Restore your equipment efficiency safely. Sierra Chemicals has several methods for meeting your CIP cleaning needs — avoiding costly downtime and keeping personnel out of dangerous confined spaces.
Just a 1/8-inch buildup on some heat exchangers can reduce efficiency by as much as 25 percent. Many facilities face problems with internal fouling of an unknown origin and makeup — our team will tailor a solution to your specific issues.
First, we lab-test fouling samples, then implement a cleaning strategy using contaminate-specific chemical packages or high-pressure waterjet cleaning. Before work begins, our team conducts job-site walks to verify connection points and ensure the proper cleaning approach.
We'll also conduct a pre-job call to review scope, schedule, work package documentation, safety and environmental applications, and your expectations — resolving any potential planning, mobilization, execution, and post-cleaning issues before they arise.
CIP cleaning delivers results that conventional methods can't — faster, safer, and more cost-effective for your facility and your team.
Clean to the Metal
Equipment is cleaned down to bare metal — removing fouling other methods leave behind, restoring full thermal efficiency.
Shorter Downtime
Chemical circulations involve significantly shorter downtime — lowering total cost and reducing lost production time.
Cost-Effective
Cleaning is cost-effective — you get maximum equipment restoration at a fraction of the cost of equipment replacement or traditional cleaning.
Improved EHS
Chemical circulations improve EHS work situations — putting fewer workers at risk by avoiding confined space entries entirely.
Waterless Option
You can choose waterless chemical packages — ideal for sensitive systems or sites with water disposal restrictions.
Capabilities
Equipment We Internally & Externally Circulate
From complete amine systems to individual heat exchangers, our CIP cleaning capabilities cover your entire facility.
Internal CIP
Complete Dehydration Systems
Complete Amine Systems
Condensate Stabilizers
Engine Circulations
Contactors
Reboilers
Plate and Frame Exchangers
Plate Fin Exchangers
Tube-in-Shell Exchangers
Vessel Purging for Entry
External CIP
Fin Fan Exchanger
Traditional CIP
Minimal vessel prep required
Large array of chemical solutions
Sample collection for optimal package
10-micron filters during cleaning
Amine & dehydration systems
Contact towers & reboilers
Boil-Out Circulations
Steam + chemical package combination
Often used for de-gassing systems
Targets LELs and H₂S
Provides safe atmosphere for entry/inspection
Key Differentiator
Sierra Chemicals can test fouling and debris at our in-house or third-party laboratories to find the ideal cleaning solution — mimicking field conditions to achieve optimal results.
Our Process
From First Call to Final Report
Every chemical circulation project follows our proven 4-step process — ensuring safety, quality, and measurable results from start to finish.
01
Lab Testing & Assessment
We test fouling and debris samples at our in-house or third-party laboratory to identify composition and formulate the optimal chemical package for your specific fouling type.
02
Pre-Job Planning
Our team conducts a job-site walk to verify connection points, reviews the scope of work, schedule, safety plans, and work package documentation with you before mobilization.
03
Execution & Communication
Throughout execution, Sierra Chemicals communicates all chemical cleaning steps, processes, and any changes in real time. You're never left wondering about job status.
04
Post-Job Review & ROI
After completion, we conduct a post-job review to evaluate results and deliver a full ROI analysis — documenting efficiency restored, downtime saved, and cost outcomes.
In-House Laboratory
We Test Before We Clean
Sierra Chemicals can test fouling and debris at our in-house or third-party laboratories to find the ideal cleaning solution. We mimic field conditions to achieve optimal results, then formulate a specific chemical package for your fouling problems.
Three main factors determine the effectiveness of a clean-in-place chemical circulation. We work to maximize all aspects of every job before a single technician is deployed.
Each system type has unique fouling characteristics. We formulate contaminate-specific packages designed for your exact challenge — no generic solutions.
Iron Chemical Package
Designed specifically to remove iron-based scales including iron magnetite and iron sulfide compounds.
Paraffin Chemical Package
An organic solvent with a high flashpoint (safer) that removes paraffin and heavy organic deposits effectively.
Caustic Chemical Package
Works well on oil-based solids and hydrocarbons commonly found in amine system contamination.
Scaling Chemical Package
Effective on scaling deposits (excluding iron magnetite) — ideal for mineral-based fouling in amine lines.
Purge C
Reduces explosive gases (LEL) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) — critical for safe system entry and inspection after cleaning.
Amine System Fouling
Typical Contaminants in Amine Systems
Amine systems accumulate a complex mix of contaminants that degrade system performance and create safety risks. Our chemical packages are specifically engineered to target each compound individually or in combination.
