When new beer lines are installed in an outlet, it is now commonplace for the beer to be pushed through each line by a Flojet gas-operated pump. These pumps have superseded electric pumps.

It was common for real ale to pass through large bore plastic line and to be simply pulled though the line by a handpump at the bar. The industry standard now seems to be for real ale to be pulled though the same small bore lines (via a chilled python system) as for keg beers, assisted by an inline pump.

It is common to see Flojet pumps powered by carbon dioxide gas. Whenever the pump is activated in a beer line, carbon dioxide passes through the pump and into the atmosphere – sometimes directly into the cellar of the outlet, although these pumps are supposed to be vented out of an enclosed space when carbon dioxide is used.

However, a Flojet beer pump works just the same with dry compressed air, so it would make sense for the practice of using carbon dioxide to be outlawed. All outlets currently using carbon dioxide should be converted to air, using an approved air compressor which must be routinely serviced. If the brewery will not pick up the bill, a typical cost for a pub with 3 Flojet pumps is about £600 net.

Some reasons for banning the use of carbon dioxide are : 1) It is environmentally unfriendly when released into the atmosphere, 2) It is dangerous to release carbon dioxide into an enclosed cellar, as it does not support human life and could build up to dangerous levels in the event of a faulty pump, and 3) carbon dioxide gas is expensive ! By contrast, an electrically operated air compressor is cheap to use and the air that emits from the Flojet pumps is just normal air. An added bonus is that no carbon dioxide is used during line cleaning.

Perhaps the only downside of using an air compressor is that in the event of an electrical power failure, the pumps would soon fail to operate. This could be overcome by the installation of a changeover switch to a carbon dioxide cylinder, but for emergency use only.

Any publican currently using carbon dioxide to power beer pumps should make arrangements for a switch to compressed air, as a matter of urgency. A company that can install air compressors in conjunction with Flojet pumps is Stanwell Technic of Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.

Hugh Price
Tynemouth Lodge Hotel