Cleaning out of place (COP)

   In COP operation, the equipment is disassembled as much as needed to expose 

all possibly soiled surfaces. The parts are rinsed, cleaned, sanitized and reassem-

bled. The actual cleaning operations may be manual or machine-assisted. Tubing 

and equipment parts are cleaned by the action of turbulent fl uid fl ow and brushes. 

Permanent equipment, such as large tanks, elevators, conveyors etc. are individually 

cleaned, using high pressure nozzles for hot water, detergent and sanitizer. The COP 

units contain reservoirs for cleaning solutions, recirculation pumps, nozzles (hot and 

cold liquid guns) and devices for heating the cleaning solution. To be applicable, the 

COP strategy requires, in the fi rst place, that the production line can be disassembled 

into relatively small and numerous parts. This condition has obvious negative eco-

nomic consequences both in capital investment and in labor cost.