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Cleaning Pipework in the Paint Industry
One of the significant concerns in the paint industry is the risk of biofilm formation, which has become more prevalent as biocide use has been restricted by EU regulations.
The use of Ice Pigging has proven highly effective in mitigating this risk. By removing all traces of paint residue and ensuring no moisture or residue remains in the pipeline, this method drastically reduces the likelihood of biofilm development.

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Posted on: 16th Sep 2024
Why Are Biofilms Bad in the Paint Industry?
Biofilms can harbour bacteria and other microorganisms that compromise product quality and pose operational challenges. The use of Ice Pigging in combination with air-based cleaning has proven highly effective in mitigating this risk.
By removing all traces of paint residue and ensuring no moisture or residue remains in the pipeline, this method drastically reduces the likelihood of biofilm development. The cleaning protocol ensures that the pipeline is free of visible residue, meeting the rigorous standards necessary for paint production.
Why is Ice Pigging Used in the Paint Industry?
Here at Nivalis we have worked with lots of different businesses across many different sectors. We are experienced at integrating Ice Pigging processes into a huge range of different factory set ups to enable pipework to be cleaned. The paint industry is one of these areas and we have been working with a customer, who is a European leader in the manufacture of high-quality, environmentally friendly paints, over the past few years to integrate Ice Pigging into their pipework cleaning processes.
One of the critical challenges faced by the factory is the prevention of biofilm build-up in the pipeline system, which can compromise the quality of the paint. With stringent hygiene measures being essential to maintaining product integrity it was our job to work with the factory to set up a cleaning process to ensure these high standards were met.
Recent changes to EU directives on biocides, specifically Regulation (EU) No 528/2012, have limited the use of biocides in industrial processes, making mechanical cleaning processes vital for hygiene. In response, we have worked with the customer to develop an advanced cleaning protocol over several years that combines Ice Pigging, conventional pigging, and a specialised high velocity air and water flush based cleaning technology to ensure a pristine pipeline.
How Does Ice Pigging Clean Paint from the Pipes?
This particular factory employs a multi-stage cleaning process that maximises efficiency and hygiene. The cleaning begins with an initial conventional pig to ensure highly efficient product recovery. This stage not only retrieves as much residual paint as possible but also helps to clear the pipeline, ensuring the subsequent cleaning stages are more effective. Importantly, this method eliminates the need for a water flush during the flushing process, as the conventional pig pushes the Ice Pig through the pipeline.
The next step uses a specialised high-velocity air-cleaning system that combines air and water to create turbulence in the pipeline. This system is designed to clear dead spots and crevices where residue can accumulate. The turbulence generated by the air-water mix ensures that even hard-to-reach areas are thoroughly cleaned, helping to remove any lingering particles before the Ice Pigging stage.
Next an Ice Pig is injected into the line to scour the walls of the pipe and pick up residual paint from the pipe wall. Following the Ice Pig's cleaning pass, a final conventional pig is used to displace the ice and leave the line clean and ready for the next batch transfer of paint. This last step ensures any remaining ice slurry and residue are completely removed, leaving the pipeline in optimal condition for subsequent production runs.
Which Ice Pigging Machinery is Used?
At the heart of the cleaning system are two NIV500 Ice Pigging systems. The Ice Pigging process is performed up to six times a day per system to maintain the hygiene standards required for the production of high-quality paint. This is a fully automated system with both machines maintaining an inventory of ice at exactly the right consistency for line cleaning. The factory system simply calls for an Ice Pig to be delivered as part of the combined cleaning approach when each batch of mixed product is transferred to the next stage of manufacture. The process is run without any need for operator intervention.

Why Use Ice Pigging in the Paint Industry?
The implementation of Ice Pigging, in conjunction with conventional pigging and the air-based cleaning system, offers several key advantages:
1. Improved Hygiene: The combination of cleaning methods ensures that the pipelines are thoroughly cleaned, effectively preventing biofilm formation. This is particularly crucial given the reduction of biocides in the industry.
2. Product Quality: The pipeline cleaning protocol guarantees that no paint residue remains, ensuring the production of consistently high-quality paint without cross-contamination between batches.
Conventional cleaning methods consumed significant amounts of water and chemicals contributing to higher operational costs and environmental concerns. The reduction in water usage, especially during the flushing stages, aligns with the factory's sustainability goals. Ice Pigging, as a water-based method, also contributes to the facility’s efforts to minimise environmental impact.
How Successful is Ice Pigging in the Paint Manufacturing Industry?
The integration of Ice Pigging, conventional pigging, and air-based cleaning technologies has proven to be an exceptionally effective cleaning protocol in this high-quality paint factory. This approach not only ensures the highest standards of hygiene but also aligns with regulatory and environmental goals by reducing water usage and eliminating the need for biocides.
As EU regulations continue to evolve, this method represents a forward-thinking solution for maintaining product quality and operational efficiency in the paint industry.
This combination of methods, and integrating our Ice Pigging technology, guarantees that the pipeline is completely clean before a new batch of paint is processed.