John Smith’s brewery adds high flow water filtration

High flow water filtration goes down a treat at John Smith’s brewery

Tadcaster, UK - A 3M CUNO 40in high flow filtration system installed at the John Smith’s brewery in Tadcaster for pre-RO water filtering duty has cut maintenance time in half and reduced the cost of consumables compared to the previously used system. The system has also increased production capacity by allowing up to 60% higher water flow at a high level of efficiency.

The new horizontal configuration system was chosen as a ‘roughing filter’ to complement a new reverse osmosis water treatment plant. The unit is used for brewing Webster’s Yorkshire Bitter and John Smith’s Bitter/Extra Smooth pasteurised and filtered beers amongst other brands brewed by the company.

The installation offered a filter change-out cost reduction of about 50% compared to that of the prior multi-round cartridge vessels, explained brewery team leader Vinney Empsall. At the same time optimum flow rate characteristic has been increased from some 50m“/hr up to a new capability of 80m“/hr, he added.

Other benefits included reduced cartridge inventory. Control of stock levels is monitored by local distributor John Morfield Ltd, who holds stocks to satisfy periodic filter cartridge change-outs, according to the brewery team manager.
 
“The system supplied by 3M CUNO has provided significant advantages for us,” said Empsall. “It has ensured we have continued high-efficiency filtration to protect very expensive RO membranes. This coupled with cost savings on consumables and the opportunity to accommodate a future increase in water requirements meets all the criteria for the adoption of new technology installation within the brewery.”