Platinum filtration

The latest regulated technology for production of high-quality elite vodkas -"Platinum filtration" - ЭПСФ.УPt

 A unique filtration technology

The "queen of metals", platinum, and the "workhorse", activated carbon, have united to form a filter that imparts aristocratic taste and aroma to vodkas and distillery products.

Description

"Platinum filtration" is a way of treating vodkas to improve their organoleptic properties. This technique involves passing vodka treated using a carbon column, by "Silver filtration" or by some other regulated method, through a USF (УСФ) system (specification No 5131-009-1047123-2004) which consists of a pumping unit, a filter holder with EPSF.UPt (ЭПСФ.УPt) filter elements, a rotameter and stop valves. The filter elements produced by Technofilter are based on carbon impregnated with platinum. After treatment, vodka is stored in a collecting vessel or conditioning tank (recommended by All-Russian Research Institute of food biotechnology for additional treatment of vodkas to improve their organoleptic properties - Revision No 2 of Manufacturing process regulations 10-12292-99 for production of vodkas and distillery products, section 8.5.12 of 13.03.2008)

Designation

Additional treatment of vodkas to improve their organoleptic properties

Features and advantages of "Platinum filtration"

The technology is based on EPSF.UPt (ЭПСФ.УPt) cartridge filter elements incorporating active carbon made of cocoa nutshells impregnated with platinum

The technology has been patented by Research-and-Manufacturing Enterprise Technofilter Ltd.

EPSF.UPt (ЭПСФ.УPt) cartridge filter element is a carbon "minicolumn". The space between the outer shell and the inner core of the element is filled with carbon. The liquid is fed through the lower opening in the outer shell and is removed through the upper opening in the inner core.

This design takes into account the swelling ability of carbon in the course of operation and prevents channelling even at high flow rates.

The carbon used in the "minicolumn" is very hard and has a large surface area. The impregnation technique used in producing the carbon rules out migration of platinum into the filtrate.

250 mm high modules are thermally welded together to produce elements 500, 750 or 1000 mm high.

Recommended operation modes

The recommended optimum rate of vodka processing is 25 to 40 dal/hour for one 250 mm high EPSF.UPt (ЭПСФ.УPt) element.

EPSF.UPt (ЭПСФ.УPt) filter elements are supplied as part of USF (УСФ) systems.

Depending on the required rate of vodka processing, the number and height of filter elements and the grade of the USF (УСФ) filtration system are selected.

Standard configuration of the USF (УСФ) system

The systems are compact, are mounted on a single frame and consist of:

? a pumping unit (Grundfos (Germany) or ONTs (ОНЦ) (Russia), explosion-proof modification);

? a carbon filtration unit (filter holder made of 12Kh18N10T (12Х18Н10Т) stainless steel having an inspection window and a pressure gauge, intended for various numbers and heights of EPSF.UPt (ЭПСФ.УPt) filter elements;

? piping, control valves and a flow meter

The system can have a control panel having an automatic cutoff switch and a frequency converter, as well as a preliminary filtration unit to protect the carbon elements from mechanical impurities (cinder, sand and coal dust, etc).

The systems are designed and fabricated in accordance with the customer's requirements.

Designation

USF (УСФ) systems ("Silver filtration" systems) are used in distillery industry and are intended for processing water-alcohol mixtures. Minimum flow rate is 150 dal/hour, maximum flow rate is up to 3000 dal/hour.

PLATINUM is one of the most rare metals. The word "platinum" literally means "little silver". At present, platinum is not only a precious metal but also - which is much more important - one of key materials for technical revolution. Nowadays about half all platinum consumed is used as catalysts for various reactions virtually in all industries.

Platinum is one of the main catalysts in modern chemical industry. Platinum, especially in finely ground condition, is a very active catalyst of many chemical reactions, including those used on industrial scale. For example, platinum is used to catalyze the reaction of addition of hydrogen to aromatic compounds even at room temperature and atmospheric air pressure.

Platinum catalysts accelerate many other practically important reactions, such as hydration of fats, cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons, olefins, aldehydes, acetylene, as well as redox reactions. Indisputable advantages of platinum catalysts are high activity, longevity and high efficiency.

The products offered by Technofilter have been extensively tested, comply with the requirements of the food industry and were granted sanitary certificates as well as conformance certificates for use in medical industry.

All specifications for the filtration equipment were approved by All-Russian Research Institute of food biotechnology.

Certification has been carried out for USF (УСФ) systems (Certificate No РОСС RU.АЯ56.В20239) as well as EPSF.UAg0.4 (ЭПСФ.УAg0.4) filter elements (Supplement to Conformance certificate No РОСС RU.АЯ56.В20239).

Systems incorporating platinum-containing carbon filter elements are being successfully operated at 50 enterprises in Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Moldavia, Georgia, Kirghizia, Lithuania and Croatia.