TECHNICAL REPORT D I C A L I T E D E P A R T M E N T · G R E A T L A K E S C A R B O N C O R P O R A T I O N · 6 1 2 S O . F L O W E R ST., L O S A N G E L E S 1 7 , C A L I F O R N I A
Dow Lowers Filtration Costs With Solka-FlocYDicalite9 Precoating Dicalite's "Man on the Spot" George Lee
Douglas Babcook, assistant brewmaster, Dow Brewery, Ltd., demonstrates ease of removal of Solka-Floc/Dicalite precoat to J. H. McAuliffe, Brown Company representative. F o u r hours longer filter runs, polishing an additional 700 barrels of beer with the same amount of filteraids — that is what Solka-Floc/Dicalite prec o a t i n g is d o i n g for D o w B r e w e r y , Ltd., in Montreal, C a n a d a . D o w ' s final p o l i s h f i l t r a t i o n is through a Niagara filter followed by a tubular paper insert trap filter. This final polishing system was developed after extensive tests t o a c h i e v e t h e most efficient a n d e c o n o m i c a l m e t h o d of f i n a l p o l i s h f i l t r a t i o n consistent with the highest standards of clarity. A S o l k a - F l o c skin c o a t p r e - c o a t technique combined with standard grades of Dicalite was adopted after an extensive test p e r i o d . T h r o u g h the use of Solka-Floc, diatomaceous earth "bleed-through" was prevented and longer cycles were obtained. This enabled D o w to eliminate slower and costlier pad-type trap filters and fully utilize t h e i r s t a n d a r d vertical m e t a l screen filters. Dow's n e w streamlined system c o n s i s t s of t h e f o l l o w i n g : T h e N i a g a r a filters a r e p r e - c o a t e d with 2 5 p o u n d s of S o l k a - F l o c B W 4 0 (called A l p h a F l o e in C a n a d a ) . This is followed by a mixture of 50 pounds of Dicalite Speedplus® and 15 pounds of Dicalite UF.® A combination of Dicalite Speedplus and Dicalite U F is used as body feed.
With this method, filter runs average 14 hours, as against the 10 hour previous average, with 2,450 barrels throughput as compared with 1,750 — yet filteraid consumption h a s n o t been increased! Assistant Brewmaster Douglas Babcook states that additional filters h a v e b e e n o r d e r e d b e c a u s e of t h e success of this m e t h o d . " W i t h t h e Solka-Floc/Dicalite combination, we h a v e e l i m i n a t e d p o w d e r b l e e d through, a n d have a quality beer filtration with greater e c o n o m y , " h e explains. " T h e combination gives a t o u g h , resilient a n d even p r e - c o a t . Also, the Solka-Floc fibres are short enough not to foul our proportioning p u m p s — a s b e s t o s w a s n o t g o o d in this regard — a n d Solka-Floc shows no tendency to 'ball u p ' when being proportioned o r p u m p e d . " F u r t h e r tests n o w in p r o g r e s s at D o w p r o m i s e t h e s a m e t y p e of i m provement in primary filtration, and D o w h a s i n d i c a t e d its i n t e n t i o n of expanding t h e use of this method to all its breweries if the completed tests bear out the early findings. If you have a precoating problem, or a "difficult"· filtration, a Dicalite engineer will b e glad to discuss with y o u t h e p o s s i b l e a d v a n t a g e s of Solka-Floc/Dicalite combinations in your operations. Circle No. 5B on Readers' Service Card
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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
An i m p o r t a n t m e m b e r of the group which helped work out Dow's precoating procedures was George Lee, of Lee Benner Chemicals, Ltd., Dicalite's representative for eastern Canada. George has been identified with the chemical field for nearly 30 years, having received his B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto in 1932.. A short stint with Glidden was followed by sales work in the chemical division of Canadian Industries Limited. In 1946 he became vice-president of the McArthur Chemical Company, Ltd. Lee became the Dicalite representative when he established his own business in 1955. Since founding Lee Benner Chemicals, George has specialized in filtration, and has worked closely with many Canadian firms on filtration problems.
J. H. McAuliffe Brown Company Jack McAuliffe, w h o pioneered t h e Solka-Floc application with Dow, has been with Brown Company, makers of Solka-Floc, since 1950. Starting as Assistant E x p o r t Sales M a n a g e r , h e h a s been in D o m e s t i c Sales since 1955, developing new applications a n d t e c h n i q u e s of use. A p pointed Regional Sales Manager for New England and Quebec in 1957, he advanced to his present post in 1959, as Regional Sales Manager for SolkaFloc Sales for N e w England and Canada, and Regional Sales Manager of the Pulp Division for the eastern United States and Canada.
TECHNICAL LITERATURE on Dicalite Filteraids is available on request. Write to t h e Dicalite D e p t . , 6 1 2 So. Flower St., Los Angeles 17, Calif.
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1961 GREAT LAKES CARBON CORPORATION LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
