In 1516 when the German purity law was formulated, it was already known that to brew a good beer you only require hop, malt, yeast and water. Admittedly the substance of content as well as the processes must be so pure, that for example no microorganism that could influence the fermentation process, is allowed to be transmitted. For such particularly critical application areas, Donaldson has developed a new range of filter housings for filtrating fluids.
The Donaldson Ultrafilter PF-EG housings are manufactured from a stainless steel (1.4404) which is low in carbon. As a standard the sealing material EPDM, which conforms to the FDA-directive (177.2600) for being equitable to foodstuffs, is used. All parts which come into contact with the product is electro-polished and have a surface finish of under 0,8 (Ra). This ensures that not even the smallest particles are able to cling to the inside of the housing. Housings in the quality Ra< 0,5 (with certificate) are available for pharmaceutical applications.
The fluidic optimized filter housings do not have any clearance volumes – this is a very important requirement for hygienically relevant applications and for a low differential pressure. In the vicinity of the inlets and outlets the PF-EG housings for beverage applications have a pharma-valve which is designed for condensate discharge. The housings for pharmaceutical applications have the condensate discharge above the pharma-valve and only on the inlet side; a clamp connection is mounted on the top of the housing.
As a standard the new model range comprises of seven different sizes for volume flows of 30 to 600 l/min. For larger volume flows housings can be manufactured according to the requirements of the customer. The housings are designed for a pressure of 10 bar (at 20°C) respectively 3,7 bar at 149°C. The filter element can be exchanged without large time effort: A tri-clamp connection with a massive clamp, or for larger housings with screws, enables a secure connection and a swift disconnection of the bottom and the upper part of the filter housing. A bayonet connection, as well as a fixture in the upper part of the housing provides a secure fit of the element even if sudden pressure changes should occur.
As a component of the Donaldson modular construction system, the new PF-EG stainless steel housings, which meet all the requirement of process filtration, can be fitted with a variety of filter elements. The selection includes amongst others pre-filters, liquid depth filers and liquid membrane filters with different pore sizes.
Donaldson not only offers technical and convincing efficient solutions for liquid filtration in brewing processes. In many fermentation tanks all over the world, Donaldson Ultrafilter de-airing and vent filters contribute to the controlled fermentation process and ensure, that only sterile air reaches the tanks. This prevents unwanted microorganisms entering the process.
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