CIP WASH COMPARISON AND SIMULATION

• US 20160045943A1
• Filed: 08/04/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Curran, Joseph P., Jensen, Finn, Kingsbury, Jonathan, Schacht, Paul, Young, Juli, Krohn, James
• Granted Patent: US 10,315,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 7/022 Clean-in-Place Systems, i.e. CIP, for cleaning the complete milking installation in place
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 13/00 Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/027 Cleaning the internal surfaces; Removal of blockages
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0325 Control mechanisms therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/08 Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41835 characterised by programme execution
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31265 Control process by combining history and real time data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31318 Data analysis, using different formats like table, chart
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32128 Gui graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32343 Derive control behaviour, decisions from simulation, behaviour modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

One embodiment includes a method for simulating an operational effect of one or more changes in a CIP process. The method includes providing a graphical user interface configured to receive inputs from a user, receiving at least one proposed adjustment to one CIP phase of the CIP process, and generating a simulated CIP process based on a first set of CIP data and the at least one proposed adjustment to generate simulated CIP data based on the simulated CIP process. The simulated CIP data is displayed on the display. The simulated CIP data includes at least one of the amount or the total cost of each consumable used to generate the simulated CIP data. A total cost of the simulated CIP process is calculated, where the total cost of the simulated CIP process incorporates the proposed adjustment.

Claims

1. A method of comparing clean-in-place (CIP) processes, comprising:

accessing, using one or more programmable processors, a first set of CIP process data corresponding to a first CIP process comprising at least two CIP phases;

accessing, using the one or more programmable processors, a library of CIP process data comprising a plurality of CIP processes performed previous to the first CIP process, a subset thereof being designated as benchmark CIP processes;

providing, using the one or more programmable processors, a graphical user interface configured to receive inputs from a user;

receiving, using the graphical user interface, a selection of a second CIP process comprising at least two CIP phases, the second CIP process being selectable by the user from the library of CIP processes or from the subset designated as benchmark CIP processes;

retrieving, using the one or more programmable processors, a second set of CIP process data from the library of CIP process data, the second set of CIP process data corresponding to the selected second CIP process; and

displaying, using the graphical user interface, at least portions of the first set of CIP process data and the second set of CIP process data such that at least a portion of the first set of CIP process data and a portion of the second set of CIP process data are simultaneously presented for direct viewing and comparison, wherein

the first CIP process and the second CIP process share at least one common CIP phase, such that the compared portions of the first and second sets of CIP data comprise CIP process data regarding the at least one common CIP phase;

the first and second sets of CIP process data comprise (i) the amount or cost of at least one consumable consumed in the at least one common CIP phase and (ii) the total cost of the at least one common CIP phase; and

displaying the first set of CIP process data and the second set of CIP process data further comprises displaying a difference in total cost of the at least one common CIP phase between the first and second CIP processes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

implementing a change to a CIP system within which the first CIP process and the plurality of CIP processes performed previous to the first CIP process are performed, wherein a subset of CIP process data in the library designated as a benchmark corresponds to a CIP process performed prior to the implemented change to the CIP system.

3. A method for simulating an operational effect of one or more changes in a CIP process comprising at least two CIP phases, the method comprising:

accessing, using one or more programmable processors, a first set of CIP data from a CIP database, the first set of CIP data associated with the CIP process and comprising an amount of each of a plurality of consumables consumed during the CIP process;

associating, using the one or more programmable processors, a price with each consumable consumed in the CIP process;

calculating, using the one or more programmable processors, (i) the total cost of each consumable used in the CIP process and (ii) the total cost of the CIP process, each based on the amount and price of the consumables consumed;

displaying, using the one or more programmable processors, at least a portion of the first set of CIP data on a display, the displayed CIP data including at least one of (iii) the amount or (iv) the total cost of each consumable used in the CIP process;

providing, using the one or more programmable processors, a graphical user interface configured to receive inputs from a user;

receiving, using the graphical user interface, at least one proposed adjustment to one CIP phase of the CIP process;

generating, using the one or more programmable processors, a simulated CIP process based on the first set of CIP data and the at least one proposed adjustment;

generating, using the one or more programmable processors, simulated CIP data based on the simulated CIP process;

displaying, using the one or more programmable processors, the simulated CIP data on the display, the simulated CIP data including at least one of (v) the amount or (vi) the total cost of each consumable used to generate the simulated CIP data; and

calculating, using the one or more programmable processors, a total cost of the simulated CIP process, the total cost of the simulated CIP process incorporating the proposed adjustment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein associating the price with each consumable consumed in the CIP process includes receiving a present cost of at least one consumable consumed in the CIP process from a remote database via a network connection between the remote database and one of the one or more programmable processors.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving at least one proposed adjustment to one CIP phase of the CIP process includes changing an amount of a consumable used in the CIP phase.

