FR2674645A1 - Economical system for temperature control in winemaking - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the production of energy plant such that it incorporates in full the heat source and heat sink modules, the modules for circulating heat-carrying fluid (water) and those governed by the regulators or by programming, with a view to obtaining, by varying the water flow rates, the stability and/or programming of the wine-making temperatures, of two vats simultaneously. The energy plant is connected to the exchangers integral with the vats via smooth pipes by means of mechanical unions furnished with points making possible, through their compression, the sealing and blocking of the circulation pipework. The system is applicable to fermentation facilities comprising more than two vats, by means of variants in the modules which constitute it; it can be furnished with straightforward regulating devices or with microcomputer control with software for programming winemaking.

Description

ECONOMIC SYSTEM
OF TEMPERATURE CONTROL
IN WINEMAKING
The subject of the present invention is a perfec tory device for regulating the temperature of two different enclosures being at identical or different temperatures. It particularly relates to a device, economical, applicable to the control and regulation of the temperature. reigning in two vinification tanks I1 is known that controlling temperatures is a crucial operation in the conduct of winemaking with a view to producing a quality wine I1 is also known that this control of the fermentation temperature of tanks winemaking requires the use of exchangers arranged either in the tanks or outside of them in the form of rings welded to their walls, as well as equipment constituting the source of hot or cold energy , or hot and cold, supplying the different exchangers
The control of the temperature regulation which must act individually at each tank, the realization of an apparatus for this purpose, requires the installation of circulation loops of heat transfer fluids, loops provided with purge systems, check valves return, pumps, expansion vessels ... and solenoid valves connected to each tank for regulation
The cost price of such an installation is severely burdened by the constraints linked to the sites, all of the assemblies having to be carried out on the site.
The invention shown schematically in Fig 1, relates to the realization of a "POWER PLANT" (called "CE" on the diagrams and in the text which follows), hot or cold, OUU hot and cold, incorporating all of it necessary equipment, the only external bodies to the "CE" being (integral with tanks C (1 and 2)), the exchangers
E (3 and 4); the connections are made very simply and ec-onomically by tubes & smooth L (5 and 6), connected by means of mechanical parts with cable gland P (7 and 8), simultaneously ensuring the mechanical positioning of the pipes thus formed and the sealing required.

The equipment according to the invention is particularly well suited to the problems encountered in small viticulture companies, equipped with cellars and vats of modest demensions
The "CE" according to the present invention essentially performs the generation of a circulation of cold water, and the circulation of hot water to ensure the supply of two circulation loops. This device is equipped for this purpose with a refrigeration unit, a boiler, and solenoid valves regulating the water flows in the exchangers of the 2 tanks, which are treated simultaneously.

Its design is such that it can be installed near the tanks, for example by wall mounting. I1 can be set up and connected by the winegrower, the control unit (B) being simply connected by a cable (K) to the "CE", and to the temperature probes S (getlO).

 Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description and the appended figures given by way of illustration and in no way limitative.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement of the constituent elements of the system comprising: - a refrigeration unit, with hermetic compressor (11), its water condenser (12) and the refrigerant gas / water exchanger (13) on the water circuit cold - a hot water generator (14) whose heating element is constituted by one or more electrical resistances.

- a double start (15-15) of the two water circulation loops allowing the supply of two tank exchangers simultaneously.

- two circulation pumps (16-16), one on each loop.

- a set of pipes supporting the solenoid valves, gates, non-return valves, grouped in a single block (17) and allowing the execution of all the conditions of circulation of hot and cold fluids to satisfy all cases of this circulation, imposed by the needs of the temperature regulation of the two treatment tanks in simultaneous operation. These conditions can be as follows:
Or, on the left tank, cold circulation;
tr rc rr rc hot; ;
11 ..! R right "cold;
"""""f'hot;
on one or the other of the loops only (either in hot circulation or in cold circulation)
on the two loops simultaneously: hot circulation or cold circulation - an expansion tank, with safety valve and bypass Scnaque loops (19-19), a filter on the left and right feeds of the loops (18-18), as well as a drain valve.

