Ever since the Middle Ages a mill for processing grain has been located on the banks of the river Saale in Alsleben. “Saalemühle”started as a simple mill but now has become a modern producer with a capacity of over 1,300 tons of wheat per day.

To handle the delivery of more than 100 different flour recipes to its customers Saalemühle has its own fleet of trucks. To ensure quality and flexibility the company has made the decision to build its own tank cleaning facility. Double food bay for internal tank cleaning. With the new cleaning operation Saalemühle has the ability to carry out internal cleanings on two bays. In the construction and setting up of the food wash bay, quality and reliability wereviewed as the most important features. This has led to a system design that uses steam as well as central heating. As a result of this, the temperature is guaranteed, even if one of the two sources of heat is in need of maintenance. During the cleaning of the tanks there are a wide range of detergents and disinfectants available. After the cleaning program it is possible for the tanks to be dried with warm filtered air air using a Gröninger DryPack. The entire cleaning process is recorded in “real-time” and controlled by a PLC. After completion of the disinfection an ATP test (a process of rapidly measuring actively growing micro-organisms) is performed to check if the tank is clean.

Exclusion cross contamination and infection

A third washing bay is specially equipped for external cleaning. To avoid contamination this bay is completely separate from the internal cleaning bays. A Gröninger FoamPack is used to guarantee the application of perfect foam. The collected washing water is pumped into buffer tanks where it is homogenized. In a flotation unit (DAF), the water is stripped of all solid suspended particles and the pH is neutralized. Sludge is collected in a sludge tank and the purifiedwater is discharged into the sewer following a proper analysis.