Industry: Spring water
Problem: A producer may claim that its water has "natural purity" only if it meets certain requirements and is bottled in the immediate vicinity of the source.
Solution: Use of Donaldson's LifeTec™ depth and membrane elements for pre-filtration, fine filtration and sterilizing filtration in a fast automated manufacturing process taking the customer's requirements into account.
Situation
In nature, mountain rivers flow across plains and slopes. In the process, the water is saturated with beneficial minerals and gases. Similarly, the water under the "Lebensgut Quelle" brand, produced in the city of Fulda, Germany, is naturally enriched with oxygen and passes through the new Donaldson LifeTec liquid filters installed at the bottling plant.
For water to be recognized as spring water, it must be of natural purity and come only from underground sources that meet certain requirements. Such water can be filtered, but, unlike mineral water, it can only be bottled in the immediate vicinity of the source. Taking such conditions into account, the Fulda W-E-G Foundation in 2005 built a plant for bottling alkaline drinking water near a 270-m-deep source used by the Lebensgut company. For the natural purification of the water, a tower of patented design was built. Water from the source is fed into the tower and slowly descends over a cascade of 41 granite slabs. In the process, most of the gases evaporate from the water and the water is saturated with oxygen. The water then passes through seven flow formers into a buffer tank. From the buffer tank, the water is fed at a low pressure of 2 bar into the LifeTec pre-filtration and main-filtration systems and bottled.
Industry: Spring water Problem: A producer may claim that its water has «natural purity» only if it meets certain requirements and…
Karl Sickau, director of Lebensgut Quelle and developer of the bottling-plant project, describes the water-treatment process as follows: "Passing through special flow formers, the water restores its natural properties. It contains a small amount of sodium, which makes it suitable for a low-salt diet. In addition, the water acquires a pleasant, neutral taste. As a result, we obtain water that is beneficial to health and has a positive effect on the body's acid-base balance."
A growing number of Lebensgut water buyers have appreciated its high quality. One of the regular consumers of this oxygen-containing alkaline water is the largest organic bakery in Germany — and possibly in Europe — Herzberger, in the city of Fulda. Thanks to the high oxygen content in the water, the bread becomes fluffier and more voluminous, has a more pleasant taste and stays fresh longer.
Industry: Spring water Problem: A producer may claim that its water has «natural purity» only if it meets certain requirements and…
Solution
Lebensgut Quelle and a growing number of other European beverage-producing companies in recent months use the new Donaldson LifeTec depth and membrane filter elements for pre-filtration, fine filtration and sterilizing filtration. The design of these filters has been significantly reworked compared to previous-generation filters. The more rigid polypropylene cage of the filter element with a diamond-shaped structure improves the static properties and creates favorable conditions for the flow.
The new cleanroom (fig. 1) costing several million euros, was developed last year at Donaldson's research and production facility in Germany. The equipment installed there made it possible to create a fast automated manufacturing process with support for the production of both large and single-unit batches.
Karl Sickau is now not dependent on delivery that takes 48 hours, since he always has two sets of liquid filters on hand. Nevertheless, many users have already appreciated the importance of fast processing of an order for filters with different filter materials, degrees of filtration and types of filter-housing connections. All this became possible thanks to the new cleanroom with support for single-piece flow.
Industry: Spring water Problem: A producer may claim that its water has «natural purity» only if it meets certain requirements and…
Results
For 9 years, Lebensgut Quelle has been successfully using Donaldson's liquid filters. Karl Sickau says (fig. 2): "The efficiency of cartridge filters always suited us, so we were among the first to test the new LifeTec filter as soon as it came off the production line in the cleanroom in Haan, Germany. We are extremely pleased with its performance."
"We appreciated the high stability of the filter housing for 30-inch elements. Now we are more than confident that we will not damage the filter elements by placing them in a multi-section filter housing (fig. 3) and applying daily hot-steam sterilization cycles. The filtration efficiency and reliability of the filters are so high that they need to be replaced no more often than every 100 sterilization cycles. This significantly saves our time and money."
Arguments in favor of Donaldson products
Food and beverage safety standards are constantly changing in line with the needs of the commercial sector and the growing demands of consumers. Organizations subject to regulatory control or inspections must constantly monitor and comply with changes in certification and requirements. The LifeTec series process filters use materials suitable for direct and indirect contact with food products in accordance with Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations used by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and EU Regulation 1935/2004.
As a recognized leading supplier of solutions for the filtration of sterile air, gases, liquids and steam in food and beverage production, Donaldson strives to help its customers protect their operations and reputation by offering a wide range of products, modern filtration technologies and unparalleled support.
The cooperation between Danone and Donaldson clearly illustrates how even minor changes can lead to a tangible economic effect. This is fully in line with the goals and objectives of Donaldson: safety, sustainability, innovation.
Important note
