Conception and field report about a novel filter system for kieselguhr-free beer filtration

摘要

The novel concept of the filter KOMETronic describes a post filtration system, which ought to substitute a sheet filter. In this connection the intensity of clarification is variable, depending on the filtration aid that is used and its compound. The specific filter capacity amounts 16hl/m~(2·) h and dues to a 50% reduction of costs compared to an average sheet filter. The process: the filter aid is aprecoated and acts as filtration sheet for the whole filter period without any extra dosage. After the filtration is finished the whole bulk is regenerated with caustic soda, afterwards neutralised and brought out into a buffer vessel where it rests till the next filtration. Diverse tasks are solvable with different compound mixtures: once an average sheet filter is replaceable, with another mixture a stabilisation of beer or wine can be reached, again with another compound a sterile filtration. At the beginning in this configuration now an average sheet filtration up to a sterile filtration with a compound of cellulose is the priority objective and ought to become realized with this filter. In wide filtration tests the filter aid was established as a mixture with a basis of cellulose, whereas the preliminary tests also included the behaviour of sedimentation, the water value and the determination of the resistance of the filter, the woven cloth of stainless steal and the filter aid. Numerous filtrations in a German brewery prove the harmless regeneration of the mixture. Microbial samples simultaneously taken affirm the sterile filtration with the respective used filter aid mixtures. There are no adverse effects for the beer.