plate and frame filter sheet type - pseudo survey

[yap]

Just wanted to survey those using plate and frame filtration, what type of filter sheets do you use? I don't mean size, micron rating etc., I mean TYPE of sheet.

I am currently using Pall/Seitz K series from GW Kent. In doing some research on the Pall website I notice they list 2 other types, BS and HS which are also rated for beer. Always looking to improve my filtration throughput, I now ask myself "am I using the right ones".

I have placed a call to Pall for some technical advice, but thought I would post here to see if anybody has any thoughts. Has anyone used these different types and willing to share experience? Is there someone other than Pall that works better for you?

Thanks

[kugeman]

I use the HS-2000 sheets. They seem to do good job with simple "brite" filtering. My house yeast doesn't floc all that well, and as long as I give the beer proper cold conditioning time the sheets seem to handle it.

I don't re-use them very often, but I have tried it and they held up to back-to-back filtrations fairly well (although I purposely used them when I expected to have 2 smooth filtrations in a row).

I've used the K sheets in the past and I would say things seem to go smoother with the HS. BUT there are a ton of other variables in play there...

[yap]

thanks hutch. i'm thinking about getting some HS to try...

[Filter Milt]

Hey Yap,
Maybe I can answer some of the quesions you have since I work for Pall, and I sell these sheets on a daily basis.

K series sheets are the standard sheet, used by many breweries, wineries, and biopharm companies (it works great for enzymes and broth too). The issues with brewering became that the brewing process is a bit "rougher" on the sheets, which can make them difficult to remove from your plate and frame filter 0 ie: sticking.

Because of this, Pall invented the HS series specifically for beer- HS Stands for High Stability. These sheets are thicker, and hold up to heat better than K series sheets so. The BS series are also out there, but are not really used too much, especially since they are more expensive.

Please note that even though we recommend HS for beer, "K" series work perfectly well.

On a final note, ALL sheets, no matter who makes them are "nominally" rated. This means that the rating is set by the manufacturer, and the ratings may not translate between them. This means that a Begerow 5um pad may not be equal to a Pall / Seitz sheet.

The best way to know what works best for you is through testing and a filterability - all that means is that we take beer, run it through a sheet, then run it through an absolute membrane test disc so that you can verify that the filter is removing what it should be. That way you are doing an apples - to - apples comparison.

If you (or anyone) have any questions, please feel free to contact me at milton.leland@pall.com.

Thanks!