- a cooling water inlet (20), fitted with a stop valve and a circulation stop solenoid valve; the cooling water outlet (21), equipment in the case of mounting with a water-cooled refrigerating unit - an electric grid (23) supporting the machine's terminal blocks, circuit breakers, contactors (34).

Fig 3 shows the diagram of the fluid circuits of the
"THIS"
Mechanically the "CE" is mounted in a frame provided with a rear wall allowing it to be fixed either on the wall, or on a frame or a walkway, the base of the frame forming a base for fixing to the ground or on a support table; a movable cover in painted sheet metal, molded plastic or preferably in ixoydable steel sheet (22) protects the assembly. Under this cover, and integral with the electric grid that (23) is disposed the terminal block allowing connection
- power cable (sector + earth)
-connection cable with the control console box.

The cover (22) is advantageously provided with a window allowing the remote vision of the power-on indicator of the "CE". Figures 4A and 4B show an overview of the apparatus.

Figures 2 and 3 relate to equipment whose cooling of the group is ensured by a water condenser.

Figure 4B shows a version of the equipment using an air-cooled condenser. In fact, the consumption of cooling water is reduced in the case of exclusive use of the "CE" for the treatment of winemaking: a few tens of hours of operation for 3 weeks per year of operation; on the other hand, it may be advantageous to have an air-cooled "CE" if the installation is used all year round for the ASoaX climati of a winery for example.

The equipment according to the invention comprises a condenser blown by a turbine, these members being housed in a housing (45) disposed at the rear of the frame, according to Figu4B. In such an arrangement, the air circuit is connected by 2 flexible sheaths (46), made of stainless steel for example, secured to the left and right flanges of the shoemaker housing the "CE", the sheaths being connected to wall crossing conduits; another solution is that the wall crossing conduits lead directly into the housing (45) housing the air condenser and its turbine.

 An advantageous solution according to 1 invention consists in producing the functional block grouping the solenoid valves, valves, flaps and the connecting pipes of these members, block represented in (17) in FIG. 2, in the form of a stack of plates - in plastic for example, in which cutouts of suitable shapes are made, each of the plates carrying a solenoid valve; the plates have a thickness equivalent to the section necessary for the proper passage of the fluid, the interior cutout itself having a width of the same dimension; ltemp ilage of these plates, separated by flat rubber seals for example, simultaneously ensuring sealing and forming conduits equivalent to piping. For the production of bidirectional outputs, a second solenoid valve is mounted on another edge of the plate . The fluid inlets and outlets are carried out by a screw connection in the threaded holes on the edge of the plates, in a manner identical to the solenoid valve assemblies.

Different cuts combined with a suitable emp.iiage allow to create different sets of automatic distribution of fluids for the desired circulation.

 Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description and the attached figures given by way of illustration and not limitation, and concerning the control system of the "CE": I1 comprises according to the invention two variants, Fig. 1 B-Fig. SA and 5B), one ensuring the regulation of the temperature by fixed bearings with manual control; 1 t other temperature regulation and programming as well as pumping over and oxygenation, by a microcomputer and associated software.

a) Simple regulation: Simple manual control box (24) by regulators (25) provided with a display of the set temperature and the controlled temperatures (Fig. 5A).

The box has 2 outputs (application to 2 tanks simultaneously); it also includes 2 controls for the winding pumps (26) and their timer (27). The temperature probes are in (28) b) Regulation and programming by microcomputer: Box (29) in Fig. BS, associated with the microcomputer and its keyboard (30) the screen (31) and l printer (32) by
via a bus (44), a bus which can receive more
some electronic boxes if the number of tanks with equi
per is high.

Box 29, its associated electronics and software
programming allow total temperature control,
of the tank, its oxygenation and the control of extracts from
color and tannin by pumping over and mastering
se of the density during the vinification subject
adding additional associated sensors, Fig.8B.

