Ask The Brewmasters

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has experience using the chemical Synergex in their CIP system? We are currently using caustic and a phos acid in our CIP to clean tanks, but we would like to change to a chemical that can clean and sanitize without airing down the tanks and releasing CO2. We would like to keep our tanks pressurized, even during cleaning (currently not happening). One of our suppliers has mentioned Synergex as a chemical that can be used to remove soils and sanitize the tank, even while under pressure of CO2. Does anyone know if Synergex reacts with CO2 to neutralize it? Or does it just remain unaffected and stay in the vessel for the next use? Also, if anyone uses Synergex in their CIP currently, what kind of program do you run on a freshly emptied BV? Thank you so much for any info!

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Rachael Bepple
Pacific Western Brewing Co
Prince George BC
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Looks like that's what Synergex. is for. It's based on PAA, which is acidic. Not expected to react with CO2. Ecolab is a big player, they should have staff to help you out with their products. Check out the manufacturer's web site: Ecolab

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Roger Barth
Author (with M Farber) of Mastering Brewing Science ISBN 9781119456056
Retired
West Chester PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 7/11/2022 4:00:00 PM
From: Roger Barth
Subject: RE: Using Synergex in CIP system?

Looks like that's what Synergex. is for. It's based on PAA, which is acidic. Not expected to react with CO2. Ecolab is a big player, they should have staff to help you out with their products. Check out the manufacturer's web site: Ecolab

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Ecolab Ecolab offers water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services that help make the world cleaner, safer and healthier - protecting people and vital resources. View this on The Global Leader in Water, Hygiene and Infection Prevention | Ecolab >

.

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Roger Barth
Author (with M Farber) of Mastering Brewing Science ISBN 9781119456056
Retired
West Chester PA
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We've been cleaning our BTs under pressure for the last 6 or 7 years.

We previously used an acid that required the tank to be heated up.

We switched to synergex at the beginning of this year, mostly we've kept our procedure the same.

We do not have a CIP skid, we mix fresh every time.

When the tank is emptied we depressurize to 5lbs and rinse with water.
We use synergex for 30 minutes (the literature says 10 minutes), then rinse with water. While maintaining pushing CO2 into the tank we remove all of the parts on our ports.  Parts are cleaned in caustic and and pasteurized and put back on the tank.
We then run a sanitize loop and then purge the tank.

We do not have a DO meter, or an ATP program.
Likely we are overthinking some of our procedure, but over the years it has worked.

Feel free to email me if you want clarification on anything.
(also, I've always wanted a tour of your facility,  I'd love to see how things happen in bigger facilities!)

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Erin Dale
Head Brewer
Barkerville Brewing
Quesnel BC
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-11-2022 15:59
From: Roger Barth
Subject: Using Synergex in CIP system?

Looks like that's what Synergex. is for. It's based on PAA, which is acidic. Not expected to react with CO2. Ecolab is a big player, they should have staff to help you out with their products. Check out the manufacturer's web site: Ecolab

The Global Leader in Water, Hygiene and Infection Prevention | Ecolab		remove preview
Ecolab Ecolab offers water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services that help make the world cleaner, safer and healthier - protecting people and vital resources. View this on The Global Leader in Water, Hygiene and Infection Prevention | Ecolab >

.

------------------------------
Roger Barth
Author (with M Farber) of Mastering Brewing Science ISBN 9781119456056
Retired
West Chester PA
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Hi Rachael,

To address your CO2 question directly - Synergex does not react with CO2 when used in vessels under pressure, it will stay in the vessel for the next use.  Using Synergex to clean and sanitize BBTs under CO2 pressure is a straightforward application. Ecolab has customers successfully using Synergex for these low soil vessels as a cleaner and/or sanitizer and also for overall filler hygiene.

