How to Clean a Colloid Mill?

Colloid mills are important grinding equipment in the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. They can grind a variety of materials, and residues are inevitable after grinding, making cleaning crucial. Improper cleaning can affect product purity and reduce equipment performance. This article provides detailed instructions for cleaning a colloid mill.

Preparation for Cleaning

1. Safety Procedure: Completely disconnect the power! Ensure the machine is completely powered off.
2. Tools: A soft brush, food-grade cleaning agent (such as dish soap), warm water, a special cleaning cloth, protective gloves, and the included wrench.
3. Identify the material type: Determine whether the residue is grease, protein, or starch to determine the subsequent cleaning agent.

Cleaning Method

Colloid mills can be cleaned using two methods: CIP (Cleaning in Place) and SOP (System-of-Purpose) cleaning.

Daily Cleaning (CIP Cleaning)

1. Flushing: After shutting down, pour room-temperature clean water (or a water temperature selected based on the material) into the feed inlet. Briefly start the machine and allow the water to flow through the grinding chamber, removing most residue.
2. Circulating Cleaning: Add warm water and a food-grade detergent to the feed hopper and run the machine for 15-20 minutes.
3. Final Rinse: Perform a final rinse with plenty of clean water until the water runs clear.
4. Drying: Finally, use compressed air to blow out any remaining moisture in the pipes.

Deep Disassembly and Cleaning (SOP Cleaning)

1. Disassembly: Use a special wrench to first unscrew the fixing bolts on the top of the equipment → Remove the feed hopper/funnel → Remove the end cover of the grinding chamber → Carefully remove the stator and rotor.
2. Soaking and Brushing: Soak the disassembled parts in cleaning solution. Use a soft-bristled brush to carefully clean each grinding tooth gap. Do not use steel wool.
3. Inspection and Rinse: Check for residue or damage, and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
4. Drying: After cleaning, the parts (especially the stator, rotor, and metal end cover) must be thoroughly dried.
5. Reassembly: Reassemble the parts in the reverse order of disassembly.

Cleaning Methods for Different Parts

Colloid Mill Cleaning for Different Materials

Colloid mills grind different materials and use different cleaning agents. Different residues can be treated with the right solution to achieve efficient cleaning.

• General/neutral materials (such as fruit and vegetable juices): Warm water + dishwashing liquid.
• Grease-based materials (such as nut butter): Alkaline detergent + hot water is the best choice for breaking down oil stains.
• Protein-based materials (such as dairy products and soy milk): Use warm water (<50°C). Overheating can denature and solidify the protein, so an enzymatic cleaner can be used.
• Starch-based materials: Rinse with cold or warm water to prevent gelatinization.
• High-viscosity materials (such as colloids and ointments): Soak the grinding chamber in a small amount of warm water (≤40°C) for 10-15 minutes. Then, gently scrape the inner walls with a soft plastic scraper to remove any residue. Then, clean with detergent and a soft brush. Finally, rinse with clean water.

Conclusion

Colloid mill cleaning is crucial. Mastering proper colloid mill cleaning techniques not only extends its service life but also serves as the foundation for ensuring production safety, efficiency, and product quality.

We are a professional colloid mill manufacturer. If you have any questions regarding colloid mill cleaning or other aspects of production and operating equipment, please contact us.

Our colloid mill products include split-type colloid mills, vertical colloid mills, and horizontal colloid mills, covering a wide range of production capacities. Feel free to contact us if you require a colloid mill.