Optimizing Industrial Cleaning: The Potential of Clean in Place (CIP) to save water in the food industry
- Louis De Muylder
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
In the food industry, water is everywhere: as an ingredient, a cooling fluid, and an essential resource for cleaning and hygiene. Yet, cleaning alone can account for up to 50% of total water consumption in some factories.
Whether it’s a brewery in Hainaut, a sauce factory in the Pays de Herve, a dessert production site near Liège, or a meat processing facility in Wallonia, the question remains the same: how can you ensure flawless hygiene while reducing your water footprint?
As Belgium commits to several initiatives for circular water management (Fevia, Wagralim, Green Deal Brouwers, Smart WaterUse, Circular Wallonia), optimizing cleaning systems has become a strategic priority for companies in the sector
Clean in Place (CIP): A Key Lever for Water Savings
Clean in Place (CIP) – or Nettoyage en Place (NEP) – is an automated process that cleans production equipment (tanks, pipelines, heat exchangers, filling lines…) without dismantling. While originally designed to guarantee hygiene and minimize downtime, CIP today is also a powerful tool for water efficiency.
Its main advantages include:
Less water: optimized cycles, shorter rinses, and reuse of pre-rinse water.
Less energy: precise control of temperature and flow, reduced heat losses.
Fewer chemicals: accurate dosing and biodegradable solutions.
Greater food safety: uniform cleaning and reduced microbial risks.
Higher productivity: no dismantling, cycles scheduled during off-hours, fewer line stoppages
The Sinner’s Circle: The Key to Optimizing CIP
The principle of industrial cleaning relies on the Sinner’s Circle, which combines four parameters:
Mechanical action (flow rate, water turbulence, spray nozzles),
Chemical action (detergents, disinfectants),
Temperature (cold or hot rinses),
Time (duration of cleaning cycles).
By adjusting these four levers, manufacturers can achieve the same hygiene standards with much less water. For example, increasing turbulence can shorten rinse times, or using a more targeted cleaning solution can reduce the volume required
How to concretely reduce CIP water consumption?
Recent studies show that pre-rinse efficiency does not depend solely on the amount of water used. Flow velocity, turbulence, and temperature are far more decisive. In other words: more water doesn’t necessarily mean cleaner. Optimizing parameters (flow, Reynolds number, contact time) can reduce consumption by 20 to 40%, while improving hygiene outcomes.
Other practical levers include:
Recirculating rinse water for multiple cycles.
High-performance spray nozzles, which boost mechanical power while reducing water volume.
Digitalized CIP: sensors, flow meters, conductivity probes to trigger rinses “on demand” instead of by fixed duration.
Heat recovery from wastewater to preheat incoming water
The Impact for the Food Industry in Wallonia
In a brewery near Liège, a sauce production site in Tournai, or a frozen dessert factory in Hainaut, these optimizations translate into:
Annual savings of several thousand m³ of potable water,
Lower wastewater treatment costs,
A measurable reduction in water footprint – a key asset for sustainability and brand image,
Easier compliance with public policies for responsible water management
Revalio: Your Partner for Optimizing CIP Cleaning Systems
At Revalio, we already support several food industry sites in Wallonia in optimizing their cleaning systems. Our expertise is built on three pillars:
Audit and diagnostics of current water consumption,
Optimization of cleaning parameters based on the Sinner’s Circle,
Implementation of innovative solutions (recycling, digitalization, high-performance equipment).
Our mission: to help you reduce your cleaning water consumption without compromising hygiene or productivity.
