What do you do when you need to CIP, but water can’t touch your product?
In those cases, a customizable CIP skid can introduce an alternative liquid cleaning medium tailored to your process. In this video, we walk through an oil-based CIP system, why solutions like this are sometimes required, and how they function in water-sensitive applications.
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This video highlights a Waterless CIP Skid designed for food and beverage processing environments where introducing water is not an option or where moisture must be tightly controlled. Instead of traditional water-based cleaning, this system uses a heated, oil-based cleaning medium to safely and effectively clean tanks and process equipment in a closed-loop configuration.
Ideal for water-sensitive applications, this oil-based clean-in-place system helps reduce the risk of waterborne pathogens while delivering repeatable, controlled cleaning cycles. The skid handles all circulation internally—no pumps are required on the vessel being cleaned—making integration into existing facilities straightforward and efficient.
Key capabilities covered in this video include:
- Oil-based CIP designed for processes where water cannot be introduced
- Heated cleaning medium to dissolve residual product and inhibit microbial growth Closed-loop circulation with supply and return pumps on the skid
- Dry disconnects for clean, leak-free connections Pneumatically actuated valves and automated timing sequences
- Skid-mounted design with insulation and integrated safety features Siemens or Allen-Bradley controls for seamless facility integration
- Built for FDA-governed and sanitary processing environments
- This system demonstrates how custom CIP solutions can be engineered to meet highly specific process constraints while maintaining sanitation, safety, and repeatability.
I wanted to go over a skid today that we built for a food processing customer that had a very unique need for cleaning. They had food and beverage tanks where they didn’t want to add water into the system, so we built them a waterless CIP. Ultimately, what they’re using is a vegetable-based solution at higher temperatures that circulates through the system to dissolve the existing food products that come out of their process. The skid is actually using a vegetable oil product—clean and pretty simple. It’s similar to a CIP system that we would build for liquids using cleaning chemicals, except this one is just using a vegetable oil solution.
The system has process pumps, filtration, and automated valves, so it follows the same timing we would normally use with any of our CIP skids. One thing we did differently on this system is integrate an Allen-Bradley control system that ties directly into their facility. It connects into their piping system for cleaning their food processing tanks. The reason we use a vegetable oil is that it works as a medium to dissolve the existing products they’re making, and at higher temperatures it’s antimicrobial, meaning it doesn’t allow bacterial growth. We worked with the customer to put together a system that integrates cleanly into their facility while meeting the specific needs of their process. Because it’s oil, the system runs a bit hotter, so we added insulation for protection, along with additional safety measures on tank entry manways. The system itself is heated directly within the tank.
What is a waterless CIP system?
A waterless CIP system is a clean-in-place solution designed to clean process equipment without introducing water into the system. Instead of traditional water and chemical cleaning, it uses an alternative liquid medium, such as heated oil, to dissolve product residue and deliver effective, repeatable cleaning in water-sensitive applications.
How does an oil-based CIP system work?
An oil-based CIP system circulates a heated oil cleaning medium through the process equipment in a closed-loop design. At elevated temperatures, the oil helps dissolve residual product and provides antimicrobial cleaning, while integrated pumps and automated valves control flow, timing, and temperature throughout the cleaning cycle.
What types of products benefit from waterless or hot oil CIP?
Products that are water-sensitive, moisture-restricted, or prone to quality issues when exposed to water can benefit from waterless or hot oil CIP systems. These systems are commonly used for fat-, oil-, and protein-based products where introducing water could cause contamination, spoilage, or processing challenges.
Examples include:
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Oil-based or fat-rich food products
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Nut butters and nut pastes
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Chocolate and confectionery ingredients
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Flavorings, syrups, and concentrates
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Specialty food ingredients
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Certain pharmaceutical or nutraceutical intermediates
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Processes requiring strict moisture control
In these applications, heated oil CIP helps dissolve residual product while elevated temperatures provide antimicrobial benefits—delivering effective cleaning without introducing water into the process.
Can a waterless CIP skid be customized?
Yes. Waterless CIP skids are fully customizable based on process requirements, including flow rate, tank size, heating capacity, automation level, and control platform. Systems can be engineered to integrate seamlessly into existing piping and FDA-governed sanitary facilities.
