Co-agglomerated composite materials
A composite filter aid may include diatomaceous earth, natural glass, and a precipitated silica binder, wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 3 to 20 darcys. A composite filter aid may include diatomaceous earth, perlite, and a precipitated silica binder, wherein the filter aid has an alpha density less than 15 lbs/ft 3 . A method for making a composite material may include blending diatomaceous earth and perlite, adding alkali silicate to the blended diatomaceous earth and perlite, and precipitating the alkali silicate as a binder to make the composite material. A method for filtering a beverage may include using a composite filter aid and/or composite material.
1. A composite filter aid comprising co-agglomerated particles that comprise:
diatomaceous earth;
perlite; and
an alkali silicate binder,
wherein the co-agglomerated particles have a median pore size ranging from 5 microns to 35 microns, a pore volume ranging from 3 to 7 milliliters per gram, and a d10 ranging from 10 to 30 microns.
2. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the diatomaceous earth comprises calcined diatomaceous earth, flux calcined diatomaceous earth, or a mixture thereof.
3. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the co-agglomerated particles have a d 50 diameter ranging from 30 microns to 70 microns.
4. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the co-agglomerated particles have a d 10 diameter ranging from 15 microns to 30 microns.
5. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the co-agglomerated particles have a d 90 diameter ranging from 80 microns to 120 microns.
6. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a BET surface area ranging from 5 m 2 /g to about 50 m 2 /g.
7. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has a median pore size ranging from 15 microns to 30 microns.
8. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has a surface area ranging from 5 m 2 /g to 40 m 2 /g.
9. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the pore volume ranges from 5 milliliters per gram to 7 milliliters per gram.
10. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a beer soluble iron content of less than 5 ppm, as measured by the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) method.
11. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a beer soluble iron content of less than 1 ppm, as measured by the ASBC method.
12. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a cristobalite content of less than 6% by weight.
13. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a cristobalite content of less than 1% by weight.
14. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has an alpha density ranging from 9 lbs/ft 3 to 15 lbs/ft 3 .
15. The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 2 darcys to 20 darcys.
16. A method for making a co-agglomerated material, the method comprising:
blending diatomaceous earth, perlite and an alkali silicate to form co-agglomerated particles,
wherein the diatomaceous earth has a median pore size ranging from 5 microns to 35 microns, a pore volume ranging from 3 to 7 milliliters per gram and a d10 ranging from 10 to 30 microns.
17. The composite filter aid of claim 16 , wherein the natural glass comprises at least one of perlite, volcanic ash, pumice, shirasu, obsidian, pitchstone, or rice hull ash.
18. The composite filter aid of claim 16 , wherein the co-agglomerated particles have a d 50 diameter ranging from 30 microns to 70 microns.
19. The composite filter aid of claim 16 , wherein the co-agglomerated particles have a d 10 diameter ranging from 15 microns to 30 microns.