WO2005040329A1 - Lauter tun, and method for operating a lauter tun - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a lauter tun (01, 15, 20) for running off beer wort (09). Said lauter tun (01, 15, 20) comprises a false bottom (05, 16, 21) for retaining the cake of spent grains (07), which is used as a filtering layer. The false bottom (05, 16, 21) is provided with a plurality of perforations through which the wort (09) that is filtered in the cake of spent grains (07) can flow off. The inventive lauter tun further comprises a bottom (03) which is disposed at least at a small distance below the false bottom (05, 16, 21). The lauter tun bottom (03) is provided with collection ports (10) encompassing lauter pipes (11) which are connected thereto and through which the wort (09) that is collected in the intermediate space (04) between the false bottom (05, 16, 21) and the lauter tun bottom (03) can flow out of the lauter tun (01, 15, 20). At least one adjustable flow-directing element (05, 16, 22) is arranged on the lauter tun (01, 15, 20). The current in the flow zone of the collection ports (10) can be influenced by adjusting said flow-directing element.

Description

 Lauter tun and method for operating a lauter tun

The invention relates to a lauter tun for the purification of wort according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a lauter tun.

Generic lauter tuns are used to purify beer wort. In the context of the production process for the production of beer, the refining process is one of the most important process steps. During the refining process, the wort is separated from the coarse substances contained in it, in particular grain husks. For this separation, a filter layer is used, which is formed from the coarse matter contained in the mash and which is to be referred to as spent cake. So that this spent grain cake can form in the lauter tun, a false bottom with a large number of passage openings is provided above the lauter tun bottom. While the wort contained in the mash flows down through the passage openings contained in the false floor, the coarse materials contained in the mash, in particular the grain fur, are retained and thereby form above the false floor the spent cake required for filtering. The filter effect improves with increasing thickness of this spent cake.

The filtered wort collects below the false floor in the space between the false floor and the lauter tun floor. In order to be able to remove the filtered wort from the lauter tun, collection openings with connected lauter tubes are provided in the lauter tun floor.

A main aspect of the refining process is the compaction of the spent cake. If the spent cake is densified too much, the flow resistance in the spent cake increases very much, so that the wort contained in the mash no longer drains sufficiently well. Since the refining performance thus decreases significantly, in such cases the over-compaction of the spent cake is a deep cut with the chopper required to loosen up the spent cake again. However, it is disadvantageous when performing a deep cut that after a deep cut the wort is first filtered with higher turbidity values.

Based on this prior art, it is the object of the present invention to propose a new lauter tun with which the refining process can be further optimized. Another object of the present invention is to propose a method for operating such lauter tuns.

This object is achieved by a lauter tun or a method for operating such a lauter tun according to the teaching of the independent main claims.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Examinations on existing lauter tuns have shown that the compaction of the spent cake during the refining is not everywhere is the same size. Depending on the construction of the lauter tun, local areas of particularly strong compaction and local areas of less compaction can form in the spent cake. The refining performance of the lauter tun deteriorates overall as a result of the locally occurring strong compaction of the spent cake. Local chopping of the spent cake in the heavily compacted areas is not possible, however, since the whole machine can only be rotated through the entire spent cake. The investigations have also shown that the heavily compressed areas in the spent cake form precisely where the collecting openings are arranged in the lauter tun bottom below the false floor. The strong compaction of the spent cake in the area above the collection openings is based on the fact that the wort flowing out through the collection openings causes a suction effect, which can become very large depending on the distance to the collection opening. Due to the suction effect caused by the dynamic flow conditions in the collecting opening, there is an increase in the differential pressure between the wort above the spent cake and the draining wort below the spent cake. These local differential pressure peaks in turn result in the spent cake being compressed much more strongly in the area above the collecting openings than in the other surrounding areas.

In order to avoid these local peaks in the compression of the spent cake, the invention proposes to use an adjustable flow guide element, the adjustment of which can influence the flow in the flow area of the collecting opening. In other words, this means that the flow in the area of the collecting opening can be changed by the flow guide element in such a way that the local differential pressure peaks and the local maxima of the compression of the filter layer caused thereby are avoided or at least reduced. According to a first embodiment of the invention, the false floor itself serves as a flow guiding element for influencing the flow above the collecting openings. For this purpose, the false floor can be adjusted in height at least in some areas, so that the distance between the underside of the false floor and the collecting openings below it can be changed. A large distance between the false floor and collecting openings means that the pressure peaks caused by the dynamic flow in the collecting opening can largely dissipate within the wort located in the space between the lauter tun floor and the false floor, so that the pressure peaks do not become too strong on those above the false floor Marc cake work. As a result, it is possible for a corresponding influence on the filtration and refining behavior to be achieved by setting a large distance between the false floor and the lauter tun bottom for corresponding process sections, in particular the refining of the wort and the refining of the subsequent wastes.

The manner in which the adjustment of the false floor to adjust the distance between the false floor and lauter tun floor is realized in construction is basically arbitrary. According to a particularly simple embodiment, the false floor is supported on interchangeable support elements. The height of the support elements arranged between the false floor and lauter tun determines the distance to be set. To change the height setting of the false floor, it is necessary in this embodiment to replace support elements with a first height dimension with support elements with a second height dimension. This refitting of the lauter tun by replacing the support elements requires a sufficiently long changeover time and can therefore not be carried out while the brewing operation is running. The changeover is therefore usually only carried out if the lauter tun is set to a different type of beer or to different raw materials, for example. As an alternative to the use of exchangeable support elements, an adjusting device can also be provided on the lauter tun, with which the false bottom can be raised or lowered at least in regions before and / or during the lautering process. This embodiment has the advantage that the distance between the false floor and the lauter tun floor can also be adapted to the requirements of the different process phases during a single lautering process. While a particularly large distance between the false floor and the lauter tun floor is desirable during the purification of the wort or during the purification of the re-castings, in order to thereby avoid or reduce local compaction of the spent cake, there is a particularly small distance between in other process phases Lauter tun and false floors are an advantage. For example, before the mash is mashed in the lauter tun, it is desirable to set a particularly small distance between the false bottom and the lauter tun bottom, since the entire space between the false bottom and the lauter tun bottom must be filled with so-called reference water before mashing. However, the greater the amount of the feed water, the more the concentration of the filtered wort is reduced in this process phase. Even while cleaning the lauter tun, a particularly small distance between the false floor and the lauter tun floor is desirable in order to reduce the need for cleaning agents.