Cleaning fermenters and uni-tanks with Synergex will represent a more difficult task. The higher level of organic soil (yeast, protein, polyphenols, hop oils and resins, fixed polyphenol protein complexes, polysaccharide bound biofilms) has historically been removed with high pH chemistry.  Inorganic soils, such as calcium oxalate (beerstone) and calcium phosphate, can be removed by chelation using materials such as EDTA in an alkaline medium or by solubilization using acids.  In order to achieve cleaning, there are some common practices in use today:

1) Traditional cleaning with a high pH (caustic) chemistry to hydrolyze organic soils, and then either chelating agents to solubilize inorganic soils, or an intermittent acid washing step to remove any build-up on inorganic soils.  As you stated, this requires venting of CO2 prior to cleaning.
2) Acid cleaning avoids the need to vent by using only an acid-based chemistry for cleaning.  As you can infer from the above, a straight acid product will not address the organic soils that could be in these vessels.  Often this cleaning practice is reserved by breweries for the cleanest vessels (i.e. BBTs) that will have the least amount of organic soil.  In this application, a brewery may still employ a periodic caustic wash to ensure no build-up of organic soils over time.

Synergex has language on the label that allows the product to be used in both sanitizer and cleaning applications.  Synergex can function as an acid cleaner, and with advances in cleaning technology is able to effectively clean some organic soil.  If this is an application you are interested in pursuing further, please feel free to reach out to me, or your local Ecolab representative.  We would be happy to discuss your application with you and how Synergex could be best utilized in your facility.

Matt Bilski

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Matthew Bilski
Lead Chemist
Ecolab Inc
Eagan MN
(651) 795-6563
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Please let us know if anyone needs additional information with regards to Synergex and CIP. Our teams have been effective reducing wash times and water usages with this product. Please reach out to me and I can get someone to contact you.

Cheers,

Jason Rhodes  
Senior Business Development Manager
803-640-5848 M
jason.rhodes@ecolab.com

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Jason Rhodes
Business Development Manager, Food and Beverage
Ecolab
North Augusta SC
(803) 640-5848
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2022 10:34
From: Matthew Bilski
Subject: Using Synergex in CIP system?

Hi Rachael,

To address your CO2 question directly - Synergex does not react with CO2 when used in vessels under pressure, it will stay in the vessel for the next use.  Using Synergex to clean and sanitize BBTs under CO2 pressure is a straightforward application. Ecolab has customers successfully using Synergex for these low soil vessels as a cleaner and/or sanitizer and also for overall filler hygiene.

Cleaning fermenters and uni-tanks with Synergex will represent a more difficult task. The higher level of organic soil (yeast, protein, polyphenols, hop oils and resins, fixed polyphenol protein complexes, polysaccharide bound biofilms) has historically been removed with high pH chemistry.  Inorganic soils, such as calcium oxalate (beerstone) and calcium phosphate, can be removed by chelation using materials such as EDTA in an alkaline medium or by solubilization using acids.  In order to achieve cleaning, there are some common practices in use today:

1) Traditional cleaning with a high pH (caustic) chemistry to hydrolyze organic soils, and then either chelating agents to solubilize inorganic soils, or an intermittent acid washing step to remove any build-up on inorganic soils.  As you stated, this requires venting of CO2 prior to cleaning.
2) Acid cleaning avoids the need to vent by using only an acid-based chemistry for cleaning.  As you can infer from the above, a straight acid product will not address the organic soils that could be in these vessels.  Often this cleaning practice is reserved by breweries for the cleanest vessels (i.e. BBTs) that will have the least amount of organic soil.  In this application, a brewery may still employ a periodic caustic wash to ensure no build-up of organic soils over time.

Synergex has language on the label that allows the product to be used in both sanitizer and cleaning applications.  Synergex can function as an acid cleaner, and with advances in cleaning technology is able to effectively clean some organic soil.  If this is an application you are interested in pursuing further, please feel free to reach out to me, or your local Ecolab representative.  We would be happy to discuss your application with you and how Synergex could be best utilized in your facility.

Matt Bilski

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Matthew Bilski
Lead Chemist
Ecolab Inc
Eagan MN
(651) 795-6563
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