The importance of dewatering in breweries

Anyone who has ever tried to make their own beer is likely familiar with the complicated, materials-heavy process. Even home brewers require large amounts of grain to create the beverage, around 85 per cent of which is left as a by-product at the end of the process, according to craftbeer.com.

Obviously for commercial brewing operations, that spent grain can add up to many tonnes of material. However, with the right equipment, savvy breweries have found further uses beyond the beer-making process for their by-products. To recoup some of your investment, and make your operation more sustainable, installing a SPIRAC dewaterer can be an excellent decision.

How does a SPIRAC dewaterer work?

As indicated in the name, a dewaterer is designed to strain as much liquid as possible from a material. By feeding runoff waste down a trough fitted with a screen, the solid material is compacted as the liquid is allowed to pass through. Whether you want to sell your spent brewery grain for use as compost, making bread or feeding farmyard livestock, it's important to strip as much of the moisture away as possible.

The SPIROPRESS® is an effective choice for breweries, as it combines all the most important features of material handling - conveying, dewatering and volume reduction - into one unit.

Features of the SPIROPRESS®

• Dewatering - There are two screen options that can alter the efficiency of the SPIROPRESS® dewatering process - fine and bar. With the former, average dewatering efficiency reaches up to 45 per cent, while the latter is capable of delivering as much as 50 per cent.
• Volume reduction - Compacting spent grain is an important step in recycling it for other uses. With a fine screen fitted, the SPIROPRESS® can reduce volume by up to 65 per cent, while a bar screen can reach up to 70 per cent.
• Weight reduction - The water in a brewery's runoff material can contribute significantly to the weight, so dewatering also eases the load in this area. Around 65 per cent of the weight can be effectively removed from the spent grain by passing it through the SPIROPRESS®.

The applications for the SPIROPRESS® system in brewing are clear, however it's also a suitable solution for other industries, such as municipal sewage treatment, pulp and paper, abattoirs and other food processing facilities. If you think a dewaterer might be right for your organisation, reach out to SPIRAC today. 

Breweries can make great use of the SPIROPRESS® dewaterer.