W.S. Tyler Blog

Wire Mesh Candle Filters in Breweries: Understanding the Benefits

Written by Ronnie Brown | Feb 24, 2023 6:24:25 PM

With breweries looking to expand their offerings to improve the customer experience, we are seeing an increase in beers with variating tastes and colors. Despite this, the modern-day beer brewing process remains relatively universal across the board, with the brewer making little tweaks here and there.

Now a pivotal step in most, if not all, beer brewing processes is filtration. Due to the sheer volume of beer that must be filtered at a given time, wire mesh filter candles began being implemented.

But why exactly is that? How do they improve the process of brewing beer?

W.S. Tyler has been helping customers develop and implement wire mesh solutions that help drive revenue for over 150 years.

We wrote the following article to help you understand how wire mesh candle filters fit into your process. You will learn:

 

  • The definition of a wire mesh candle filter
  • How wire mesh candle filters work
  • How wire mesh candle filters benefit the beer brewing process
  • Why you should consider wire mesh candle filters

 

What Is a Candle Filter?

A candle filter is a porous cylindrical filter that separates specific particles from liquids and gases. Typically fabricated from a ceramic or metal screening media, these filters are often suspended within a filter system in bundles like candles, hence the name candle filter.

To provide stable filtration, W.S. Tyler offers candle filters constructed from a robust wire mesh laminate known as POROSTAR®. These candle filters feature specifications that include designated filter, drainage, and support layers, ensuring high-capacity flow can be achieved.

Regardless of your specification, POROSTAR candle filters can be used with low and high-viscosity fluids.

 

To gain insight into the capabilities of POROSTAR wire mesh laminate, refer to the article below:

 

How Does a Candle Filter Work?

When fluids are introduced to the filter system, they are projected through the bundle of candle filters. As the unwanted solid particles are larger than the pore openings of the mesh, they are trapped.

This results in a purified fluid.

Now, as more fluid is purified, a filter cake is built on top of the surface of the candle filter. This subsequently causes the pore openings of the mesh to get smaller, increasing the amount of particles that get trapped.

However, this filter cake also causes the pressure drop coefficient of the filter to increase. To reverse this effect, you must clean the candle filters.

 

How Do Wire Mesh Candle Filters Affect the Beer Brewing Process?

When brewing beer, there are several instances in which the beer must be filtered to remove grains, hops, and other particles used to create the centuries-old beverage. Using wire mesh candle filters presents several benefits to this filtration, including the following:

 

  • Consistent results
  • Efficient operation
  • Stable performance

 

As woven wire mesh is a highly durable material that can be cleaned and reused several times before replacement. This means you can continuously achieve optimal filtration performance over long periods of time.

This will allow breweries to maintain a brand reputation built on brews consistent in taste and appearance.

To that end, the elongated profile of wire mesh candles works in conjunction with the open characteristics of wire mesh to maximize the output of filtered beer. This, along with its durability, reduces downtime and, ultimately, labor expenses.

It should be noted that a major concern in the beer brewing industry is the shelf life of each brew. A key contributor to beer going rancid prematurely is residual protein and particles that were not removed during the brewing process.

Woven wire mesh is woven under a heavily monitored and calculated weaving process and is known for its accurate pore openings. Additionally, because the wires are made from a metal alloy, typically a 300 series stainless steel, the integrity of the pore doesn’t flex, shift, or otherwise distort even when subjected to tremendous pressure.

This means wire mesh candle filters can accurately remove the proteins and other unwanted particles that occur during the brewing process, ensuring a stable brew that has an extended shelf life.

 

Why Use Wire Mesh Candle Filters?

As stated above, a candle filter can be fabricated using materials such as ceramic, perforated plate, and woven wire mesh. That said, why should you be considering wire mesh candle filters?

One of the key characteristics that make wire mesh stand out is its ability to be customized and fit virtually any filtration system. Parameters from the mesh count, alloy, candle dimension, all the way to layer configuration, can be tailored to your exact needs.

This allows operators to have complete control over the accuracy of the filters and pressure drop within the system.

Additionally, its stainless steel construction affords durability comparable to materials like expanded wire and perforated plate. This is what allows wire mesh filter candles to be backflushed and cleaned countless times, minimizing maintenance and replacement costs.

 

Achieve the Perfect Brew With Tailored Wire Mesh Specifications

Wire mesh filter candles are elongated cylindrical filters used to facilitate liquid-solid filtration during the beer brewing process. They offer the durability and accuracy needed to deliver consistent, efficient, and stable results that will keep customers coming back.

Now, in order to achieve the best possible results, you must work with your wire mesh supplier to fine-tune the specification of your candle filter. These specifications control things such as the particle sizes that can pass through the filter and the throughput of your system, ultimately diction the quality of the brew.

With over 150 years of wire weaving experience, W.S. Tyler is dedicated to teaching you the ins and outs of wire mesh so you can innovate how you do things.

Read the article linked below to learn more about the specifications associated with wire mesh candle filters: