M. KERN (1), J. Tippmann (1), T. Becker (1); (1) Technical University Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
Brewhouse Operations
Saturday, June 7 - 10:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
Level 4, Grand Ballroom
In times of increasing energy costs, it is necessary to develop efficient and energy-saving process technologies. Approximately three-quarters of a brewery’s energy consumption is thermal energy. The main consumer of thermal energy in a brewery is the brewhouse, and therefore, it has the greatest potential for energy savings. The idea of this research is to combine mashing and lautering processes in one vessel. The main objectives are time savings, less consumption of thermal energy, easy retrofitting into existing plants, stripping of highly volatile substances, homogeneous leaching of the filter cake, and higher flow rates. To achieve this, mechanical components, such as stirrers, raking machines, pumps, and fittings can be reduced and replaced by the use of gaseous components. Direct steam is injected to heat the mash; nitrogen as an inert gas is used to homogenize the mash and keep the spent grains cake permeable. To realize this idea, a special false bottom with integrated nozzles was developed and tested in a transparent 50 L pilot plant at the Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology in Weihenstephan. A mixture of both components, clean steam and nitrogen, can be inserted during the mashing process to ensure homogenous heating. A pulsatoric or, optionally, a constant injection of nitrogen is used during the lautering process to keep the spent grains open and evaporate unwanted aroma compounds (e.g., DMS). The presentation will show results of the experiments with a focus on the technological background and the unit operations of this combined system. A closer look at the process engineering and calculations of time and energy savings will give a first indication to the success of the new technology.
Matthias Kern, born in 1984, graduated from Technische Universität München in 2011 as with an engineering degree in brewing sciences and beverage technology. The same year he started his doctoral thesis with Thomas Becker at the Institute of Brewing and Beverage Technology. His research project is the “Development of a New Mash and Lauter Technology.”
