NETZSCH Ensures Trouble Free Pumping of a Diatomaceous Earth Suspension at Müllerbräu in Upper Bavaria

Müllerbräu Neuötting has been a symbol of brewing excellence and genuine Bavarian beer tradition for over 250 years. Founded in 1768, the brewery combines craftsmanship with modern technology to brew beers that meet the highest quality requirements. Master brewer and beer sommelier Harald Haag keeps a strict eye on all processes. He was faced with the challenge of finding a better way of conveying the diatomaceous earth suspension for filtering the beer. Adding diatomaceous earth during the brewing process gives the beer its clear appearance and other characteristic properties. The porous structure of the diatomaceous earth filters suspended particles and trubs out of the beer to achieve the desired effect. Diatomaceous earth is highly abrasive, though, and can damage the components of the dosing equipment over time. The previously used diaphragm pump proved to be problematic – it failed frequently and had to be disassembled regularly. This was made even more difficult by the space constraints at the place of use, which resulted in unnecessary time being lost. Prompted by the manufacturer of the filter presses, Müllerbräu decided to switch to peristaltic pump technology and turned to the experts at NETZSCH. The global specialist for conveying complex media had already supplied reliable pumping equipment to a different section of the brewery many years ago.

Innovative peristaltic system reduces energy consumption
“As the brewery required a compact, robust solution that is easy to service and would not take up any more space than the previous unit, we chose a PERIPRO peristaltic pump in food version from our wide ranging product portfolio,” explains Pitt Mair, Area Sales Manager at NETZSCH. The PERIPRO model was developed specifically for the food processing industry. The technology of the peristaltic pump is based on the principle of compressing an elastic, FDA-compliant hose. This enables gentle, contamination-free pumping of liquids because the medium does not come into contact with any mechanical parts that it could corrode. The pump uses no parts that are prone to wear, such as valves or mechanical seals, and has a monobloc design with a bearing box, making it ideal for conveying corrosive products like this mixture of diatomaceous earth and water. This has to be dosed at two to six bar pressure, with a flow rate of 50 to 500 litres per hour.

However, the design of the peristaltic pump also offers many other advantages: “Compressing the hose with XXL rollers reduces friction, resulting in a longer service life of the hose. In addition to this, the hose is the only component of the new pump that requires any maintenance,” explains Mair. As the roller diameter ensures optimum compression of the hose, the technology enables a 30 per cent higher energy efficiency when compared to conventional peristaltic pumps. This not only reduces energy consumption, but also increases the service life of the hose, which in turn extends the service life of the pump itself in the long term. And if the hose should need replacing at some point, this is easy to do for the brewery personnel thanks to the innovative design and the associated easy cleaning options. The CIP (cleaning in place) capability of the peristaltic pump allows the pump to be cleaned without having to be removed from the overall system.

Brewery focuses on technology from the region
But it was not only the technology of the peristaltic pump that convinced Müllerbräu. Instead of procuring products through intermediaries, it was important to the brewery to purchase directly from the manufacturer. “After a metalworker who had previously carried out the maintenance work had left the company, it was particularly important to find a reliable partner with short response times,” says the Area Sales Manager. “Our excellent customer support was a great asset in this case.” NETZSCH guarantees not only a high level of reliability, but also fast response times, both of which are invaluable for Müllerbräu.

The decision to purchase another product from NETZSCH was additionally influenced by positive experiences with the NEMO progressing cavity pump that has been used for pumping draff since 1982 and has impressed the customer with its extremely good reliability. Since it was installed, only the stator had to be replaced once. The PERIPRO has now been in use successfully for two years and master brewer Haag is satisfied with the decision to further strengthen this regional partnership: “It was important to us to buy the pump directly from the manufacturer without any intermediaries. Based on our good experiences with the progressing cavity pump, we chose NETZSCH again for this application. We particularly appreciate the personal round-the-clock support and the fast availability of spare parts.”