Scrumpy Jack's all right, thanks to filtration

Essential filtration procedures, vital to quality control at the Hereford factory of cider maker H P Bulmer, are now being carried out by two E80 self-cleaning filters from Russell Finex.

Manufacturer of well-known brands such as Strongbow, Woodpecker and Scrumpy Jack, Bulmer has invested £74million over the last four years in modernising its factory, including a £21million computer-controlled cider-making plant.

The Russell filters are used at the infeed of the product recovery plant to take out spent yeast arising from the fermentation process. Acting as prefilters, they screen out solids down to 100 microns, after which the cider passes through the recovery plant where the final product is filtered down to less than 1 micron with ultrafiltration.

Without the prefilter, the membranes of the ultrafiltration plant would rapidly block up. The Russell filters feature 316 stainless steel microscreens, which have a motorised cleaning mechanism to give continuous operation.

Bulmer's project manager Robin Peers said: `We chose Russell equipment because of the company's well-known filtration expertise. The filters play a key role in the cider-making process.'

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