Lenticular Filter Sizing Guide for Wine

Last updated: 6/2021

Applies to: Winemakers looking to size a lenticular filter housing and compare media based on necessary throughput volume.

Factors to Consider

Lenticular filtration boasts several advantages over sheet filtration but the main one being that the media can be regenerated and reused many times before needing to be replaced. Sizing a lenticular filter is therefore much more forgiving. The easiest way to size a lenticular filter for wine is based on the number of gallons that need to be filtered before a regeneration becomes necessary. Regeneration is the action of backflush and/or forward flush to get more life and throughput from your media (lenticular modules) and having to conduct it mid-tank or mid-lot can be disruptive.

Four things will be important to consider when purchasing a lenticular filter for wine:

• FILTER HOUSING SIZE: as it will dictate both the diameter of modules you can purchase and how many modules you can run at once (total filtration surface area).
• MEDIA TYPE:as each media varies in how many gallons it can filter before requiring regeneration, and the speed at which it can complete that filtration.
  • AVERAGE MEDIA FLOW RATE
  • AVERAGE MEDIA LIFESPAN

FILTER HOUSING SIZE

The right filter for your production will not be grossly over-sized for smaller lots or under-sized for larger ones. The size of lenticular housings are classified by:

• diameter (12 or 16 inches)
• height in terms of modules (1,2,3 or 4)

The larger diameter and larger height modules are the most flexible: 16” housings can use both 12” and 16” media, and taller housings can use any number of modules by simply changing out the center post. For example: If batch sizes are projected to start small but you’d like to leave room for growth in production, you may consider a 16” 4-high housing for the most flexibility.

Media Type

Throughput of any lenticular media will depend mostly on surface area but is influenced by many variables like turbidity, filterability, pump choice, etc. A coarser media will yield higher throughputs, going too tight, too soon will yield lower throughputs and possible stripping of the wine.

SUPRADISC II

The typical total lifespan for SupraDISC II modules in wine are approximately 1,000 – 1,200 gallons per 12” module and 3,000 – 4,000 gallons per 16” module. With SupraDISC II modules, the first pass generally yields ½ the total throughput of the module before needing to be regenerated. With each subsequent regeneration, the total throughput is 50-65% of the preceding pass.

SupraDISC II are backflushable media meaning you can perform both a backflush and forward flush during regeneration. You can regenerate these modules as many times as necessary until regeneration does not bring down the starting differential pressure. Your media will clog up long before regeneration can contribute to structural damage of the media.

SUPRADISC II HP RANGE (DUAL GRADE)

The SupraDISC II Dual Grade modules combine 2 different grades of Pall filter sheet media into a single module. A coarse layer on the upstream side and a fine layer on the downstream side allows pre-clarification and clarification in one assembly.

These modules are non-backflushable and can only handle a forward flow regeneration. Additionally, they have half the surface area of the regular SupraDISC II grades, so about half the throughput is expected.

AKS4 CARBON EMBEDDED MEDIA

For AKS4 carbon embedded media, we recommend the wine or spirits be pre-filtered to a bright polish before so that the carbon isn’t unnecessarily blinded by suspended solids. This ensures throughputs much higher (sometimes 10x plus) than that of regular cellulose media.

AVERAGE MEDIA FLOW RATE

Flow rate is an important factor in sizing lenticular modules. If time is a limiting factor, consult the chart below to ensure your setup will support your workflow.

AVERAGE MEDIA LIFESPAN

The table below gives shows how many gallons can be expected from each module per regeneration at a recommended starting pressure drop of 5-7 Δ psi. The estimated gallon throughput of each pass is calculated as 50-65% of the preceding pass. The volumes in this chart are typical for wine, but for colloidally-challenged beverages such as cider, mead, beer, etc., expect lower throughputs.

AVERAGE THROUGHPUT PER MODULE* (GALLONS)
*Multiply each value by the qty of modules in your housing to get total volume. 

WHEN DO I REGENERATE?

Perform regeneration before your system experiences a pressure drop of 17 psi. Pressure drop or Δpsi (Δp) is the difference between your inlet pressure and outlet pressure during filtration. For example, an inlet pressure of 30 psi and an outlet pressure of 25 psi means you’re running at 5Δp.

It is recommended to expect to start filtration with a pressure drop of 5-7 Δ psi. As the media adsorbs filtrete, the Δp will climb as the outlet pressure drops. The maximum operating Δp for all modules is 35 psi, but remember to perform regeneration before 17Δp.

Learn More

For more information on lenticular filters, usage, sizing and media, download our Lenticular Operating Instructions and watch our YouTube demonstration below.