Noninvasive Ultrasonic Monitoring of Ice Pigging in Pipes Containing Liquid Food Materials

The use of ice slurry for cleaning in place can greatly reduce the amount of efflu-
ent created during industrial processes when compared with traditional flushing
methods common in the food industry. Product recovery from within pipework is
also improved through the use of such slurries. Noninvasive monitoring methods
would allow this process to become automated and optimized for reduced effluent
and increased product retrieval. For these reasons, the feasibility of using ultra-
sound within this context was assessed and found to be a reliable method of
monitoring the fluid transitions within a section of test pipe.