Skid-mounted cross-flow membrane filtration system in 304/316L stainless steel for beverage, juice, wine, dairy and water lines. Microfiltration/ultrafiltration removes solids, colloids and bacteria with no filter aids, using anti-fouling tangential flow and CIP cleaning for stable, long-run clarification from 1 to 10 m³/h.
Traditional dead-end filtration clogs fast and often needs diatomaceous earth, creating waste and downtime. This cross-flow membrane system takes a different route: liquid sweeps across the membrane face at speed, so solids are washed away instead of caking up – ideal for beverage, juice and water producers who need long, stable runs without filter aids.
Overview
The plant is delivered as a skid-mounted, all-stainless steel unit with the feed pump, multi-stage membrane modules, gauges, control valves and an electrical cabinet already integrated. Contact surfaces use food-grade stainless steel with sanitary piping, so it drops straight into a hygienic production line.
Working on the cross-flow principle, feed liquid races tangentially along the membrane while clear permeate passes through and concentrated retentate loops back. That scouring action holds off fouling and concentration polarisation, stretching run time and cutting how often you clean.
No filter aids, no diatomaceous earth and no secondary sludge – the membranes still strip out suspended solids, colloids, bacteria and large molecules while keeping the product’s flavour and nutrition intact.
Key Features
- Hygienic stainless build – 304/316L contact parts, polished welds, no dead legs, CIP-ready for food-grade cleaning.
- Anti-fouling cross-flow – tangential scouring slows membrane blinding and polarisation, extending continuous operation and lowering running cost.
- Quality kept intact – microfiltration or ultrafiltration grades remove haze and bacteria with no aids and no chemical residue, protecting aroma and nutrients.
- Compact skid layout – pump, modules, instruments, valves and controls on one frame for a small footprint and quick tie-in to existing lines.
- Straightforward control – a central cabinet with indicators, pressure display and push buttons keeps operation simple and consistent.
- Modular membranes – standard modules make cleaning, swaps and capacity expansion easy.
How It Works
Instead of forcing liquid straight through the medium, the system keeps feed flowing tangentially across the membrane at high velocity.
The feed pump drives material through the membrane channels fast enough to create turbulence at the surface. Under driving pressure, small molecules and clear liquid permeate through as finished product, while macromolecules, solids and bacteria are rejected and recirculate with the retentate.
This constant tangential wash stops a filter cake from forming, sharply slowing fouling. Operators fine-tune inlet/outlet pressure and recirculation flow at the valves to suit each material and process.
Technical Parameters
Data is for reference only. Specifications can be customized to your production requirements.
Applications
- Beverages: clarifying and de-hazing juice, vegetable juice, tea and plant-protein drinks for longer shelf life.
- Wine & spirits: removing bacteria, colloids and solids from wine, fruit wine, rice wine and beer.
- Plant extraction: refining and pre-concentrating herbal extracts, polysaccharides and flavonoids.
- Condiments: clarifying and sterilising soy sauce, vinegar, cooking wine and sauces.
- Dairy: sterilising and fractionating milk, whey and fermented dairy drinks.
- Other foods: refining syrup, honey and edible enzyme preparations.
Zhonglian Machinery integrates this unit into complete turnkey lines for beverage, juice, dairy and bottled water plants across Central Asia, Africa, Southeast Asia and South America. Talk to our engineers about matching it to your packaged drinking water production line and downstream filling equipment.
