STEAMING IN PLACE (SIP)

One of the two most common terms used in fermentation technology or fermentation industries is SIP or Steaming In Place; the other term being CIP or Cleaning in Place. While the two terms are often used, many find its confusing in its applications.
CIP refers more to the cleaning, washing and removal of residues or products from the surfaces of the fermentation apparatus, while SIP refers more to the actual sterilization of the fermentor and its processes using steam. However SIP may have the added bonus of cleaning the process and may constitute as part of CIP
In both processes of SIP and CIP, the most common feature is that the two processes are often carried out with little or non dismantling of the fermentation system. It is a fact that it is not easy to dismantle the fermentation systems and then to put it all back again. Lots of labour, time and costs may be incurred in dismantling. However in terms of efficiency of cleaning and sterilization it is more thorough and efficient
Why SIP when you can sterilize using autoclaves? The answer is that the use of autoclaves is quite restricted in situation where the size of the fermentation system such as in industrial fermentation is too large. Using of hot dry steam in SIP sterilization is more efficient and convenient than autoclaves. You can transport and guide the hot steam even in the most difficult and inaccessible places such as piping and hard to reach areas.
Using steam is amenable to manipulation and not so much restricted by the limitation of surface area to volume of fermentors. A good example is in the frequent use of steam injection into the fermentation broth
In using steam as SIP component we need to know the properties of steam. This refers to the quality of steam. In certain situations the steam produced must be filtered with microfilter to ensure the entrance of unwanted particles, organic or inorganic! In such situation the boiler used to generate the steam for SIP must be dedicated
BOILERS TO PRODUCE STEAM
The steam must be produced using boilers and it is important to control the steam pressure by the use of valves, pressure gauges It is important too that the heat loss of steam must be minimized by proper piping
STEAM PIPINGS
The steam piping needs to be insulated and lagged with material. The cleanliness of the steam must be maintained by the use of proper material such as stainless steel or teflon

The transformation of the steam into its liquid condensate must be properly addressed. This is not easy as we must try to release the condensate without losing the hot steam
The piping must be able to withstand the harsh condition of steam pressure of about 20 psi and temperature of 121 -125 degrees centigrade
The presence of airlocks must be avoided. Since air is a poor conductor of heat, the presence of airlocks will reduce the efficiency of steam heating


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