Iron MagnetiteIron SulfideHydrocarbonsH₂SDegraded Amine
Caustic Chemical Package
Works well on oil-based solids and hydrocarbons — a foundational package for glycol system contamination.
Paraffin Chemical Package
An organic solvent with a high flashpoint for paraffin and heavy organic deposits commonly found in glycol dehydration.
React 104 Acid Package
Highly effective on scaling deposits (excluding iron magnetite) — ideal for mineral scale in glycol system piping and contactors.
Glycol System Fouling
Typical Contaminants in Glycol Systems
Glycol dehydration systems develop specific fouling profiles from broken-down glycol, paraffin buildup, and occasional iron sulfide. Our tailored packages address each layer systematically.
A solvent for paraffin and heavy organic deposits, followed by a methanol flush — completely waterless, ideal for sensitive cryogenic systems.
Paraffin Chemical Package
Ideal for paraffin and heavy organic deposits frequently found in cryogenic (CRYO) processing environments.
Caustic Chemical Package
Works well on oil-based solids and hydrocarbons — effective on the organic fouling layer common in CRYO systems.
Purge C
Decreases explosive gases (LEL) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) — essential for safe re-entry after cryogenic system cleaning.
Cryogenic System Fouling
Typical Contaminants in CRYO Systems
Cryogenic systems accumulate molecular sieve dust, iron sulfide, and hydrocarbon deposits that are particularly challenging to address. Our waterless options protect the system while achieving full contamination removal.
Minimal work is required to prep vessels for cleaning — reducing mobilization time and labor costs before work begins.
Large Array of Chemical Solutions
We carry solutions targeting hydrocarbons, burnt glycol, mineral scale, and other fouling types — matched to your specific system.
Sample Collection
Fouling samples are collected and analyzed to determine the optimum chemical package before full deployment.
10-Micron Filtration
10-micron filters are used during circulation to continuously remove small particulates as cleaning progresses.
Wide System Compatibility
Used for amine and dehydration systems, contact towers, reboilers, and other heat exchangers throughout your facility.
Traditional CIP
The Most Versatile CIP Approach
Traditional clean-in-place chemical circulations are the backbone of Sierra Chemicals' CIP offering — covering the broadest range of equipment types and fouling profiles across your entire facility.
Uses a combination of steam and a targeted chemical package — the heat of steam dramatically improves chemical penetration and cleaning speed.
De-Gassing Applications
Often used for de-gassing a system or vessel prior to inspection — reducing LEL concentrations to safe levels efficiently.
H₂S Reduction
Available chemical packages specifically target LELs and H₂S — critical for facilities dealing with high-H₂S system content.
Safe Atmosphere Creation
Provides a safe atmosphere for entry and inspection following the boil-out — reducing confined space entry risk significantly.
Boil-Out Circulations
When to Use Boil-Out
Boil-out chemical circulations are ideal when systems have accumulated LEL or H₂S concentrations that make direct entry unsafe — or when traditional CIP alone won't achieve the depth of clean needed for safe inspection.
LEL GasesH₂SOrganic Deposits
Customer Stories
Hear From a Customer
★★★★★
"Being that every location was different, Sierra did a fantastic job understanding all needs of the project. They took care of providing access to elevated areas, providing access to a fresh water source and the containment and disposal of the spent fluid. Sierra conducted pre and post-service calls with us to make sure all portions of the project were handled properly and came in under budget. We were proud to nominate them as a supplier of the year in result of their performance."
Major Gas Plant Operations — Marcellus / Utica
Why Sierra Chemicals
The Industry's Most Trusted CIP Partner
Sierra Chemicals offers several chemical circulation methods for your CIP cleaning needs — helping you avoid costly downtime while lowering cost and reducing lost production time. Let's talk about how we can increase your system's efficiency.
Let's Increase Your System's Efficiency & Performance
Send a message or request a quote to see what chemical circulation cleaning can do for your facility — safe, cost-effective, and custom designed for your specific fouling challenge.
Fin Fan CleaningGreen Seal™ certified E-6 foam — restores full thermal efficiency safely.
HydroblastingAutomated & robotic 2D/3D waterjetting for tanks, exchangers and vessels.
Chemical CirculationsCIP cleaning for amine, glycol, cryogenic systems — clean to the metal.
Automated Vessel CleaningAI-integrated robotic system — confined-space precision cleaning without manual entry.
Tank CleaningPreparing vessels and systems for accurate, safe inspection.
Media Change Out / Internal Inspection PrepsVessel media removal and replacement, plus full preparation for accurate, safe inspection.Need help choosing the right service? View All Solutions