Beer Clarification

Beer filtration and beer clarification is a key process step in beer production. Ensuring that the main quality features for beer as product occurrence, taste stability, brilliance, haze and shelf life. 

During the last 10 years the technologies in use for beer filtration and clarification have changed from old style kieselguhr to modern type beer crossflow membrane filtration. With the change major advantages are achieved, 

Pall Crossflow membrane systems for beer filtration and clarification provide to breweries today a sustainable process which keeps the beer characteristics unchanged from keg to keg and bottle to bottle. High operational safety combined with lowest operation cost allow a reliable beer filtration and clarification for any type of beer and any size of brewery.

The Pall PROFi crossflow membrane system is a modern beer filtration and clarification solution, which combines the advantages from centrifugation and crossflow membrane filtration into one process. 

Centrifugation is separating the coarse solids in beer from fermentation and maturation at a high concentration. The crossflow membrane filtration takes out remaining fine solids and provides a beer with superior brilliance and taste stability. The combination of both technologies results in minimized solids on the membrane step and with this a minimized fouling layer on the membrane itself. Less membrane fouling leads to the elimination of the retentate tank, less cleaning, lower crossflow velocities to control the fouling layer, reduced energy consumption, longer process times and a more stable operation. Cleaning demands are reduced and therefore membrane life is prolonged. 

The Pall patented PROFi process is designed for zero operator automation, continuous or batch operation, speed and flexibility at brand changes with very little beer losses. The modular block design maximizes product security, cleaning effectiveness and utility usage.

The Pall crossflow membrane module is a patented design with high performance hollow fibers, designed as inserts into a reusable stainless-steel housing. The insert design combined with the robustness of the PES membranes provides a superior membrane performance at lowest cost.

Modules can be tested in-situ before production and removed from service if any defect detected

Pall PROFi crossflow membrane system is designed in a modular way, serving brewing operations from small to big. The block design allows flexible adjustment to production demands, plant expansion or downsizing at later stage. Blocs are available from 6 to 28 crossflow membrane modules; several modular blocs are combined to a filter system. Performance range is from 30 to 900 hl/h in batch or continuous operation mode. PROFi crossflow membrane filtration is applicable for all types of beers. Colloidal stabilization can be combined with PROFi either upstream or downstream the membrane step. Special stabilization products are not required.

For Craft Breweries a PROFi Craft 6 and PROFi Craft 12 is available. PROFi Craft systems exist on the membrane bloc, all connection valves, CIP and controls. Premanufactured and tested units are available for plug and play operation. The simple process combined with a well-structured automaton requires no special skills for operators.