Spray balls and tank cleaning heads are CIP devices installed inside process vessels to spread cleaning solution over every internal surface. The range spans static spray balls, free-rotating and rotary spray heads, gear-driven and motor-driven rotary jet heads, and retractable, lance, and spray bar devices. Built in SS316L with Ra <0.8 µm, they clean vessels from 500 L to 100,000 L and are verified by riboflavin coverage testing.
CIP supply at 1.5–12 bar enters the device through a supply tube and exits through drilled holes, slots, or nozzles. Static balls wet the top of the vessel and rely on a falling film to clean the walls. Rotating heads use the reaction force of angled slots to spin, sweeping fan jets for stronger mechanical action with less flow. Rotary jet heads use a turbine and gear train to turn nozzles on two axes, tracing a full 3D pattern of high-impact jets.
Challenges
Shadow Zones
Agitators, baffles, and nozzles block spray and leave uncleaned areas.
High Water and Chemical Use
Static balls need large flow to wet the whole surface.
Stubborn Residues
Dried, burnt, or viscous products resist low-impact cascading flow.
Device Hygiene
Bearings and cavities in rotating heads can trap soil.
Blocked Holes
Debris in CIP supply plugs small holes and nozzles.
Solutions
- Coverage Mapping + Multiple Devices: Riboflavin testing and 3D layout place heads to remove shadows.
- Rotary Heads for Low Flow: Rotating jets cut water and chemical use by 30–60%.
- Rotary Jet Heads for Impact: 5–10 bar jets remove dried and viscous soil mechanically.
- Self-Cleaning, Self-Draining Design: Flushed bearings and drainable bodies to EHEDG / 3-A.
- Inline Strainers + Clip-On Mounting: Filtration protects holes; tool-free removal for inspection.
Applications
- Pharmaceutical: Reactors, fermenters, IBCs, and holding tanks.
- Food & Dairy: Milk silos, mixing tanks, and ribbon blenders.
- Beverages: Brewery fermenters, CCTs, and syrup tanks.
- Cosmetics & Chemical: Emulsion vessels and chemical reactors.
Types & Configurations
| Type | Code | Spray Pattern / Drive | Pressure [bar] | Impact | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Static Heads | |||||
| Static 360° | SB-S360 | Drilled holes over full sphere | 1.5–2.5 | Low (cascade) | Vertical tanks without agitator |
| Static 180° Up | SB-S180U | Holes in upper hemisphere | 1.5–2.5 | Low | Tank tops and dish ends |
| Static 180° Down | SB-S180D | Holes in lower hemisphere | 1.5–2.5 | Low | Zones below agitators |
| Static 270° | SB-S270 | Holes except lower 90° cone | 1.5–2.5 | Low | Tanks with top agitator |
| Slotted Static | SB-SL | Slots give fan sprays, fewer blockages | 1.5–3 | Low to medium | Particle-laden CIP |
| Mounting Options (for Static Heads) | |||||
| Clip-On / Pin-Mounted | -CP | Pin through supply tube, removable | As head | As head | Frequent inspection |
| Threaded (BSP / NPT) | -TH | Female thread on supply tube | As head | As head | General tanks |
| Weld-On | -WD | Permanently welded, crevice-free | As head | As head | Fixed hygienic installations |
| Tri-Clamp | -TC | Hygienic clamp connection | As head | As head | Pharma, quick removal |
| Dynamic Heads | |||||
| Free-Rotating Spray Ball | SB-FR | Slotted ball spins on sleeve bearing | 1–3 | Medium | Mixing and storage tanks |
| Rotary Spray Head (Fan Nozzles) | SB-RS | Fan nozzles rotate on single axis | 2–5 | Medium | Reactors, medium soil |
| Rotary Jet Head, 3D (Gear-Driven) | SB-RJ | Turbine and gears rotate nozzles on two axes | 3–10 | High | Fermenters, heavy soil |
| Motor-Driven Rotary Jet Head | SB-MD | External motor drives nozzles independent of flow | 3–12 | High | Large tanks, set cycles |
| Special Devices | |||||
| Retractable / Pop-Up | SB-RT | Pneumatic retraction out of the vessel | 2–5 | Medium | Aseptic tanks |
| Spray Lance | SB-LN | Long tube with head at tip, up to 3 m reach | 2–8 | Medium to high | Deep, narrow vessels |
| Spray Bar / Spray Pipe | SB-SB | Drilled pipe along the vessel length | 1.5–3 | Low | Ribbon blenders, troughs, dryers |
Models & Sizes: Ø25 to Ø150
| Model | Ball Ø [mm] | Conn. | Static Flow [LPM] | Static Clean Ø [m] | Rotary Flow [LPM] | Rotary Clean Ø [m] | Jet Head Flow [LPM] | Jet Clean Ø [m] | Max Tank Vol. [L] | Weight [kg] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB-025 | 25 | 1/2″ | 20 | 1.0 | 15 | 1.5 | N/A | N/A | 500 | 0.08 |
| SB-032 | 32 | 1/2″ | 35 | 1.5 | 25 | 2.0 | N/A | N/A | 1,000 | 0.12 |
| SB-038 | 38 | 3/4″ | 50 | 2.0 | 35 | 2.5 | N/A | N/A | 2,000 | 0.18 |
| SB-050 | 50 | 1″ | 80 | 2.5 | 55 | 3.5 | 40 | 6 | 5,000 | 0.3 |
| SB-065 | 65 | 1¼” | 120 | 3.0 | 80 | 4.5 | 60 | 8 | 10,000 | 0.5 |
| SB-080 | 80 | 1½” | 170 | 3.5 | 120 | 5.5 | 90 | 10 | 20,000 | 0.8 |
| SB-100 | 100 | 2″ | 250 | 4.0 | 170 | 6.5 | 150 | 14 | 40,000 | 1.3 |
| SB-125 | 125 | 2½” | 350 | 5.0 | 250 | 8.0 | 230 | 18 | 60,000 | 2.1 |
| SB-150 | 150 | 3″ | 480 | 6.0 | 330 | 10.0 | 320 | 22 | 100,000 | 3.2 |