Bitburger Brewery previously used two separators for clarifying beer upstream of the filtration process. When the machines, which had been in service for approximately twenty years, had reached the end of their life cycle, Bitburger brewery started to look for alternatives with the aim of deriving optimum benefit from new technical achievements. Their search resulted in high capacities, efficient operation, dry solids and a significant reduction in energy consumption helping them operate efficiently in the fiercely competitive marketplace.

With the installation of a type GSC 250i separator, GEA Westfalia Separator Group was able to demonstrate the performance of its latest technology with an extensive test run of several months in normal production. The new separator combined for the first time the hydrostop rapid bowl discharge system with integrated direct drive and an improved feed and discharge system.

Two machines are now used for beer pre-clarification upstream of kieselguhr filtration, each with capacities of 700 hectolitres per hour. This separating stage in the separator dramatically reduces the load imposed on the filter. This not only results in a reduction in the amount of filter aid used it also extends the operating life of the filter.