How to choose the right conical fermenter and its structural properties
When it comes to beer fermentation tanks, I believe that people who know about beer brewing will think of conical tanks. But in fact, during the 1960s, all kinds of fermentation equipment were popular all over the world, such as Asahi tanks in Japan, general tanks in the United States, spherical tanks in Spain, and so on. These cans have their own characteristics, but these days have basically been replaced by conical cans.
After the 1960s, the cylindrical conical bottom fermenter (conical tank for short) began to attract the attention of various countries, and people made a number of improvements, which greatly improved the practicability of the conical tank, and successfully moved from indoor to open air. In the late 1970s, my country also began to use outdoor conical fermentation tanks for fermentation. China's craft beer industry started late, and the selection of fermentation equipment basically uses small conical tanks, but different designs and different material choices make the experience different. Today, let's talk about why conical fermenters are unanimously recognized by countries around the world, and how we can choose the right fermenter for our craft beer!
1. Basic structure and performance of conical fermenter
The conical tank has a 60-90° cone bottom, which is convenient for yeast recovery. The tank body is provided with a cooling jacket, which can meet the process cooling requirements. Generally, the cylindrical part of the tank is provided with 2-3 cooling jackets, and the vertebral body part is provided with a cooling jacket, which is beneficial to the recovery and preservation of yeast.
The conical tank is a sealed tank, which can recover carbon dioxide and can also be used for carbon dioxide washing; it can be used for fermentation and wine storage. In addition, conical tanks are suitable for fermentation above as well as fermentation below.
2. Structure and size selection of conical fermenter
If the height of the conical tank is too large, the convection of the fermentation broth is too strong, and it is easy to form stirring fermentation. Therefore, the height of the liquid level in the tank is an important parameter, which not only affects the composition of fermentation by-products, but also affects the activity and physiological metabolism of yeast. It has been proved by practice that the maximum liquid level of wort in the conical fermenter is 15 meters. There are different opinions in the industry for the diameter-to-height ratio of the conical tank, which is generally 1:3-1:5.
3. Selection of materials for the production of conical fermentation tanks
Conical tanks were originally made of carbon steel, which is prone to rust and must be treated with anti-corrosion paint. Today's fermentation tanks are mostly made of stainless steel.
The surface finish of the inner wall of the conical tank is very important. In the rough parts of the tank wall, bacteria can multiply inside, which can lead to contamination. When the equipment is manufactured, if the roller treatment is used, the roughness depth is 0.6-0.8μm; the roughness depth of the polishing treatment is 0.4-0.5μm, which is also the general requirement for the roughness depth of the inner wall of the conical tank; the roughness depth of the electronic polishing treatment is generally 0.3- 0.4μm.
Fourth, the selection of thermal insulation materials for conical fermentation tanks
Insulation materials require low thermal conductivity, low density, low water absorption and not easy to burn. The following are some commonly used thermal insulation materials: one is polystyrene foam, which is the best insulating material, but the price is high; the other is amide resin (polyurethane), which is relatively cheap, can be foamed and sprayed on site, and is easy to construct, but It is flammable; the third is expanded perlite, which is easy to absorb water, has poor thermal insulation performance, and is bulky, but its price is low, and the thickness of 20-25cm is appropriate. The type and thickness of the insulation material should also be set in consideration of the local temperature and climate.
In addition, an outer protective layer needs to be provided outside the thermal insulation material. Aluminum alloy plates or thin stainless steel plates are generally used. Corrugated sheets are relatively beautiful.
Five, the pressure problem of the conical fermentation tank
Fermentation tanks are subject to a certain amount of pressure. When the operating temperature and pressure are different, the requirements for the wall thickness of the fermenter are also different. The pressure of the head and the bottom of the cone should be larger, and the pressure of the lower part of the cylinder should be larger than that of the upper part of the cylinder. For parts under high pressure, the compressive strength should be high, and the thickness of the tank wall should be increased accordingly.
In addition to the above points, it is also necessary to pay attention to whether the relevant accessories of the conical tank are complete and reasonable, and the connection problem of CPI. The flushing nozzle should be connected to the tank top device to ensure that the tank top and tank body can be well cleaned. arrive.
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