The gearbox at the privately owned Kommunbräu brewery’s 19th-century hydropower station had to be rebuilt after suffering damage, requiring a substantial investment.
Especially during the initial commissioning phase, a newly rebuilt system can generate increased quantities of metal wear debris and other fine metallic particles. These contaminants may cause costly equipment damage in the short, medium and long term.
A failure of the generating system would affect more than the equipment itself: an interruption to the power supply could also bring brewery production to a standstill.
The gearbox at Kommunbräu’s historic hydropower station had recently been rebuilt following damage. Protecting the new investment from circulating ferromagnetic wear particles was therefore a priority.
The risk is particularly high during the run-in period, when elevated quantities of wear debris may be released into the lubricating fluid. If these particles continue to circulate, they can accelerate wear in gears, bearings and other precision components and increase the risk of expensive unplanned downtime.
During the rebuild, a FRIESS FMF 240/1 magnetic filter was installed to capture ferromagnetic wear particles from the system. Removing these particles from the circulating fluid reduces mechanical wear and lowers the risk of subsequent failures.
The filter has a wear-resistant stainless-steel housing and high-strength neodymium permanent magnets. It requires neither filter consumables nor an electrical supply, keeping maintenance and operating costs extremely low.
This makes the FMF magnetic filter an excellent fit for the brewery’s sustainable and environmentally responsible operating philosophy.
Depending on the selected FMF model, the system can treat up to 500 litres per hour and remove extremely fine ferromagnetic particles from the process fluid.
The filter was installed in a bypass line. When the magnetic rods need cleaning, the bypass can be isolated without stopping the hydropower generator, allowing electricity production to continue.
After installation, the FRIESS magnetic filter captured a surprisingly large quantity of metal particles from the system.
If these particles had continued circulating, they would have accelerated wear in the gearbox and related components. The FMF magnetic-filtration solution provides reliable, long-term control of this contamination.
The FMF 240/1 magnetic filter removed a substantial amount of metallic wear debris from the system. The quantity generated during the initial operating phase was far greater than expected and would otherwise have continued circulating through the gearbox.
By continuously capturing ferromagnetic particles, the filter protects the gearbox and associated components and supports reliable long-term operation.
✓ Reduced wear on hydropower-generator components
✓ Lower risk of failures and unplanned downtime
✓ No filter consumables and no additional energy consumption
✓ Low operating costs and a sustainable long-term solution
Removes iron, steel and stainless-steel particles from a wide range of process fluids.