6. A method for simulating chemistry replacement in a CIP process, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of CIP data associated with the CIP process having first and second CIP phases and using a plurality of consumables where one of the plurality of consumables includes a first chemistry, wherein the first chemistry is used in the first CIP phase, and wherein the first set of CIP data comprises an amount of each of the plurality of consumables used during the CIP process;

associating a price with each of the plurality of consumables used during the CIP process;

calculating a total cost of the CIP process;

displaying the received first set of CIP data on a display, such that the displayed first set of CIP data includes at least one of (i) the amount and (ii) the cost of each of the plurality of consumables used in the CIP process;

receiving, via an interface, at least one hypothetical adjustment to the first chemistry used in the first CIP phase;

simulating an execution of the CIP process utilizing the first set of CIP data and the hypothetical adjustment to the first chemistry, creating simulated CIP data associated with a simulated CIP process;

displaying the simulated CIP data on the display, such that the displayed simulated CIP data includes at least one of (i) the amount and (ii) the cost of each of the plurality of consumables used in the simulated CIP process; and

calculating a total cost of the simulated CIP process incorporating the hypothetical adjustment to the first chemistry.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

receiving, via the interface, a hypothetical adjustment to an amount one of the plurality of consumables used in the CIP process other than the first chemistry, wherein simulating the execution of the CIP process further utilizes the hypothetical adjustment to the amount of the one of the plurality of consumables used in the CIP process other than the first chemistry.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one of the plurality of consumables used in the CIP process other than the first chemistry for which the hypothetical adjustment is received is used in the second CIP phase.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

calculating a difference between the total cost of the CIP process and the total cost of the simulated CIP process incorporating the hypothetical adjustment to the first chemistry.

10. A clean-in-place (CIP) system comprising:

a CIP object including an input;

a first chemistry in fluid communication with the input of the CIP object;

a sensor configured to detect one or more operating conditions of the CIP system; and

a controller in communication with the sensor, the controller configured to control fluid communication between the first chemistry and the CIP object and configured to carry out a first CIP process including more than one phase on the CIP object according to a recipe, wherein the controller includes one or more programmable processors and a non-transitory computer-readable storage article having computer-executable instructions stored thereon to cause at least one programmable processor to;

collect and store a first set of CIP process data corresponding to the first CIP process, wherein the first set of CIP process data includes one or more operating conditions of the CIP system detected by the sensor;

access a library of CIP process data comprising a plurality of sets of CIP process data corresponding to CIP processes performed previous to the first CIP process;

receive user input comprising a selection of a second set of CIP process data corresponding to a second CIP process including more than one phase, the second set of CIP process data being selected from the library of CIP process data; and

display via a user interface at least portions of both the first set of CIP process data and the second set of CIP process data such that at least a portion of the first set of CIP process data and a portion of the second set of CIP process data are simultaneously presented for comparison, wherein the first CIP process and the second CIP process share at least one common CIP phase, such that the compared portions of the first and second sets of CIP process data comprise CIP process data regarding the at least one common CIP phase.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second sets of CIP process data comprise (i) the amount or cost of at least one consumable consumed in the at least one common CIP phase and (ii) the total cost of the at least one common CIP phase.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one consumable consumed in the at least one common CIP phase is selected from the group consisting of electrical energy, thermal energy, water, chemistry, and time.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the display of the first set of CIP process data and the second set of CIP process data further comprises a display of a difference in total cost of the at least one common CIP phase between the first and second CIP processes.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the library of CIP process data includes at least one subset designated as a benchmark set of CIP process data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second set of CIP process data being selected from the library of CIP process data is selected from the subset designated as the benchmark set of CIP process data.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a database remote from the controller and in communication via a network with the controller, the database including a present cost of the first chemistry.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a second chemistry in fluid communication with the input of the CIP object, wherein the second chemistry is different than the first chemistry, and wherein the controller is configured to control fluid communication between the second chemistry and the input of the CIP object.

18. The system of claim 17, a first phase of the first CIP process includes fluid communication between the first chemistry and the input of the CIP object, and wherein a second phase of the first CIP process includes fluid communication between the second chemistry and the input of the CIP object.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein a first phase of the first CIP process includes fluid communication between the first chemistry and the input of the CIP object as well as fluid communication between the second chemistry and the input of the CIP object.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one common CIP phase shared by the first CIP process and the second CIP process includes use of the first chemistry, and wherein the first chemistry is selected from the group consisting of an alkaline and an acid.