Full scale results of (kieselguhr free) beer membrane filtration and latest developments on combined membrane filtration and stabilization

摘要

More than 7 million hectolitres of different beer types are filtered on 4 full scale plants with the innovative beer membrane filtration technology of Norit since April 2003: ? 480 hl/h Oettinger, Oettingen (Germany) ? 480 hl/h Heineken, Warka (Poland) ? 480 hl/h Heineken, Madrid (Spain) ? 240 hl/h Brau & Brunnen, Cologne (Germany) ? 400 hl/h SABMiller, Chamdor (South Africa) Quality, capacity and costs are comparable to kieselguhr filtration. In relation to these topics, concrete facts and figures are shown based on the results from the full-scale plants. Stabilization on a lost base with silicagel or with PVPP - in a one step process- combined with membrane filtration was a topic which had to be optimised. As most of the breweries world wide use either silicagel and/or PVPP on lost base for stabilization purposes, an economical feasible product and process is required. In order to further improve this process, now the next step of inline stabilization (I.e. in the membrane installation) will be discussed. All the benefits of membrane filtration can be combined with stabilization without any complex pre or post treatment. As much of the current equipment can be skipped, the filter room will be more organized and the process more flexible. NORIT membrane filtration has proven to be a very attractive alternative from an economical as well as a technological point of view.