The importance of interfacial and bulk effects in cleaning food process plant

食品加工厂很快就会被工艺设备表面的沉积物污染。这可能是由于在液体中沉积了热不稳定的成分：例如在平底锅或食品加工厂中煮牛奶时形成的变性蛋白质；或者是由于表面薄膜中的微生物生长。污垢沉积通过污染进入食物链的产品，以及可能存在的病原体，危害食品质量和安全。污垢问题普遍存在；因此，就地清洗(CIP)是食品行业中的常见操作。然而，清洁方案往往是经验性的，很少会得到优化。清洁研究的长期工业目标是：通过改善和确保清洁效率来提高食品安全；通过减少流出物的数量和COD来最大限度地减少对环境的影响；通过延长运行时间和最大限度地减少清洁时间来提高制造效率。为了优化清洗，需要更好地了解污垢沉积物以及它们在加工(老化)和清洗过程中的变化。在这个项目中，我们将研究污垢沉积物的材料性质，以及它们是如何变化的。将测量沉积物元素之间的力，以及将沉积物与表面结合的力。将构建该过程的模型，并通过实验进行验证。然后，这个模型将被用来研究是否有可能改变工业清洁方法。

Food process plant becomes rapidly fouled with deposit on the surfaces of process equipment. This can be due to the deposition of thermally unstable components in the fluid: such as the denatured protein that forms when milk is boiled in a saucepan or a food process plant: or from the growth of microorganisms in films on the surface. Fouling deposit endangers both food quality and safety, through the contamination of product that enters the food chain, and the possible presence of pathogens. The problem of fouling is widespread; as a result, cleaning-in-place (CIP) is a common operation within the food industry. Cleaning protocols are however often empirical and are rarely if ever optimised. The long term industrial aims of research into cleaning are: Increased food safety by improving and ensuring cleaning efficiency; minimising environmental impact by reducing the amount and COD of effluent; increased manufacturing efficiency through extension of run length and minimisation of cleaning time. To optimise cleaning requires better understanding of fouling deposits and how they change during processing (ageing) and cleaning. In this project we will study the materials properties of fouling deposits, and how they change. The forces between elements of the deposit, and the forces binding the deposit to the surface, will be measured. A model for the process will be constructed and validated against experiment. This model will then be used to study whether it is possible to change industrial cleaning methods.