Must clarification is very important in order to achieve high-quality wines. Traditionally it has been carried out with either:-

1. centrifuge (separator): high machine cost and high maintenance cost.

2. treatment by Kieselguhr-filter or rotary filter: lower capital cost than a centrifuge but much more work.

3. sedimentation, overnight:-
    long waiting time compared with a centrifuge,
    higher number of bacteria because of the long waiting time,
    not a solid sludge.

Now there is the process of 'flotation clarification', which has for a long time been used in sewage treatment.
In recent years it has been applied increasingly in the clarification of fruit Must.

This 'single tank circulation' procedure enables the flotation and the separation of the sludge from the clear must in the one tank.
Addition of pectolytic enzymes, a bentonite and a special high-bloom gelatine needs to be done initially and can be fed in via a special ball-valve on the Flotation filter.

The clarification procedure is based on inserting minute air or gas bubbles into the liquid; Nitrogen is necessary for wine or cider in order to avoid oxidation problems later.
These attach themselves to the sludge particles and drive them up to the surface of the liquid.
The sludge particles remain there and form into a solid sludge-cake. This cake mass can be continually skimmed off from the surface, or more usually after complete separation you drain off the clear liquid through the final drain outlet at the bottom of the tank.

The surface solids produced are extremely compact, so a sharp distinction between clear must and floating solids is achieved. The clear Must can be pumped out after little more than 12 hours.

Advantages:-
    Lower investment cost,
    Low or no maintenance costs,
    The most rapid processing,
    Clarification to a very high degree,
    Reduction of phenols by oxygen incorporation (30%),
    Clarification of white and red, also heated grape must without colour loss,
    Clean wine or cider aromas,
    Solid sludge-cake (max 10 to 15 % of the volume) which needs no further processing.
    Dosing unit in stainless steel with dosing pump and stirrer. Adjustable dosing flow rate.
    Product pump in stainless steel.
    Back-lit mirrors to check the product clarity.
    Residual filtering with pump through the final disc, internal (with external as an option).

IND Mini 3000: 3925 Euros

Developed for small producers, throughput: up to 3000 litres/hour, 230 Volt, 1.5 kWatt pump, mounted on a trolley.
Air intake unit with manometer, adjustable pressure relief valve.

EN Fattoria models:-

Fattoria 100: 10,000 litres/hour, 4025 Euros
Fattoria 200: 20,000 litres/hour, 4370 Euros

EN Afrodite models:-

– Must clarification in only 2 hours !
- Typically 3 to 5% sludge.
- The must obtained is limpid and does not need further filtering.
– Room temperature processing, no need to cool musts, and without the risk of an unwanted fermentation starting.
– No need to watch during running, and no special maintenance required.
– Addition of very small adjuvant amounts, with consequent high content in flavour precursors.
– Maintains quality due to the reduced contact time between must and lees.
– Processing with both nitrogen and air.
– Patented system for the micro-diffusion of the gas on the treated product.

Afrodite 100: 10,000 litres/hour, 5290 Euros
   3 kWatt 380 Volts. 1000 x 450 x 740 mmH, weighs 40 kilos.

Afrodite 200: 20,000 litres/hour, 5750 Euros
   3.7 kWatt 380 Volts. 1000 x 450 x 740 mmH, weighs 40 kilos.

Afrodite 400: 40,000 litres/hour, 8740 Euros
   7.5 kWatt 380 Volts. 1300 x 700 x 830 mmH, weighs 70 kilos.

Optional PFE pre-filter in stainless steel AISI304, 500 Euros.

Kiesel Floatclear:-

B50: approx 3000 litres/hour, 380 Volt / 3.0 kWatt / 2800 rpm; Euros

with trolley, with switch, air intake, with flow meter,
Pressure reducer with charcoal and fine filter, adjustable pressure holding valve.
Sucks the air from the atmosphere or a compressor.

or     

an attachment for a Kiesel eccentric screw pump:

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