Crossflow Filters vs Industrial Plate Filter Press: Which is Best for Your Winery

The wine filtration system is the most crucial and expensive part of any winery. Using the right filtration system will improve the quality and shelf life of your wine and support your wine production goals.

Currently, the two most popular wine filtration systems in the wine industry are crossflow filtration and plate filter press. Today in this article, we will be talking about Crossflow Filters vs. Industrial Plate Filter Press- their working principles, applications, advantages, and drawbacks, and the key differences so you can make your decision on selecting the best wine filtration system for your winery. 

What is Crossflow Filtration and How Does It Work?

Crossflow filtration, also known as Tangential Flow filtration (TFF), is a modern filtration system widely used in wine industries for separation and purification of wine. 

As the name suggests, a tangential filtration system allows the liquid to pass tangentially across the filter surface as opposed to traditional filtration systems, where the liquid is passed parallel to the filter membrane. This process reduces solid build-up and ensures higher permeation rates without significant loss of volume. 

Crossflow Filtration Working Principle

Traditional filtration systems force the liquid to pass straight through, resulting in a filter cake that settles on the membrane and ultimately blocks the flow. In crossflow filtration, wine is tangentially passed through a semipermeable membrane. 

This creates a turbulent stream or crossflow effect on the filter surface that allows a portion of wine to pass through the membrane while preventing the suspended particles from settling on the filter membrane. 

Applications of Crossflow Filters in Wineries

There are multiple applications of cross-flow filters in winners. But the main applications include

• Purification: The filtration system effectively removes suspended solids and impurities, resulting in a clearer wine.
• Sterile Filtration: The semi-permeable filter member captures yeast, bacteria, and other microorganisms to increase the shelf life.
• Continuous Flow: The filtration system is designed to prevent solids from clogging the membrane, ensuring continuous flow. This is applicable in large-scale wineries. 

What is a Plate Filter Press, and How Does It Work?

Plate Filter Presses in Winemaking 

A filter press is a traditional and trusted filtration system widely used in wineries. The equipment uses pressure filtration to force wine across the filter media and separate suspended solids and other impurities.

Filter press Working principle:

Plate filter plate typically consists of a frame, a series of filter plates, and a hydraulic system. The frame holds the filter plates, which have filter media like wire mesh or cloth. As the wine passes through the filter media, the solids are trapped inside it, forming a cake. Then, the hydraulic presses are applied to the liquid to squeeze out clear wine through the media. 

Application of Plate Filter Presses

• Pre-Filtration: Traps larger solid particles before finer filtration
• Clarification: Ideal for wines mixed with high levels of solid impurities
• Batch Filtration: Ideal for small to medium size wineries

Comparing Crossflow Filters and Plate Filter Presses

Disadvantages of Plate and Frame Filter Presses

What are the disadvantages of the plate and frame filter press?

• Challenges in Maintenance: The filter pads used in the plate and frame filter mechanism need to be cleaned frequently and replaced from time to time.
• Space Issues: These filtration systems take up significant space.
• Energy Requirements: Plate filter presses consume more energy compared to crossflow filters.
• Lack of flexibility: Cannot meet varying filtration needs for wineries that produce a variety of wine styles.

Types of Filter Presses

Usually, three types of filter presses are used in wineries.

• Chamber Filter Presses: A chamber filter press makes use of recessed plates to create a chamber where the solids can collect and form a filter cake. The recessed design of plates forms a compact scale and results in clearer filtration. This is most effective for large-scale wine filtration. 
• Membrane Filter Presses: This technology uses flexible membranes that compress the filter cake, resulting in drier filter cakes and improved filtration efficiency.
• Plate and Frame Filter Presses: The traditional setup of filter press technology uses several filter plates that hold the filter pads consisting of cloth, wire, and paper. This is cost-effective but requires more manpower. 

Choosing the Right Filtration Method for Your Winery

Factors to Consider in Your Decision

Wine Type 

The ideal filtration technique depends on the type of wine you produce. For delicate white wines, a gentle filtration system like a crossflow system would work the best, while red wines may benefit from plate filter presses. 

Operational Costs and Long-Term Benefits

Crossflow filters have a higher initial cost, but once set, they ensure long-term efficiency, lower energy consumption, and little maintenance. On the contrary, plate filter presses come at an affordable price initially but require frequent cleaning and replacements, adding labour costs.

Making the Best Choice for Your Winery

Crossflow filters And plate filter presses both come with their share of advantages and limitations. While crossflow filters are efficient, versatile, and ideal for continuous operations, they cost more and maybe a better choice for large-scale production houses; the latter is cost-effective and best-suited for small-scale wineries. 

While deciding on the right filtration system for your winery, consider the wine type that you are producing, the operational scale, and the budget that best supports your business goals.