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  • Sheet filter optimization

    Hey all,

    I have a 40x40 sheet filter press, and trying to run my IPA through it has been a nightmare.

    -using HS4000 sheets (nominally rated at 5-12 micron), and using 31 sheets.
    -30bbl batch size on the IPA, usually end up with 24 to 25 bbls in the Brite.
    -Typically I fine on Thursday with Nalco 1072 (similar to Biofine Clear), and filter to Brite on Sunday
    -I've attempted 4 runs now and it has taken 8 hours, 5 hours, 5 hours, and 3 hours (which felt pretty successful)

    My question is, would it be beneficial or worthwhile to add a diversion plate on the filter and run a looser sheet (nominally rated 20 micron) and then my usual sheets? Or is the battle best fought be clarifying better in the FV prior to filtration?

    Thank you!

  • #2
    Originally posted by tonbrew View Post
    Hey all,

    I have a 40x40 sheet filter press, and trying to run my IPA through it has been a nightmare.

    -using HS4000 sheets (nominally rated at 5-12 micron), and using 31 sheets.
    -30bbl batch size on the IPA, usually end up with 24 to 25 bbls in the Brite.
    -Typically I fine on Thursday with Nalco 1072 (similar to Biofine Clear), and filter to Brite on Sunday
    -I've attempted 4 runs now and it has taken 8 hours, 5 hours, 5 hours, and 3 hours (which felt pretty successful)

    My question is, would it be beneficial or worthwhile to add a diversion plate on the filter and run a looser sheet (nominally rated 20 micron) and then my usual sheets? Or is the battle best fought be clarifying better in the FV prior to filtration?

    Thank you!
    Hi TonBrew,
    How cold are you able to get this tank and how long prior to filtration do you hold it there?
    Do you have a sight glass on port coming out of your FV so you can see the "natural" clarity of your unfiltered beer? If so, is it laden with yeast, looking muddy, or opaquely clear?
    Of course, starting from the simplest: are all your pads inserted in the correct orientations?
    What is your filtration procedure?

    Spit-balling from the cheap seats.

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

    "who said what now?"

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the reply!

      -I'm getting the tank to 33 or 34, and it stays there for 4 days prior to filtration.

      -Yes i have a sight glass off the FV, it's opaquely clear. (I can quasi see my fingers through the glass)

      -I believe that all my pads are inserted correctly, the product that comes out of the filter looks fantastic

      Procedure
      -insert pads and lightly snug, spray pads with hose
      -run water through filter set up while continuing to spray outside of pads, incrementally tighten filter press
      -once press is firmly tight (I'm a big dude, so I try to not crank it down), I start a PAA sani loop and continue to snug down press if needed.
      - after sani loop, I hook up an umbilical line from BBT to FV and equalize pressure between the two, while getting hoses hooked up to FV and BBT
      - then slowly i bleed out PAA with beer that's being filtered, discharging at a block and bleed on the BBT
      - once PAA is gone, shut block and bleed and gently open BBT and allow the whole set to equalize
      -turn pump on slow speed, and increase pump speed as product being filtered into BBT flow decreases

      Comment


      • #4
        Whilst I appreciate that PAA is generally considered a non rinse sanitiser, for this sort of use, you must rinse out with non PAA treated water. Like it or not, you will end up with some sanitiser in the first beer you run into the filter and shortly after you will start to get hazes and off flavours. We have destroyed lots of beer in big breweries due to PAA residues as puddles in the bottom of BBTs - at about 0.05% by volume (dilute sanitiser in beer)

        I suggest if you can afford to do it - boiled water (i.e. sterile) cooled down in a BBT or CT so it is also pretty well deoxygenated and cold. You have just spent 4 days precipitating proteins so they don't form haze in your final packages, and some of this will redissolve as soon as it goes above zero C. Obviously zero C isn't going to be possible, but the colder the filter before you introduce beer, the less will redissolve, and the better your shelf life.

        I have flow rate figures (Supplied by, I think Filtrox) of 1.4 hl / hr / m2 - so 31 sheets = 5 hl / hr. 30 US brl - 37 hl. In other word, don't expect much less than a 7 hour run length. So if you are getting good quality beer out in 3 hours, you are doing well.
        dick

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        • #5
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          Here's the flow rates for the sheets I'm using, unless I'm reading this wrong there are significantly faster than the specs you are quoting. Am I reading this wrong?

          Comment


          • #6
            Oops. I think I made a maths error. 1.5 to 3 hl / m2 / hr - so with 5 m2, max flow of 3 hl / m2, means you should take about 2.5 hours at maximum flow rate. However maximum flow rate requires very clear beer, with virtually no suspended matter, particularly the fine protein material that rapidly blocks filter sheets - the sort you get out of well fined beer, or something with several weeks of cold storage time. From your comments, it is pretty good, but I would expect to be able to filter only somewhat slower than that, so 5 hours or more wouldn't come as any surprise. The problem with sheet filtration vs powder filtration is that the pores get increasing blocked, and you have to apply increasing pressure in order to get anywhere near a constant flow rate. Personally, I'm not that surprised at your times, considering the comments about beer quality.

            Depends how valuable that filtration time is as to whether you spend more (money and probably a bit of time) on using clarifying agents, such as clarex, silical gel, PVPP, conventional auxillary & isinglass finings
            dick

            Comment


            • #7
              OK, so the battle is with getting clearer beer out of the FV. I'll do some trial and error and report back when I figure my situation out.

              THANK YOU for the replies and dialogue everyone! Cheers!

              Comment

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