Loway filter press for beer proces dewatering food industry

In the beer production process, filtration is a key step to ensure the clarity, stability, and taste of the beer. Its core goal is to efficiently separate and remove pectin, bacteria, protein, flocculants, and other substances that are easy to cause precipitation in wort and finished beer.

The three core links of beer production: wort filtration, mature beer filtration after fermentation, and yeast slurry filtration and recovery.

In actual production, the core requirements of beer companies for filtration equipment are concentrated on three points: first, to obtain a higher extract yield, second, to achieve a faster filtration speed, and third, to shorten the filtration cycle to improve overall production efficiency.

Limitations of existing wort filtration methods

In the wort preparation process, the core task of wort filtration is to separate the malt trough from the wort, which directly affects the quality and production efficiency of subsequent beer. At present, the conventional wort filtration method in the industry has many shortcomings:

  • Rapid percolation tank method: Although the operation is relatively simple, the turbidity of the wort after filtration is difficult to effectively control, which can easily lead to a decrease in the subsequent stability of the wine.
  • Filter tank method: As a method widely used in the industry, it has significant disadvantages: the filtration speed is slow, which limits production efficiency; there are strict restrictions on the proportion of auxiliary materials, which is not conducive to cost control; if the output needs to be increased, the diameter of the filter tank needs to be increased, which not only increases the manufacturing difficulty, but also significantly increases the equipment procurement cost; at the same time, this method absorbs more oxygen during the filtration process, which can easily affect the flavor and taste of the beer.
  • Traditional plate and frame filter press: The operation requires high manual skills. Improper operation can easily cause water turbidity. The tank washing process is uneven, which affects the stability of the filtration effect. The filter cloth is difficult to clean, which increases maintenance costs. The high degree of manual involvement leads to high labor costs.

Given the shortcomings of existing filtration methods, we recommend that beer production companies use fully automatic membrane filter presses to achieve the goals of increasing production and flexibly adjusting the proportion of auxiliary materials (thereby reducing production costs).

The core components of this fully automatic filter press include: a fully covered stainless steel frame (to ensure the corrosion resistance and stability of the equipment), a polypropylene diaphragm filter plate (to improve filtration efficiency and sealing), a special filter cloth (to optimize the separation effect), a high-precision hydraulic system (to ensure the stability of the filter plate pressing force), an intelligent automatic control system (to achieve fully automated operation), an efficient dregs removal system (to reduce wheat trough residue) and a supporting auxiliary pipeline system (to ensure smooth material transportation).

Loway stainless membrane filter press food industry

The complete workflow is as follows:

  1. Preheating:Preheat the equipment to ensure the stability of the filtration environment temperature and avoid temperature fluctuations affecting the wort characteristics;
  1. Filtration: Enter the batch of wort filtration cycle.
  2. Original wort filtration:the core filtration link, separating wort from trough.
  1. Pre-pressing: Pre-press the material before a new round of filtration to optimize the efficiency of the initial stage of filtration.
  2. Tank washing: Clean the filter cloth and the wheat trough debris remaining inside the equipment to ensure the filtering effect of the next batch.
  3. Secondary pressing: The wheat trough is pressed for the second time to further extract the wort and improve the yield.
  4. Discharging: Discharge the filtered wheat throughout the filter press equipment.
  1. CIP cleaning: Use the cleaning-in-place technology to thoroughly clean the inside of the equipment to prevent residual impurities from contaminating the subsequent wort.
working process of fully automatic membrane filter press in beer production
  1. Comparison of wort quality indicators

By testing the wort quality indicators of the filter tank and the fully automatic membrane filter press, the results show that the fully automatic membrane filter press has significant advantages in key indicators (as shown in the following table):

Quality indicators

Filter tank

Wort filter press

Comparison conclusion

Sediment (ML/L)

<1.0

<0.2

Significant reduction in sediment content

Turbidity (EBL)

<10

<2

Turbidity is significantly reduced, and clarity is higher

Fat (mg/L)

18

17

Slightly lower in fat

Polyphenols (mg/L)

180

195

More polyphenols retained

Oxygen

++

+

Oxygen absorption is significantly reduced, which is beneficial to flavor preservation

From the data, it can be seen that the sediment in the wort after filtration by the fully automatic diaphragm filter press is reduced by 80%, the turbidity is only 1/5 of that in the filter tank, and the oxygen absorption is greatly reduced, which can effectively reduce the impact of oxidation on the flavor of beer; at the same time, polyphenols are more fully retained, which helps to enhance the antioxidant properties and flavor level of beer.