An economically advantageous conception of the realization
tion of the boxes (Fig. 6) includes a box that can re
receive the electronic control card (s) and their
power, it being understood that when using
simple regulators, internal electronic cards (no
especially the "CPV" - Card of Piloting of the Vinification - of
Fig. 6 is replaced by simple link cards
electrical (CL- "Connection Cards") of FIG. 7; the pu
control panel within reach of the user being constituted
dtun box such as (24) Fig.5A .This arrangement allows
easily transform a planned installation into a
first phase with simple regulators, in one instal
efficient relationship, in a second phase, by the adjou
tion of electronic cards allowing pro regulation
grammed with a microcomputer
In FIGS. 6 and 7, reference is made to: in (29) the housing provided /
cable outlet cable gland (34); the elec card
"CPV"(35); in (37) the S1 and S2 probes of the tanks
C1 and C2; in (38) the connectors for connection with the valve block (17, Fig 2); in (39) the connectors for connection with the winding pumps R1 and R2 and the oxygenation solenoid valves 01 and 02, respectively linked to the tanks C1 and C2; at (40) the bus connector (41) is the "CL" connection card, and (42) the connector connecting the box (29) to the control box B (24).

 One of the advantageous arrangements is to constitute boxes provided with 2 outlet channels, allowing in a first phase to use a single box (29) for 2 tanks Fig.8A, each being regulated by one of the 2 channels, and then to realize without transformation, regulation introducing a second sensor (43), for example densimetric (refractometer). In this case, a 2-way box (29) must be installed per tank (Fig.8 B).

 Another advantage of the invention lies in the mounting of "CE" devices and their control boxes in a vat room. It is indeed possible to make the connections between the "CE" and the exchangers arranged in the tanks, by extremely simple means, with smooth tubes, in stainless steel for example.

 For this purpose the inlets and outlets of circulating water (constituting the heat transfer fluid) are made on the "CE" by tubes, smooth in stainless steel, of standardized diameter (21x27 for example); mounting is done simply by means of one-touch fittings, or preferably with a double cable gland, (44) Fig. 9A, an O-ring (45).

ensuring the tightness, and the tightening of the rings (46) by compressing the square seal (47), according to the drawing given by way of example, or even by tightening a conical ring (48) FIG. 9B, ensuring the mechanical blocking and immobilization of the pipes
The ends of the loops are connected directly to the ends of the flexible tubes (49) Fig. 10, ensuring the connection with the exchangers.

 Another advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the possibility of using the system in a vat room with more than 2 tanks, from 3 to 5 tanks for example.

The rate of loading of the tanks in harvest must be such that the rise in power of the vat room is compaeZ av4c the cooling capacity of the "CE1 ,. In this case, it is possible to use the same" CE "connected successively to the 2 first tanks loaded, then later two others and finally the last.

Indeed, from a fixed position of the device (50) Fig.ll, connections by flexible pipes (51) provided with instant fittings, type "firefighter" allow the connection and disconnection successively on the tank exchangers .

Other advantages of the invention of the apparatus described 11 are as follows: a) Possibility of using a cold generator with water circulation, already in use in the vat room. In this case, the connection of the latter, used as a cold source only, must be connected in (52) to the "CE", without integrated refrigeration unit; the investment is then reduced - assembly according to the diagram in FIG. 12A, the "CE" comprising a water / water exchanger (53) b) A second possibility of the same equipment lies in the use of a single refrigeration unit, outside
Direct expansion "CEs" are fitted with a water refrigerant exchanger identical to that (13) Fig. 2 and 3, equipping the autonomous "CE", exchanger supplied in this case by the external unit (Fig. 12B)
This arrangement is interesting provided that the necessary number of "CE" is used to equip a large vat room.

In this case, starting from the gas loop (54) equipping the vat room, it is possible to eliminate the multiple requirements of a double hot and cold loop, while keeping the extreme flexibility of the use of "CE".

c) A third possibility of using "CE" consists in simplifying the equipment, and reducing the cost, in the case of using "CE" in modest operations, in limiting the automation to cold outputs and hot, while obtaining the thermal possibilities of the system, by means of 2 3-way valves, with manual control; the use of only solenoid valves controlled by the regulator is sufficient in this case for controlling the vinification temperature.

