Use of Reverse Osmosis Water Equipment

Water is an important raw material for beer, which directly affects the quality and flavor characteristics of beer. In particular, brewing water used for wort preparation directly participates in the process reaction, is an important component of wort and beer, and is called the blood of beer. Ions in water have an important influence on the composition of wort, fermentation performance and beer quality. For example, magnesium ions have a bitter taste, iron ions have an iron smell, zinc ions can affect enzyme activity and yeast metabolism, and calcium ions can regulate the pH value of saccharified mash and wort, protect the activity of α-amylase and precipitate protein.

 

Most of the water quality in nature does not meet the requirements of beer brewing. In order to adapt to the process needs and improve the quality of beer, it must be treated. The main methods include boiling, ion exchange, electrodialysis, gypsum improvement and reverse osmosis.

 

Figure 1: 50kl reverse osmosis unit

 

1. The principle of reverse osmosis water treatment

Reverse osmosis is a reverse migration movement of osmosis. It is a separation method that separates the solute from the solvent in the solution under pressure drive and with the help of the selective interception of the semipermeable membrane. Its principle is to separate these substances and water under the action of a pressure higher than the osmotic pressure of the solution, based on the fact that other substances cannot pass through the semipermeable membrane, as shown in Figure 2. The pore size of the reverse osmosis membrane is very small, only about 10A, so it can effectively remove dissolved salts, colloids, microorganisms, organic matter, etc. in water, with a removal rate of up to 97-98%.

 

Figure 2: Schematic diagram of the working principle of the reverse osmosis unit

 

2. Reverse Osmosis Process

Raw water → Multi-media filter → Activated carbon filter → Fine filter High-pressure pump → Reverse osmosis membrane device → Pure water tank → Water use unit The multi-media filter uses anthracite and quartz sand as filter media to remove suspended solids, colloids and iron-manganese oxides; the activated carbon filter uses fruit shell activated carbon specially used for water purification to remove organic matter, color, odor and residual chlorine, making the residual chlorine less than 0.1mg/L; the fine filter uses 5μm PP melt-blown filter element to remove particles in the water, so that the raw water quality meets the inlet requirements of the reverse osmosis membrane; the reverse osmosis membrane device uses ultra-low pressure energy-saving reverse osmosis membrane to effectively remove bacteria, colloids, viruses and organic and inorganic substances in the water.(Cr. BREW&BEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT