DE19512688C2 - Process for disposing of vapors generated during malting and / or brewing beer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for Dispose of when drying or drying malt and / or arise when brewing beer by heating or boiling Fumes.

DE 39 25 343 A1 describes a method for reduction of gas emissions, especially odor emissions from Vapor-volatile organic substances, in particular Hop oil, specified in the brewhouse of a brewery. To do this vapors rising in the mash or seasoning pan Condenser supplied, after which the hop oil compounds in in the gas phase. Then the gases are passed through a water jet pump with water and the other constituents of the hop oils in the gaseous phase transferred. The latter are adsorbed or fed into removed a combustion chamber. However, this is a Elimination of all by new regulations of the TA-Luft specified connections not possible.  

DE 38 16 434 A1 describes a filter module made of layers described filter elements for the beverage industry. This filter module has filter layers for coarse Particles that do not penetrate the pores and also one Show depth effect for fine particles that are in the Pores due to roughness, change of direction or the like caught. In addition, the filter layers have one Adsorption effect, the effect of which is however limited. As Raw materials for the filters serve cellulose, cotton, Diatomaceous earth and other added materials. The Filter module can be a membrane filter element and a gas filter exhibit. Activated carbon, Ion exchanger, adsorption media, catalyst, diatomaceous earth, Zeta material, bactericidal media, bacteria, yeast and / or other bioactive substances are present. Specific information what special type of filter for breweries for disposal the vapors generated there are not to be used specified.

Furthermore, it is known from DE 41 18 088 A1 for the purpose Removal of trace substances from a liquid, for example drinking water, the liquid first in a separation stage - for example through reverse osmosis, Electrodialysis or ultrafiltration - in a concentrate and to separate a permeate. The concentrate becomes Trace substances removed by adsorption and the concentrate then fed back to the permeate. This pre-release does not give the specialist responsible for brewing Instructions on how to remove annoying and inadmissible substances from the Can dispose of vapors from the mash or wort kettle.

A device for separating contaminants from water by means of a settling chamber, suction pump and molecular  Separating filter is known from DE 42 22 124 A1. The molecular separation filter is preferably a cross-flow membrane filters that are often used for ultrafiltration and Microfiltration is used. This membrane filter consist of thin polymer films, for example Polyamide, with mostly asymmetrical pore structure. Such Filters can only be used for low pressures, need a roughly porous support layer and are usually not backwashable.

Finally, it is from the reference "Brauwelt", no. 11 (1989), pages 428 to 435, an emission reduction through condensation of the vapor, closed spice cooking, gas scrubber, bio scrubber, Adsorption process with activated carbon filter, diatomaceous earth, Alumina, zeolite or molecular sieves and To achieve combustion processes. Adsorption process are only suitable for low volume flows and must therefore be used relatively often through thermal desorption and reactivation be cleaned with an inert gas mixture. Besides, is a pre-separation of solids and water droplets necessary. These are relatively complex and costly Processes that also involve a significant amount of heat get lost.

The object of the present invention is to be achieved be used when kilning malt and / or brewing beer process vapors in a simple manner inexpensive to dispose of and recycle.

This task is solved by the procedural steps of Claim 1.  

With the method according to the invention, the wastewater system is considerably relieved because the permeate obtained is reused in its own operation and the retentate can be used in a simple manner, for example by using it as a fertilizer or disposed of by incineration. The filters used can be backwashed in a simple manner and without the use of higher temperatures, since no adsorption takes place. By reusing the permeate as process water instead of fresh water, the need for fresh water is significantly reduced. This also relieves the pressure on water treatment plants in municipalities and cities. With the method according to the invention, for example, the water costs for a brewery can be reduced from about 7.- DM / m ³ for fresh and waste water to about 2.50 DM / m ³ .

Further advantageous details of the invention are in the Subclaims are specified and are based on the in the Drawing illustrated schemes of a section of a Process system and applicable filter described in more detail. It demonstrate:

Fig. 1 a portion of a process plant,

Fig. 2 shows a form suitable for ultra- or micro-filtration filter,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the filter of FIG. 2 and

Fig. 4a and 4b illustrate the operation of the "cross-flow" - and "dead-end" process.

1 denotes a kiln in which swollen grain or green malt is dried by heating and, if necessary, also roasted to produce dark beers. The resulting vapors are introduced via a suction line 1.1 , a suction pipe or the like into a collecting line 2 , which leads to a steam condenser 3 . The condensate 4 obtained therefrom is fed to a filter 5 . A porous inorganic material with a pore size or an average pore size of at most about 1 μm, preferably from about 0.001 μm to 0.2 μm, is used as filter 5 .

The filter 5 separates into a water fraction 6 and a retentate 7 . The water fraction 6, which is practically made of pure water, ie no mineral components, is available at the outlet 8 of the filter 5 . The retentate 7 is flushed out at the outlet 9 in the flow-through method. When using the so-called "dead-end" method, the retentate 7 can be rinsed out of the drain 9 during the cleaning process.

The hardened malt 10 is crushed in a grist mill 11 , fed to a mash tun 12 and a mash pan 13 and mixed there with water. The mash obtained is heated in a controlled manner, the starch of the malt being converted into maltose. The vapors or vapors generated in this way are fed via a respective suction line 12.1 or 13.1 to the manifold 2 and thus to the steam condenser 3. The condensate 4 obtained is likewise introduced into the filter 5 .

After completion of this process, the wort 14 obtained is conveyed into a lauter tun 15 in which the insoluble malt constituents are sieved out and removed as spent grains 16 . Also in this case, the vapors emitted by a suction line 15.1 and the bus 2 are fed to the steam condenser. 3 The condensate 4 obtained is then filtered in the filter 5 .

The wort 14.1 separated from the spent grains 16 is then conveyed into a seasoning pan 17 , hops and possibly with other ingredients are added, and for example boiled for 1 to 4 hours and brought to a desired original wort content. Valuable hop components dissolve in the wort pan 17 and the protein present in the wort coagulates, the existing enzymes are inactivated and the wort is sterilized. The resulting vapors, the so-called swaths 18 , are fed to the collecting line 2 via the suction line 17.1 , condensed in the steam condenser 3 and filtered in the filter 5 .

After the boiling process has ended and the original wort content has been reached, the boiled wort or broth 14.2 is passed into the whirlpool 19 and cooled. In addition, there is a rough separation, namely the separation of hop residues and protein coagulate. There is also still a small amount of steam 22 which is passed via a suction line 19.1 into the collecting line 2 and into the steam condenser 3 .

The cooled, coarsely cleaned wort or the brew 14.3 is mixed with yeast after fine filtering in the fine filter 20 or optionally in a separator 20.1 as a filtrate 21 in a manner known per se and fermented, the yeast is pressed and the beer obtained is further processed.

The condensate 4 fed to the filter 5 mainly contains pure water without salts and volatile wort ingredients, for example in the form of long-chain to short-chain aromatic hop oils and resins, such as esters, ketones, terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, furans, alkanes or the like The condensate 4 contains about 100 mg / l to 300 mg / l total carbon, which corresponds to about 1.5 g to 2.0 g of organic matter. As a result, the condensate 4 is still so contaminated that it cannot be reused as process water.

In the ultrafiltration or microfiltration process according to the invention with the inorganic filter 5 with a maximum pore size of about 1 μm, in particular from about 0.001 μm to 0.2 μm, the contaminants mentioned in the condensate 4 are removed to such an extent that the water content 6 continues to be used water can be used. For example, the water portion 6 can be used via a service water line 23 for cleaning bottles in a bottle washing machine 24 , for cleaning barrels in a barrel cleaning system 25 , for cleaning bottle crates in a CIP system 26 (Cleaning in Place) or the like . It is particularly advantageous here that the water fraction 6 obtained from the filter 5 contains no mineral salts. This means that cleaning can be carried out with a considerably lower proportion of cleaning agents than when non-demineralized fresh water is used.

According to a further very advantageous embodiment of the invention, the water fraction 6 obtained by ultrafiltration or microfiltration in the filter 5 can be freed of its short-chain residual substances, which are not separated by the ultrafiltration or microfiltration, by prior to introduction into the process water line 23 is subjected to a reverse osmosis process or an adsorption process by activated carbon in a process plant 27 . The permeate 6.1 obtained in this way can then be fed to the mash tun 12 , the mash pan 13 or the boiler house as boiler feed water instead of fresh water 28 or as an admixture to the fresh water 28 . This greatly relieves the pressure on the desalination system required for normal tap water, since the permeate 6.1 is practically distilled and is therefore already desalinated.

Metal or ceramic filters can be used as filters 5 for the ultra or microfiltration process. An embodiment in the form of a rod or tube with a lattice or honeycomb cross section is particularly advantageous, the condensate 4 being introduced on one end face 29 ( FIGS. 2 and 3) of the filter 5 , preferably under pressure. The filtering can be carried out according to the "cross-flow" method in that the retentate 7 on the opposite end face 30 of the filter 5 is discharged and the water portion 6 exits radially through the grid or honeycomb walls 31 . The Durchflußge speed is controlled so that the retentate 7 has the desired concentration. Basically, flat membranes can also be used as filters made from the materials specified above. The rod-shaped or tubular filters 5 described can also be provided with round, star-shaped or similarly shaped channels.

In the filter 5 , a number of parallel and spaced-apart channels are formed as filter channels 32 , in that they are closed on the two end faces 29 and 30 by the same or a similar material as that of the filter 5 or by another suitable sealing material 5.1 . At the outlet end, these filter channels 32 are open to the outside through slots 34 made in the filter outer wall 33 . The water portion 6 emerges through these slots 34 .

When using the "dead-end" method, the second end face of the filter 5 is also closed. The filtrate then emerges radially and the retentate 7 settles in the filter 5 and has to be cleaned from time to time, for example by washing out or the like.

