• Flow Control Industries

Pipe cleaning system

Mumbai-based Flow Control Industries offers "pigging system" for pipe cleaning. Cleaning conveying pipelines of residual products (such as ointments, creams, pastes, dispersions in pharma, food, beverage, cosmetics, toiletries, chemical and allied process industries) has been tedious and difficult. Conventionally the pipe lines have to be purged with hot water/cleaning agents. This method of emptying and rinsing demands long shutdown periods leading to losses in production. Further, residues of the contents still remain in the piping with the possibilities of product mix up with the next batch resulting in rejection. The pig is an elastomer sphere closely fitting into the pipeline. It is launched by compressed air at 4 kg/cm? pressure from the launching station. The pig moves internally in the piping network consisting of pipelines, bends, tees and valves, and in the process forces the residual material to move in front and later discharges into receiving stations. After the pig has arrived in the receiving station it can be removed or it can be sent back to the launching station by reversing the pneumatic pressure. Residual products recovery is up to99%. Due to very fast cleaning time there is better utilisation of the production times. The system is fully automated with valves, actuators, sensors and related instrumentation.