Background

In pharmaceutical API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) production, reactor cleaning performance directly impacts batch-to-batch quality, turnaround time, and cleaning validation confidence. The facility in this case operates a small reactor “fleet” with five vessels of different heights and diameters, which meant a one-size-fits-all cleaning device was not practical.
 

The Challenge

The site wanted to improve cleaning effectiveness across all five reactors. Their existing device, a slit-style, free-spinning spray ball, was not producing sufficient impact to reliably clean the reactors.

Constraints and design requirements included:

• ATEX compliance for the cleaning nozzle hardware
• Five different reactor shapes, requiring different lance lengths
• Limited access on two reactors (only a 3-inch manway port)
   

Why the existing approach was struggling

A slit-style spray ball often prioritizes wetting/coverage but can underperform when the process needs higher mechanical action (impingement energy) to remove sticky residues or films, especially on upper headspace areas, baffles, and internal features. By contrast, rotating nozzles that produce defined jets (e.g., flat-fan patterns) can increase local shear and impact, improving removal efficiency when aligned and sized correctly.
 

The Lechler Approach

Lechler engineered a standardized, compliant solution that still allowed customization to each vessel:

1) ATEX nozzle selection for higher-impact cleaning

Lechler specified the ATEX version Whirly 2, Series 5W9 as the primary cleaning nozzle to deliver more impactful cleaning compared to slit-style openings.

Technical note:Flat-fan jets can deliver strong line-impact and sweeping action as the nozzle rotates, often improving cleaning where deposits are resistant to “just wetting.”

2) Reactor-specific lances without creating five totally different systems

Because the reactors varied in size, the system used five different lance lengths, one per reactor, while keeping other aspects consistent.

3) Interchangeability via standardized connection hardware

To reduce complexity, the lances used a common ¾” slip-on connection, allowing them to be interchangeable (reducing spares and simplifying handling).

4) Traceability and error-proofing in the field

To help operators distinguish similar-looking lances, the customer requested internal part numbers be permanently added; the final hardware incorporated custom identification plates welded onto the parts.

5) “Deep clean” recommendation for the largest vessels

For three larger reactors requiring a monthly deep clean, Lechler additionally suggested the MeshClean, Series 5T3 as the appropriate option for that duty cycle and vessel scale.
 

Outcomes and Evaluation

The updated configuration delivered:

• Quicker, more impactful cleaning with the Whirly 2 nozzle choice, attributed to the effective flat-fan jets compared with traditional slit-type openings.
• Reduced lance burden thanks to standardized connection types and interchangeability.
• Better traceability and day-to-day usability, since operators could keep track of similar lances using custom welded identification plates.
   

Products / Configuration

• Primary ATEX nozzle, Whirly 2: 5W9.279.1Y.T2.EX
• Deep-clean recommendation (large reactors), MeshClean: 5T3.029.1Y.T2.EX
• Hardware strategy: 5 reactor-specific lance lengths + ¾” slip-on standardized connection
• Identification: customer part numbers + welded nameplates