomplish the same goal manually.
Anatomy of a CIP System
The size and number of tanks in your CIP system is determined by the size and complexity of required cleaning and sanitizing. Individual tanks may be used for freshwater, caustic solution, acid solution, reusable washes, or rinses, product recovery, or sanitizer (Figure 14.2). Most quality CIP system manufacturers feature 316/316L as the standard material for all wetted components, including the tanks.
Centralized or Mobile CIP Systems
Clean-in-place systems can be centralized or configured as a mobile unit and easily moved from tank to tank. A centralized CIP system is a single system that delivers cleaning solutions to an entire winery. It can supply many different circuits and coordinate a large number of operations from a single location so operators can manage processes using a central set of controls.
Spray Devices
Proper selection and placement of spray devices is critical to the success of your tank cleaning and sanitizing cycles. Depending on the size of the tank and the characteristics of the product that needs to be cleaned and sanitized, there are a number of different types of spray devices to choose from.
CIP Single-Use or Recovery Systems
In the single-use system, the cleaning solution is prepared and re-circulated through the system and discharged at the completion of the cleaning and sanitizing cycle. In some systems, the cleaning solution is used as a pre-rinse for the next cleaning cycle and then discharged. The main cleaning is done with a fresh solution.
At the other end of the spectrum, a CIP system can be as complex as a fully automated multi-tank, multi-circuit apparatus that recovers and re-uses solutions while cleaning and sanitizing in parallel with processing activities. All the cleaning and rinsing solutions can be pre-charged into their own tank and pre-heated to their optimum preset temperature, ready to go.
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