Cleaning/Sanitation Session
Troy D Smith, Radiant Industrial Solutions, Houston, TX, USA
ABSTRACT: Throughout the brewing process we have seen an
increase in the critical control points, as well as the need to improve
processing through contamination control. In air, surface, and water the
effort to use UV technology is growing; however, the method to
integrate this technology as a reliable means within CCP is changing
through sensing technology. We now have the ability to control via UV
the sanitary state of storage tanks, compressed air, air cooling, water,
and water waste. UV technology is available to control cleaning methods
through microbial measured disinfection directly to bottle, cap,
storage tank, filling rooms, and product transport. While the technology
of UV is vast in its ability accurate measurement and control of this
technology is often not utilized. We have learned over many years of
working with UV that air, surface, and water quality can be controlled
through UV measurement. Performance standards have been established by
the EPA, Ashrae, FDA, and other associations. While the EPA has provided
guidelines, it is still in the hands of equipment owners to maintain a
working system that will meet application requirements. Third party
service groups such as Radiant Industrial Solutions, Nalco, and others
work with end-users to establish working standards that are
site-specific. The end-user focus should be on the reliance of a
reporting system that indicates performance information critical to the
operation, such as energy levels, temperature, oxygen levels,
degradation, transmittance, and application operational points. With
this information the UV system becomes an asset to operation through
performance and data points. The data collection offers management of
CCP steps through reporting differences in air, surface, and water
quality. Through proper management of UV systems, processes become
intelligent, with the ability to interlock and start/stop processes
based on environmental conditions. The focus of technology sensing is
designed to monitor the air, surface, and water quality passing through a
UV system from the feed source. Performance is measured on UV
penetration through air, water, and surface exposure. Within each system
attributing factors are designed that will determine performance set
points. Further definition of air or water quality both in application
and reporting will determine how to maintain the process. The
measurement ability of UV is providing the industry with the ability to
offer solutions to CCP points that have not been seen in the brewhouse
to date. UV sensing provides the ability to control disinfection to a
level of microbial contamination control. This technology advancement is
providing the industry with control methods not previously seen when
discussing “Clean—What does it mean?” It is now realistic to control
air, surface, and water contamination in-process to include bottle, cap,
storage both in dry and liquid form, water process, waste, and recycle.
The advancements in UV technology are changing processes through
contamination removal that directly improves process and cleaning
downtime.
Troy Smith is the president of Radiant Industrial
Solutions, LLC based in Houston, TX. Troy has been in the ultraviolet
air, surface, and water markets for more than 25 years. Prior to Radiant
Industrial Solutions, Troy has worked with Trojan Technologies,
Aquafine, Technical Connections, and Ultraviolet Systems and Equipment,
as well as filtration companies. Troy has been involved in regulatory
compliance, as well as organizations, including, IBWA, ISBT, Ashrae,
IUVA, SGIA, Radtech, and other technical committees. Over the past 10
years Troy has been involved with product patents and process
improvements, as well as providing training seminars and educational
training on topics surrounding ultraviolet technologies throughout
various industries and tradeshows.
