Spray balls

Spray balls are used to continuously wash the PW and WFI storage tanks. 

Where possible, incorporate cleaning apparatus into the equipment. This can be accomplished either with spray nozzles, spray wands, or spray ball diffusers. Drains should be carefully placed in the equipment so that rinse waters and solvents are allowed to fully drain. 

The inside surface should be 316L electro-polished (Ra < 0.8 p) the tank must be totally drainable. Storage tanks must be equipped with a spray ball on the circulation return line to sanitize all internal parts of the tank and to assure that the tank interior surfaces above the water level are continuously flushed. Tanks must be equipped with a vent hlter (0.2 pm hydrophobic) installed in such a way as to prevent condensate from being trapped. The technical services manager and QA manager must approve the model. 

In cases in which the product of a chemical reaction or salt formation is insoluble, nucleation events and precipitation may start instantaneously. These events can be difficult to control, but nevertheless one should investigate the possibility of designing an addition-controlled process—for example, by adding the reaction partner slowly— which may be coupled with appropriate seeding once supersaturation is reached. Scale-up in this area is generally difficult, and the addition mode (e.g., using spray balls or other devices to optimize the distribution of the reactant in the crystallization vessel) plays an important role. For details on precipitation, refer to the work of Sohnel and Garside. ... 

Figure 20.2 Installation of dual-purpose outdoor (a) and indoor (b) cylindroconical vessels (CCVs) suitable for fermentation and lageiing. (1) Servicing platform. (2) Tank dome with fittings. (3) Insulation. (4) Cleaning in place inlet and spray ball. (5) Cooling zone for lagering. (6, 7) Cooling zones for fermentation. (8) Cone cooling zone. (9) Cone base. (10) Distribution panel with connection pipes. (11) Multi-way valve block.

Figure 10.5 Examples of vessel cleaning machines GamJet TZ-74 (left), static spray ball (middle) and rotary spray ball (right) as appUed in brewery vessels.

Magnetic mixers are suitable for simple, aqueous or low viscosity mixing where hygiene is key. The unit is mounted, usually on the bottom of tank, air operated, single phase, DC or flame proof. There is no penetration of the vessel wall and therefore no seal. The impellers are easily removed for clean out of place or can be sterilized in place by spray ball or flooding. 

---