Filtration in food and beverage processing has become more sophisticated, resulting in advanced filtration processes for improved quality and reduced system maintenance needs. With our continuous automatic self-cleaning function, Spiral Water Technologies filters improve food and beverage production processes more effectively and with fewer chemicals.
Food and Beverage Filtration Process
Food and beverage filtration involves multiple steps and systems. Automatic filtration products from Spiral Water efficiently remove Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), which indicate the presence of large particulates and microorganisms, respectively.
Food and beverage filtration is also a multistep process, involving two important stages:
- Cleaning water to be used in food production. Known as “process water,” this water must meet potable water standards.
- Treating wastewater generated in the food and beverage production process, so that the wastewater is suitable for reuse or removal.
Foods and beverages can go through several other filtration methods, which include the following:
- Reverse Osmosis (RO)
- Nanofiltration
- Microfiltration
Food & Beverage Filtration Process
During filtration, food and beverage processors often run into the following challenges:
- Elevated Levels of TSS, BOD, and FOGs: These contaminants are often present in thousands of mg/L. Many traditional filters can’t effectively filter smaller particles and clog easily, requiring downtime to stop and clean the filters. SWT Filters provide trouble-free operation and can handle higher TSS solids. Our advanced filter technology in automatic food and beverage filters conducts a rapid self-cleaning procedure, over 500 times a minute, resulting in less downtime to clean the system. Spiral Water’s rapid self-cleaning filters have a capacity of 5,000+ ppm, a magnitude greater than standard backwash filters, which max out at 500 ppm. Spiral Water automatic filters have even handled conditions as high as 10,000 ppm without operator intervention.
- High Amounts of Chemicals: Chemicals like chlorine and peracetic acid are used to control microbial contamination in food and beverage products. The more microbial there are, the more often chemicals need to be replaced – this often requires the entire system to shut down to replace the chemicals. By removing as much organic waste as possible during prefiltration, chemicals do not need to be replaced as often and this also leads to less downtime.
- Temperature Control: This factor is imperative because organic matter is sensitive to heat and spoils easily. The solution is to maintain a consistent system temperature, but also have filters built for high pressures, temperatures, and flow.
- Small Particle Filtration: Small particles can clog the filters and contribute to full-system shut-downs. As particles accumulate, most filters need to be backwashed and the system must be shut down to clean the filter. However, with their patented technology, Spiral Water filters require no backwash. They also allow reliable automated filtration from 15 to 1000 microns for more effective filtration. The design also involves collecting the waste solids to the bottom of the filter and releasing them into a stream via a purge valve – requiring little to no downtime to clean out the filter.
With an automatic, self-cleaning filter from Spiral Water, these and other common issues are drastically reduced or eliminated. Our automatic filter design is far more efficient at removing waste from food and beverage filtration systems. This is due to features suited to ultra-high and variable TSS levels, small particulates, narrow temperature ranges, and low or no requirement for chemicals.
Food and Beverage Filtration Applications
Spiral Water’s filtration products maximize uptime for numerous food and beverage processing needs, including fruits and vegetables, juices, brewery solids removal, and various other types of food processing.
Food and Beverage Filtration Benefits with Spiral Water
- Remove suspended solids: this helps to reduce (but not eliminate) microorganisms.
- Reduce chemical usage: Pre-filtration with Spiral Water filters helps food sanitation systems use fewer chemicals.
- Better End Product/Reducing Loss: Some filtration methods, such as centrifugal, alter the taste of a product. Spiral Water’s automatic filter is more efficient, which yields more product without altering its taste or other qualities.
- Reuse Wastewater for Other Applications: This allows food and beverage processors to reclaim water used for washing, peeling, dehydrating, blanching, or sanitizing food. Facility operators can then use treated reclaimed water for other important functions, often with up to 99% continual filtration.
- Eco-Friendliness: Spiral Water filters are capable of reducing over 60% of the thousands of TSS and BOD mg/L of waste, rather than releasing them into the environment.
- Small Footprint and Scalability: Our filters require only a small footprint, are scalable, and easy to maintain.
Food and Beverage Filtration From Spiral Water Technologies
Our automatic self-cleaning filters use a patented and robust internal mechanical cleaning technology to continually clear the filter of debris and maintain its functionality. It’s just one of the many features that set Spiral Water Technologies apart. To learn more about our food and beverage filtration technologies, contact us or view our automatic self-cleaning filter inventory.