METHOD OF UTILISING CARBON DIOXIDE AND WINE VAPOURS IN PROCESS OF GRAPE WORT AND/OR PULP FERMENTATION IN FERMENTATION RESERVOIR AND INSTALLATION FOR ITS REALISATION Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC C12F3/04 

FIELD: chemistry, alcohol production.

SUBSTANCE: grape wort and/or pulp is fermented in fermentation reservoir. During active fermentation formed wine vapours and carbon dioxide are removed through upper hatch cover into vapour condenser and are cooled obtaining carbon dioxide and condensed water-alcohol mixture. It is accumulated in conical reservoir bottom and by means of pump through dispersing jet injector is returned by pipeline system into reservoir or extracted as aromatic alcohol, directing it into aromatic alcohols collector. Aromatic alcohols, accumulated in collector, can be used for improving flavour of table, strong, dissert and semi-sweet wines. By returning and dispersing condensed water-alcohol mixture in over-fermentation space of reservoir vapours are partially condensed and foam formation on surface of fermenting medium is reduced. Carbon dioxide is subjected to two-step compression to pressure 10-12 bars and cooling by means of oil-free carbonic acid compressor, supplied with intermediate and final refrigerators. Launch and installation of carbonic acid compressor are controlled through accumulating tank, which is CO₂ collector. Compressed carbon dioxide is filtered in three steps on filtration installation. At the first stage of filtration depth filter 8 with pore size 1mcm is used, and remains of water and alcohol vapours are removed, at the second stage - adsorption filter is used and fragrances are sorbed. Its filtering element is filled with activated coal. At the third stage membrane filter is used for purification from microorganisms with pore size not less than 0.2 mcm. Purified carbon dioxide is supplied to receiver and through discharge pipelines from receiver output to station of carbon dioxide liquefying or to technological equipment for recycling. It allows to purify carbon dioxide more efficiently and to catch essential oils better, and in such way to preserve flavour in wine, obtaining quality wine material at higher fermentation temperatures and with lower energy consumption. In addition, accumulation and purification of carbon dioxide can be carried out not only from one reservoir, and allows to use cheap gas in grapes processing, pumping and storage of wine material in order to reduce wort and wine material oxidability, and to reduce amount of carbon dioxide emission into atmosphere.

EFFECT: ensuring more efficient carbon dioxide purification and better catching of essential oils, which allows to obtain quality wine material at higher fermentation temperatures and with lower energy consumption.

2 cl, 2 ex