Ben & Jerry's, an American company that manufactures ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet, produces around 190,000 pounds of product every day.

H2Ok Innovations' precision CIP technology, utilizing advanced machine learning for step automation, has significantly optimized cleaning processes at Ben & Jerry's Waterbury facility, resulting in substantial water and time savings.

H2Ok's IoT system at Ben & Jerry's comprises a network of spectral sensors, transmission gateways, and the Insights software platform. The sensors, installed on the CIP2 pasteurized system at Ben & Jerry's Waterbury facility, gather comprehensive data across the UV, VIS, and NIR spectrum. This data is then securely transmitted by the gateways to the cloud and the local PLC.

The machine learning models, housed in the transmission gateways, analyze the sensor data in real-time. These models optimize the CIP process by automating rinse steps, ensuring that each cleaning cycle is as efficient as possible, optimizing water usage while maintaining the highest cleaning standards.

H2Ok team at Ben & Jerry' Waterbury

Between July and September 2023, H2Ok recorded daily savings of greater than 1,200 gallons of water and 27 minutes of wash time. Over the course of a month, this amounted to more than 37,500 gallons of water and nearly 14 hours of wash time saved. As a result, the total plant water usage decreased by approximately 2.85% from the CIP2 pasteurized tank automation alone.

Since then, the savings have continued to grow as H2Ok expanded the deployment to the CIP1 raw dairy system. Since December 1st 2023, combined CIP1 and CIP2 water savings have reached nearly 221,000 gallons, along with more than 72 hours of wash time.

The partnership between H2Ok Innovations and Ben & Jerry's Waterbury facility has demonstrated the significant impact that precision CIP technology, powered by advanced machine learning, can have on operational efficiency, sustainability, and cost reduction in the food and beverage industry.

Author

Aidan Brown