Claims (15)

 1 / Improved device for regulating the temperature of 2 or more separate chambers (1 and 2) being at identical or different temperatures, and essentially comprising 2 water circuits (5 and 6), one of cold water , the hot water tank, supplying 2 external water circulation rings allowing the energy inputs necessary to ensure temperature regulation in the 2 or more enclosures, wine making tanks for example, tanks separate and whose regulation temperatures may be different, by adjusting the water flow rates in both loop circuits  2) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a refrigeration unit (11) on the cold water circuit, and a heat generator group (14) on the hot water circuit  3) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that / heat generator group (14) is constituted by one or more electrical resistances;  4) Device according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the power plant is connected to an external generator of circulating cold water, the exchanger of the plant being constituted in this case by a water exchanger / water (53)  5) Device according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the power station is provided with its refrigerant gas / water exchanger (13) and connected to the refrigerant circuit (54) depending on a single large power group , outdoor, and supplying several power stations, suitable arrangement for an economical installation of a large winery  6) Device according to claims 1 and 2, character ized in that a united circulation pump (16) is associated with each of the above circuits  7) Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the adjustment of the water flows in the circulation loops is carried out either by all or nothing action on the pumps (16) - stop or start one or the other or both pumps at the same time - either by acting on the speed of rotation of said pumps, to increase or decrease the heat exchanges in the tanks, by varying the water flow rates in the circulation loops  8) Device according to any one of claims from 1 to 7 characterized in that the apparatus (17), in its entirety, for adjusting the water flow rates, tank by tank, either hot water or d cold water, and comprising in particular the solenoid valves for switching the water circuits, the valves, the expansion vessels, purges, safety valves, by-pass ... this not limited to, and the pipes connecting these organs , is made integral and is incorporated within the power plant designed according to the invention, the plant being connected to the tanks by smooth tubes without intermediate organs  9) Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the apparatus for regulating the tanks with which the power station is associated, is produced by means of a stack of valve plates, made integral with each other by flat seals ensuring watertightness, fitted with electromagnetic controls, this arrangement making it easier to assemble and reducing manufacturing prices  10) Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is composed of two distinct elements and connectable by cable comprising  - a power plant (22) comprising a heat generator group (14), and selectively, either a refrigeration unit (11) or a cold water / water exchanger (53) or refrigerant / water (13), water cold or refrigerant being supplied by a group external to the device;  - a modular control and piloting unit (24.  11) Device according to claim 10, characterized in that said control and piloting unit (24) is a regulation unit with manual piloting, comprising for each tank, a regulator (25) in all or nothing of said valves, with display of setpoint and temperature prevailing in each tank, as well as a control output of a winding pump (26) and a pilot timer (27) for winding. F. 5A)  12) Device according to claim 10, characterized in that said control and piloting device (29) is a regulation unit controlled by a microcomputer (30, 31 and 32) provided with software for programming the verification. managing, for each of said tanks, temperature cycles, the operation of the winding pumps (26) and possibly oxygenation, under at least the temperature control prevailing in each of the tanks supplied by said sensors (28).  13) Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it allows, selectively, the commissioning either of said two loops simultaneously, or 1 'only one of the loops, the total power of or cooling being available for the tank concerned.  14) Device according to utdeeWendications 1 to 13, characterized in that the connections and connections between the power plant and the ends of the exchangers integral with the tanks, are made without welding, bonding, screwing ... but by means of cable gland system (44) on smooth pipes, a double seal system (45, 47) ensuring on the one hand a fluid tightness, on the other hand (47, 48) the mechanical blocking of the connections.  successive on the exchangers of 2 of said plurality of tanks  15) Device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it is provided with connections by flexible pipes (51) provided with instant fittings type "firefighter" allowing, in the case of a fermenting room equipped with a more than 2 tanks, its branch. ent and disconnect