Porous metal, for example sintered metal or porous ceramic, can be used as the material for the filter 5 . In particular, a porous membrane material can be used for the filter 5 , which is applied to a carbon support base. These materials have the advantage over the previously used membrane filters on an organic basis that they can be cleaned with strongly oxidizing cleaning agents which would decompose an organic membrane. If necessary, cleaning can even be carried out by an annealing process.

When using ceramic material, this can preferably be done consist of cordierite or built on it as a base be. It is also possible to use other metal oxides alone or in Form of mixed oxides or mixtures to use with each other. The metal oxides of aluminum are particularly suitable for this, Titan, silicon and magnesium.

It is understood that not all vapors from all process stages condensed and subjected to ultra or microfiltration need to be used, for example if the amount of steam is low is compared to the amount of steam, such as in Boiling occurs.  

Also, not all vapors have to be fed to the common steam condenser 3 and the filter 5 via the manifold 2 . Rather, two or three suction lines can also be combined and a separate steam condenser can be provided for each of these associated collecting lines. Preferably dashed could also, as shown in Fig. 1 indicated for each process stage 1, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19 or the like. Each intake pipe 1.1, 12.1, 13.1, 15.1, 17.1, 19.1 or the like. A separate steam condenser 3.1, 3.12 , 3.13 , 3.15 , 3.17 , 3.19 or the like are provided and the condensate obtained in each case could be via the collecting line 2 or via a separate line 2.1 , 2.12 , 2.13 , 2.15 , 2.17 , 2.19 or the like. The filter 5 or separate filters 5 are supplied.

Under the name "Ultrafiltration" here is a Filtration process understood with average Filter pore sizes from approx. 0.001 µm to approx. 0.01 µm works.

Under the name "microfiltration" here is a Filtration process understood with average Filter pore sizes from approx. 0.01 µm to approx. 1 µm works.

The functioning of the "cross-flow" and the "dead-end" method is finally briefly described with reference to FIGS . 4a and 4b.

In the "cross-flow" process, the raw water is extracted using the Pump P1 from tank T1 back through the filter pumped into the tank T1. With the pressure control valve V1 pressure and overflow speed can be regulated. It there is a constant circulation circuit above the filter. The clear water (permeate) passes through the filter and leaves the module. The contaminants are on the filter restrained and accordingly by the circulation concentrated.  

In the "dead-end" process, the raw water is pumped P1 pumped from the tank T1 into the module from below. The Valve V4 is open. The valves V2 and V3 are closed sen.

The clear water (permeate) passes through the filter and leaves the module.

The contaminants stick to the filter and accumulate. However, there is no exit. After a certain time, so many contaminants have accumulated in the module that the permeate output is significantly reduced. Then there is a flushing (flushing out the contaminants from the module) according to the following procedure:
Pump P1 stops;
Valve V4 is closed;
Valves V2 and V3 are opened.

The module is now reversed, i.e. H. from above downwards, with rinsing liquid flowing through it, so that the Contaminants detached from the filter and via valve V3 be carried out. This takes only a few seconds. Then the system returns to the production state.

Claims (12)

1. A method of disposing of the vapors formed during the drying or kilning of malt and / or during the brewing of beer by heating or boiling, characterized in that they are condensed, the condensate ( 4 ) by an ultra or microfiltration process (UF / MF) in a filter ( 5 ) made of organic material with an average pore size of at most 1 µm into a water fraction ( 6 ) and into a retentate ( 7 ) and returns the process water to the malting and / or brewing operation. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the average pore size 0.001 µm to 0.2 µm is. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that from the water portion ( 6 ) before its further use, further residual substances are separated by a reverse osmosis process and the permeate ( 6.1 ) thus obtained is used directly or together with the fresh water ( 28 ) required in each case . 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that from the water portion ( 6 ) before its further use further residual substances are filtered out by an adsorption process with an activated carbon filter ( 27 ) and the permeate ( 6.1 ) it holds directly or together with the fresh water required in each case ( 28 ) begins. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a filter ( 5 ) made of porous ceramic is used. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized characterized in that a filter made of porous metal starts. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a filter ( 5 ) made of porous membrane material is used, which is applied to a carbon carrier base. 8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that a rod or tubular filter element is used, the cross section of which has a lattice or honeycomb structure and that the same to be treated condensate ( 4 ) on one end face ( 29 ) initiates, the filter ( 5 ) being flowed through essentially in the direction of the rod and the permeate ( 6.1 ) or the water portion ( 6 ) exiting radially through the grid or honeycomb walls. 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the retentate ( 7 ) on the other end face ( 30 ) of the filter ( 5 ) emerges and the concentration of the retentate ( 7 ) is adjusted by regulating the flow rate. 10. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized characterized in that a ceramic as a filter material the base of cordierite and / or at least one metal oxides or compounds or mixtures of several metal oxides of aluminum, titanium, silicon or magnesium.   11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized characterized in that the ultra or microfiltration after the "cross-flow" process. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized characterized in that the ultra or microfiltration after the "dead-end" procedure.