  1. Comparison of production capacity and efficiency

Under similar production capacity conditions, the core production indicators of the fully automatic membrane filter press and the traditional filter tank are compared as follows:

Wort filtration equipment

Filter tank

Wort filter press

Feeding amount (t)

9.5

10.5

Daily saccharification batch

10

12

Wort concentration (°P)

16

19

Operation cycle (min)

136

116

Yield (%)

99.3

102.44

Turbidity (EBC)

5.3

1.45

Moisture content of wheat trough (%)

80

71.5

The data show that the fully automatic membrane filter press has outstanding advantages in production efficiency and resource utilization: the feed amount increased by 10.5%, and the daily saccharification batch increased by 20%, which means that the daily production capacity has been significantly improved; the operation cycle was shortened by 14.7%, which can reduce the idle time of the equipment; the recovery rate increased by 3.14 percentage points, which directly increased the amount of effective products obtained; the moisture content of the wheat trough was reduced by 8.5 percentage points, indicating that the residual wort in the wheat trough was more fully recovered, reducing the waste of raw materials. At the same time, the wort concentration was higher (19°P vs 16°P) and the turbidity was lower (1.45 EBC vs 5.3 EBC), which further confirmed its dual value in improving product quality and production efficiency.

Through actual project application verification, the fully automatic membrane filter press has shown the following significant advantages in beer production:

  • High production efficiency: fast filtration speed, the total time for each batch is controlled within 2 hours, and the daily saccharification batches increase by 20% compared with traditional equipment, greatly improving production capacity.
  • Excellent product quality: Wort sediment and turbidity are significantly reduced, and oxygen absorption is reduced, which effectively ensures the clarity, stability, and flavor purity of the beer; at the same time, polyphenols are more fully retained, which improves the antioxidant capacity and taste level of the beer.
  • Low production cost: the extract yield is increased by more than 3%, the moisture content of the wheat trough is reduced, and the waste of raw materials is reduced; the proportion of auxiliary materials can be flexibly adjusted to reduce the consumption of main materials; the fully automatic operation reduces manual participation and reduces labor costs.
  • Good production environment: The dryness of the wheat trough is improved, which is convenient for handling and transportation; the equipment runs with low consumption and environmental protection, which meets the green production needs of modern breweries.

How does the automatic membrane filtration process work?

The process follows these key steps:

  1. Feeding: Slurry is pumped into the filter chambers under pressure
  2. Filtration: Liquid passes through filter cloths while solids form a cake
  3. Membrane Squeezing: High-pressure water or high-pressure air squeezes the filter cake to decrease water content, with the squeezing time adjusted according to the nature of the slurry
  4. Washing (if needed): Clean water washes the filter cake to remove impurities
  5. Air Drying: Compressed air is insufflated into the membrane cavity through the washing hole or feeding port, taking away parts of the moisture in the filter cake
  6. Cake Discharge: Plates open automatically, and cakes are discharged

When is membrane technology recommended?

Membrane filter presses are ideal when:

  • Maximum dewatering is critical
  • Disposal costs are high
  • Space for cake storage is limited
  • Filtrate recovery is valuable
  • Fast cycle times are needed
  • Consistent cake quality is required
 

What are the main advantages of fully automatic operation?

  • Labor Reduction: Eliminates need for manual plate operation
  • Consistent Performance: Automated controls ensure repeatable cycles
  • Safety: Reduces operator exposure to hazardous materials
  • Efficiency: Faster cycle times and higher throughput
  • Cost Savings: Lower operational costs over time
  • Data Logging: Automatic recording of process parameters

What are the benefits of membrane technology?

  • Superior Dewatering: Achieves much drier filter cakes (typically 15-25% lower moisture content)
  • Faster Cycles: Reduced filtration time increases productivity
  • Better Cake Release: Compressed cakes release more easily from filter cloths
  • Enhanced Recovery: Higher liquid recovery rates
  • Process Flexibility: Can handle varying slurry characteristics
Automatic washing filter press equipment

Ready to Optimize Your Filtration Process?
Contact our team of filtration specialists today to discuss how our filter press solutions can address your specific solid-liquid separation challenges. From process assessment to custom configurations, we’re here to help you achieve maximum efficiency and product quality.

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