Carbon filtering - best suppliers and techniques

[CalwiseSpirits]

What set up are you using for your carbon filtering? I'm trying to improve my carbon filtering protocol for my white rum and vodka. So far I've used two different methods:

1. a carbon fiber filter from TCW - it works, but doesn't remove as much flavor as I'd like. I think it works best for "light cleaning"

2. I mix a powder called Geosorb from Laffort into the spirit and wait a month for it to settle out. Then I filter it through several steps of cartridge filters all the way down to a .2 micron absolute filter to get all the carbon out. It's super time consuming and expensive and ruins my filters. 

Option #1 is easy but doesn't give me the results I want. Option #2 gives me the flavor results I want but isn't practical.

I want to be able to filter 1,000 gallons of spirit at a time. In my research it appears people are building their own carbon filters by filling a triclamp spool with granulated carbon and pumping the spirit through it.

I'm thinking of getting a 4"x48" spool, fitting it with #100 mesh gaskets, and filling it with 12x40 carbon like this. It sounds like with this set up I will still have to filter because there will be some dust that comes off of the granulated carbon but I imagine it won't be as bad as filtering out pure powder (with a cartridge filter? Would it be easier with a plate and frame or something else?)

Is this a good route to go? Would you recommend a different method? Are there any activated carbon suppliers that you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Kindred Spirits]

What type of carbon do you use? I know I have found some to be better than others for use with spirits. 

What proof are you filtering at?

[CalwiseSpirits]

16 hours ago, Kindred Spirits said:

What type of carbon do you use? I know I have found some to be better than others for use with spirits. 

What proof are you filtering at?

I've used Geosorb and a carbon cartridge filter. I filter at 45-50% alc. 

[richard1]

I built a carbon tower about 3 weeks back.  The vertical tower is 1,700mm tall and has a packed carbon section of diameter 100mm x 1,500 long.  Only gripe I have is having to lift the product container +2m above floor.  But this I will overcome.

 

Important is to extensively flush the carbon with water prior to use so as to get the carbon dust out.

[jocko]

How do you feed the spirit into the filter?  Gravity? Pump?   

[Kindred Spirits]

I always like to use gravity. It allows for a nice slow process, and you don't have added expenses for pumps, especially if you already have a forklift.

[richard1]

Ultimately via an inlet needle valve for fine metering control.  The slower the better for max contact time.

 

Inlet is at the top and from the bottom of the column you rise back to just below the inlet point.  Here you exit and have an anti-siphon tube.  In this manner you are always flooded.

[TwentySevenBrewing]

On 4/30/2023 at 7:12 PM, CalwiseSpirits said:

What set up are you using for your carbon filtering? I'm trying to improve my carbon filtering protocol for my white rum and vodka. So far I've used two different methods:

1. a carbon fiber filter from TCW - it works, but doesn't remove as much flavor as I'd like. I think it works best for "light cleaning"

2. I mix a powder called Geosorb from Laffort into the spirit and wait a month for it to settle out. Then I filter it through several steps of cartridge filters all the way down to a .2 micron absolute filter to get all the carbon out. It's super time consuming and expensive and ruins my filters. 

Option #1 is easy but doesn't give me the results I want. Option #2 gives me the flavor results I want but isn't practical.

I want to be able to filter 1,000 gallons of spirit at a time. In my research it appears people are building their own carbon filters by filling a triclamp spool with granulated carbon and pumping the spirit through it.

I'm thinking of getting a 4"x48" spool, fitting it with #100 mesh gaskets, and filling it with 12x40 carbon like this. It sounds like with this set up I will still have to filter because there will be some dust that comes off of the granulated carbon but I imagine it won't be as bad as filtering out pure powder (with a cartridge filter? Would it be easier with a plate and frame or something else?)

Is this a good route to go? Would you recommend a different method? Are there any activated carbon suppliers that you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

I have built a similar system for a smaller home scale, and will be interested in how this works for you at a commercial scale.

Cheers

Chris

[TwentySevenBrewing]

On 5/1/2023 at 3:45 PM, richard1 said:

I built a carbon tower about 3 weeks back.  The vertical tower is 1,700mm tall and has a packed carbon section of diameter 100mm x 1,500 long.  Only gripe I have is having to lift the product container +2m above floor.  But this I will overcome.

 

Important is to extensively flush the carbon with water prior to use so as to get the carbon dust out.

I assume you are feeding spirit into the top and collecting from the bottom. How are feeding the unfiltered spirit into the column? Do you have a reservoir on top or are you pumping from tank into the column? If you are willing to share any photos, I would be very grateful.

Cheers,

Chris

[Kindred Spirits]

The way its typically done is the product to be filtered is either lifted or pumped to a higher elevation, then slowly released into the top of the carbon media.

This flow is controlled with a valve to limit the speed of entry.

The final product is collected into a tank at a lower elevation.

[richard1]

16 hours ago, TwentySevenBrewing said:

I assume you are feeding spirit into the top and collecting from the bottom. How are feeding the unfiltered spirit into the column? Do you have a reservoir on top or are you pumping from tank into the column? If you are willing to share any photos, I would be very grateful.

Cheers,

Chris

For info, this was the build.

carbon filter assy.pdf

[Pour Decisions]

@richard1 can you explain what the siphon tube is connected to and what function it serves? 

[richard1]

3 hours ago, Pour Decisions said:

@richard1 can you explain what the siphon tube is connected to and what function it serves? 

Possible better description is anti-siphon tube.  It is open to atmosphere above the entry level.

 

With this arrangement, the main carbon tube is always flooded up to the exit level and the anti-siphon tube prevents it from being emptied.

 

To further clarify, the product exit point is from the marked HOSE BARB

[jocko]

What's the purpose of having the product exit at such a high point?  Are you not trapping a large amount of product in the calendar?

[richard1]

Purpose is;

... To ensure that the carbon does not dry out.

...  To ensure that the column is always flooded.

... To ensure that you have a controlled slow rate of discharge and maximum carbon contact time.  Flow in = flow out.  If you are receiving from a bulk tank, then control the rate of infeed.

 

At end if you want to, you can drain the column with the bottom isolation valve.

[jocko]

Ok.  Understand.  This is more of a continuous thing vs. a one-time batch which for some reason my mind was thinking.   Keep it wet, use it until its time to change out the carbon. 

[Castaway Fiji]

We have been through a number of processes and have  a very Frankenstein setup with PAL filter in line with a carbon filled column, works for us but still takes time.

Has anyone ever come across data on how long carbon is good for when filtering white spirits? 

[Kindred Spirits]

On 7/3/2023 at 7:14 PM, Castaway Fiji said:

We have been through a number of processes and have  a very Frankenstein setup with PAL filter in line with a carbon filled column, works for us but still takes time.

Has anyone ever come across data on how long carbon is good for when filtering white spirits? 

You typically can "taste" when it no longer is doing its job, so depending on the dwell time on the carbon you might get more of less uses out of it.

[Castaway Fiji]

yes that the only method we use to date but it would be nice to have some data to base it on, we have built up a rough data set based on our runs over the last 2 years but this is also dependent on the type of charcoal you are using, pressure, time on etc etc.

We are currently putting some new columns into play and once we have some useful data I will share it

[needmorstuff]

am I silly for thinking i didn't need to carbon filter vodka and white rum? is it absolutely essential?

if you see my other thread i have spirit at 95.57% and it doesn't smell as clean as the bulk GNS, got a faint sweet odour.