TL;DR
Chemical concentration out of range means the CIP is not cleaning or is over-chemical. Check the dosing pump, tank level, and conductivity sensor calibration.
What you might see
- conductivity reading out of range during CIP cycle
- chemical dosing alarm on PLC
- titration verification failing after CIP
- cleaning effectiveness declining over multiple cycles
Likely causes
Dosing pump stroke or speed set incorrectly after a maintenance adjustment
Chemical tank nearly empty reducing dosing pump prime
Conductivity sensor fouling causing incorrect concentration feedback to the PLC
Chemical type changed without updating the PLC concentration setpoint
Required tools
- Conductivity meter
- Titration kit for the CIP chemical in use
- Chemical-resistant gloves and splash goggles
- LOTO kit
Safety first
- CIP chemicals are caustic (NaOH) or acidic (HNO3 or phosphoric). Always wear chemical-rated gloves and eye protection when handling or sampling CIP chemicals.
- Never mix CIP chemical types without explicit engineering approval. Caustic and acid mixed together generates heat and gas.
- Any CIP cycle that did not achieve the specified concentration or temperature must be logged as a cleaning failure. Equipment must be re-cleaned before returning to food production.
Procedure
- 1
Compare the current conductivity reading to a manual titration of the solution. A large discrepancy confirms sensor drift.[1]
- 2
Check the chemical tank level. A low tank can cause the dosing pump to pull air and lose prime.[1]
- 3
Inspect and clean the conductivity sensor probe. Fouling or product film on the probe causes low readings.
- 4
Verify the dosing pump stroke length and speed settings match the chemical concentration target in the PLC recipe.
Warning: CIP chemicals are caustic or acidic. Wear chemical-rated gloves and splash goggles when working near the chemical tanks or dosing lines. - 5
Run a manual titration on the current tank contents to confirm chemical strength has not degraded.
- 6
After corrections, run a short manual CIP cycle and verify concentration by titration before running a full automated cycle.
- 7
Log all concentration deviations and corrective actions for the site's cleaning validation records.
Sources
Tetra Pak Sani-Matic CIP-100 / 200 CIP / SIP System general technical documentation, Tetra Pak
Sani-Matic CIP-100 / 200 CIP system general chemical dosing and concentration control procedures (general)
More guides for Tetra Pak Sani-Matic CIP-100 / 200
How to fix pump cavitation on a Sani-Matic CIP-100 / 200 CIP system
CIP pump cavitation reduces flow rate and can damage the impeller. Check the inlet strainer, suction conditions, and tank level before adjusting the pump.
How to fix a spray nozzle blockage on a Sani-Matic CIP-100 / 200 CIP system
A blocked CIP spray nozzle leaves an area of equipment uncleaned. Identify the blocked nozzle, remove it, clean the orifice, and verify coverage with a visual spray test.
Stop fixing the same fault twice.
Dovient turns guides like this into your team's shared playbook, with AI that catches recurring issues before they break the line.