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Plate and frame technique

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  • Plate and frame technique

    Howdy all,
    I'm wondering at what point during your plate and frame filter session do you actively use a pump? Currently, I've been using the hydrostatic pressure of the FV beer (equalizing the filter system to the same psi) to push the beer through our 40x40 plate and frame until I get about 3-4.5bbls in the brite then close filter valves, turn on pump (between FV and filter), then slowly open filter valves to not even 1/4 way open. Sometimes I get great clear, quick results. Other times I hit a 2bar differential very, very quickly but still with clear beer. I don't want to have to backflush all the time and loose product.
    Suggestions?

    Dave
    Glacier Brewing Company
    406-883-2595
    info@glacierbrewing.com

    "who said what now?"

  • #2
    It's been a long time, so I might not be remembering correctly, but I used to pump the entire batch through. The CO2 arms of the FV and serving tank were connected together, so we didn't have to fuss about with the headspace pressure differentials between the tanks. Our FVs had racking valves on the cones, and we dumped yeast over the course of a few days before filtering, so we rarely had trouble with binding. By the time we switched from the racking valve to the bottom valve, there wasn't enough beer left to cause trouble. We had a valve between the pump and filter, so that was our throttle/pressure control. We'd set the initial filter inlet pressure to 1.5-2 bar (I think), and whatever rises we got during the filter runs were usually fine. Dry hopped beers wreaked havoc on the filter, though.

    Joe

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    • #3
      What Joe said. Use the pump for the entire batch and make a balance line between the two tanks. Using head pressure to drive the filtration process lowers the pressure of the clear beer (obviously), and will cause foam breakout at the new lower pressure that will likely be below CO2 saturation pressure. And again I will advocate the use of VFDs to control pumping speed. Throttling a valve after a pump is another way of inducing foam. Treating your beer gently under pressure will result in better foam formation and retention. Good luck.
      Phillip Kelm--Palau Brewing Company Manager--

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      • #4
        Thanks Joe and Phillip,
        I have been using an equalizing pressure line between CIP ports and I have been dumping yeast. I do like the post-pump-valve idea and pump on all the time. I'll change that one parameter on my next filter and report back.

        Prost!
        Dave
        Glacier Brewing Company
        406-883-2595
        info@glacierbrewing.com

        "who said what now?"

        Comment


        • #5
          Last filtering run: everything was the same EXCEPT put a throttle valve on the pump out and had both filter-in and filter-out valves open full. 10bbl filter time=11minutes!!!

          Joe! YOU ARE TRULY DA' MAN!!!


          Prost! and thanks!

          dave
          Glacier Brewing Company
          406-883-2595
          info@glacierbrewing.com

          "who said what now?"

          Comment


          • #6
            Hey Dave, I'm glad it worked! I agree with Phillip about VFDs, though. I've never been the boss, so I've never been able to make the decision to buy 'em.

            Joe

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            • #7
              Glad you got results! If you get the chance, inspect the bright tank you filtered into when it's empty and before CIP. See a foam ring where the tank was full? Head formation/retention on that beer still good? Throttling a valve post pump could lead to beer foaming. It sounds like you have almost too much pump to push 10bbl of beer through a filter in 11 minutes. Beer likes it when you treat it slow and gentle--doesn't respond well to rushed and forced. Just to be sure you didn't cause another problem. VFDs can be had really cheap now. And they're easy to install and use. Happy filtering!
              Phillip Kelm--Palau Brewing Company Manager--

              Comment


              • #8
                I agree with Phillip. That is quite fast. I know I would be more interested in a much slower filter time for 10 bbls. Something like 25-30 minutes, give or take, would be acceptable.

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