A new way to clean and save water in powder production

New products and consumer experiences, as well as emerging trends, lead to a multitude of powder recipes, requiring constant cleaning. Tetra Pak® Air Jet Cleaning system for Powder, offers a departure from conventional CIP methods using liquids - by using the power of air jets.  Air Jet technology cleans fast with minimal residual powder so that you can switch from one recipe to another quickly. 

This system is a practical solution, not only in reducing downtime but also lowering electricity consumption compared to liquid Clean-In-Place (CIP). By eliminating the need for equipment drying, it not only streamlines operations but also increases food safety by preventing bacterial growth on moist surfaces, contributing to resource conservation and minimising product loss in production.

air jet cleaning machine

Benefits / proof points

Switch quickly between recipes

Air Jet technology facilitates rapid and efficient cleaning, with minimal residual powder that enables swift transitions between different recipes. This reduces operational downtime dedicated to cleaning, leading to improved production rates and operational cost savings. 

No need for liquid cleaning

The value of jet cleaning lies in its capacity to remove powder residue from equipment surfaces, without the need for water or physical contact with cleaning tools. The dry cleaning method eliminates the need for wastewater treatment and disposal, thereby reducing the consumption of disposable cleaning materials.

Flushing reduces product losses

Another application of Air Jet technology is to flush the mixer during the discharging cycle, reducing the amount of powder left. Utilising flushing during discharge can lead to the discharge of an additional 50 liters of product from a 2,000-liter batch, compared to conventional wet Clean-In-Place (CIP) methods.

Tetra Pak® Air Jet Cleaning system for Powder

Let air do the cleaning so you can keep on mixing

  • Save up to one hour per cleaning cycle and reduce product losses.
  • Switch easily from one recipe to another with quick changeovers.
  • Safeguard food by reducing the risk of contamination.
Tetra Pak® Air Jet Cleaning system for Powder

Tetra Pak Air Jet Cleaning system for Powder - features

Before and after a cleaning cycle

Only small residue of powder

See how clean the surfaces are after the use of Air Jet technology! The first photo shows a trial with a 2,000-litre batch mixer with milk powder remaining after discharge. The second and third photos shows the same mixer after a 30-minute cleaning cycle using Air Jet technology. Only a small trace of powder remained on the entire surface area: about 50 ml compared to a minimum of 70 litres of milk powder left after discharging without the Air Jet cleaning cycle.

Each nozzle contains four jets

Each nozzle contains four jets

Jets cover all surfaces in a mixer

A unique feature of the system is the pop-up nozzles that are integrated into the ceiling. They have been developed using CFD computer simulation models. Each nozzle head has four specific jets pointed in different directions in order to clean every zone in a mixer. The whole system is automated with specific sequences which can be optimized according to powder properties and customer requirements.

Quick changeovers

Quick changeovers

Switch quickly between recipes

There are a lot of different consumer trends such as preferences for nutritional, plant-based and gluten-free ingredients. All these trends can lead to a lot of different recipes to handle and the need to clean a mixer frequently – perhaps 2-3 times a day. Our Air Jet technology cleans fast with minimal residual powder so that you can switch hygienically from one recipe to another quickly. If allergens are an issue, talk to us and we can advise you.

Closed system

Closed system

Avoid opening to maintain quality

To avoid the risk of contamination where food safety is a concern, you should aim to minimize manual intervention in a sealed food system. Tetra Pak® Air Jet Cleaning system for Powder is a hygienic solution using filtered compressed air for cleaning and it can replace manual cleaning completely. With more limited intervention by operators opening the mixer, there will be a significant decrease in the bacterial risks and the associated microbial swab testing when restarting production.

Flushing – short blast with air jets

Flushing reduces product losses

This technology is not just for cleaning, but can also be used for flushing for a few minutes at the time of discharge. This has a dramatic effect. The first photo shows a 2,000-litre batch mixer after regular discharge of milk powder without flushing whereas the second photo shows the same mixer after discharging with flushing at the same time. In the latter case, an extra 50 litres of powder could be saved due to the flushing action.

Avoid fouling on surfaces

Layers of powder can build up on the ceiling when running one batch after another without cleaning in between. If some powder falls down, it can affect the homogeneity over time. Normally operators need to manually remove these layers. As an alternative, flushing dislodges the powder and it goes into the product instead of being lost. Flushing is done without opening the mixer and without impacting the production schedule, which is a big advantage.

More sustainable than wet CIP

More sustainable than wet CIP

Dry CIP with Air Jet technology

This technology really comes into its own when replacing wet CIP. You can reduce your environmental impact and costs because no water, chemicals and detergents are needed. Furthermore, no drying is needed after cleaning because the equipment never gets wet. This avoids the risk of microbial growth from moisture remaining on surfaces. If allergens are a concern, operators can wipe with a cloth and alcohol after a cleaning cycle with Air Jet technology.

Transform your cleaning!

Consumers have an insatiable appetite for new products. New trends create a lot of different powder recipes to handle and the need to clean a mixer very frequently. Tetra Pak® Air Jet Cleaning system for Powder represents a new cleaning paradigm using air jets to do the cleaning.

Jets of compressed air are used to dislodge powder particles stuck to steel surfaces. When they are airborne, the particles can be extracted from the mixer through the outlet thanks to a vacuum system. Watch the film and read the articles to see how it works.

Transform your cleaning!

Consumers have an insatiable appetite for new products. New trends create a lot of different powder recipes to handle and the need to clean a mixer very frequently. Tetra Pak® Air Jet Cleaning system for Powder represents a new cleaning paradigm using air jets to do the cleaning.

Jets of compressed air are used to dislodge powder particles stuck to steel surfaces. When they are airborne, the particles can be extracted from the mixer through the outlet thanks to a vacuum system. Watch the film and read the articles to see how it works.

Explore insights for air jet cleaning for powder

Get your powder analyzed in our lab

Our centre of expertise in powder handling in France is composed of a lab and a pilot plant. Here we would be happy to test the characteristics of your powder with our innovative Air Jet technology.

Technical details

leaflet

Tetra Pak Air Jet Cleaning system technical description

Tetra Pak® Air Jet Cleaning system for Powder is a new cleaning technology for paddle mixers which consists of a combination of air jets and vacuum flow to remove powder particles and evacuate them through the mixer outlet.

PDC brochure

Improve your business

The Product Development Centre (PDC) of Tetra Pak Powder Handling offers you a unique way to simulate any kind of powder handling process, test many sensitive products and validate performance.

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Benefits

Solid powder performs like a fluid under certain conditions. The science of mechanical flow is known as rheology. Find out what rheology can teach us about the microscopic characteristics of powders and how they influence mixing and cleaning. What’s more, learn which are the trickiest powders and how to handle them. Our experts also reveal five secrets on how to handle powders that you may not find published anywhere else.  
 

All this expertise plus insights into key trends in the infant formula market are given below.

air jet cleaning machine