The adjusting device for height adjustment of the false floor can be driven mechanically, electrically, hydraulically and / or pneumatically.

In order to prevent that the purification is completely impossible if the height adjustment of the false floor fails, minimum spacers can be provided in the space between the false floor and the lauter tun floor. These minimum spacers establish a certain minimum distance between the false floor and the lauter tun floor in any case secured so that the lauter tun can continue to be used even if the height adjustment fails. It is particularly advantageous if the height of the minimum spacers can be changed so that the minimum distance secured by the minimum spacers can be adapted to different conditions.

As an alternative to the use of a height-adjustable false floor as a flow guide element, a flow obstacle is provided as a flow guide element according to a second embodiment of the invention, the flow obstacle being arranged in the space between the false floor and lauter tun floor. Due to the flow obstacle, the flow can be braked when the wort flows into the collecting opening, so that pressure peaks due to the suction effect occurring in the flow are avoided or reduced.

A particularly simple embodiment of the flow obstacle results if it is fixed in a fixed position in the space between the false floor and the collecting opening in the lauter tun floor. However, in order to be able to adapt the flow resistance of the flow obstacle to different boundary conditions, for example to the type of beer to be produced or the raw materials used, it is particularly advantageous if the flow resistance can be changed.

In order to be able to adjust the flow obstacle before and / or during the refining process, an adjustment device can be provided on the flow obstacle, which is driven, for example, electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically.

The design of the flow obstacle is basically arbitrary. According to a preferred embodiment, the flow obstacle is designed in the manner of a flow plate, which preferably extends essentially parallel to the lauter tun floor above the collecting opening. Through the flow plate Area of the spent cake that is located directly above the collecting opening, so that the pressure peaks arising in the collecting opening due to the suction effect cannot cause excessive local compression in the spent cake.

In its basic form, the flow plate has a closed surface, so that the draining wort is completely deflected at the top of the flow plate and can only flow into the collection openings from the side through the space between the bottom of the flow plate and the top of the lauter tun bottom.

In order not to allow the flow resistance of the flow plate to become too great or to ensure a minimum passage, the flow plate can have, as an alternative to the basic shape with a closed surface, recesses for the passage of the wort. This means that part of the wort can flow through the recesses directly into the collection openings from above.

In addition, an apron projecting downward in the direction of the false bottom can be provided on the flow plate in order in this way to reduce the passage cross section between the underside of the flow plate and the top of the lauter tun bottom.

The basic idea of the method according to the invention for operating a lauter tun is that the flow guiding element for influencing the flow in the area above the collecting openings is adjusted from a first functional position to a second functional position before and / or during the lautering process.

This makes it possible, in particular, to make an adjustment before the start of the refining process, depending on the type of beer to be produced, so that the necessary flow geometry is set according to the original wort content. Furthermore, the adjustment can also take place as a function of the raw materials used, in particular as a function of the proportion of raw fruit or as a function of the proportion of undissolved or over-dissolved malt

According to a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, at least one condition parameter can be measured in the lauter tun with a sensor, the flow guide element being adjusted as a function of the sensor measured values. This makes it possible in particular to build control sections and control loops in which the flow guide element according to the invention serves as an actuating element for controlling or regulating a specific controlled variable.

In particular, when using the false floor as an adjustable flow element, the adjustment can also take place as a function of the different phases of the refining process.

Various embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawings and are explained below by way of example.

Show it:

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a lauter tun according to the invention with small support elements for supporting the false bottom in cross section.

FIG. 2 shows the lauter tun according to FIG. 1 with large support elements for supporting the false bottom in cross-section;

3 shows a second embodiment of a lauter tun according to the invention in cross section;

4 shows a third embodiment of a lauter tun according to the invention in cross section. The lauter tuns shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are only shown in schematic detail and only represent the parts of the lauter tun that are necessary for understanding the invention.

1 shows a lauter tun 01 with a cylindrical outer wall 02 and a lauter tun bottom 03 connected to the outer wall 02 in a liquid-tight manner. A false floor 05 is arranged above the lauter tun floor 03 to form an intermediate space 04. The false floor 05 has a large number of recesses, which can be formed, for example, by a lattice structure. Interchangeable support elements 06 are provided for storing the false bottom 04 in the lauter tun 02, which are arranged between the lauter tun bottom 03 and the false bottom 05. The height of the support elements 06 determines the distance between the lauter tun floor 03 and the false floor 04 and, as a result, the volume of the intermediate space 04.

During the refining process, a spent cake 07 is formed above the false bottom 05, which serves as a filter layer. The mash 08 entered into the lauter tun 01 is filtered as it passes through the spent cake 07 and the false bottom 05 and reaches the intermediate space 04 as filtered wort 09. The filtered wort 09 flows from the intermediate space 04 through collecting openings 10 and the refined tubes 11 connected to them downwards, so that the filtered wort 09 can be processed further in a downstream process stage.

2 schematically shows the lauter tun 01 during another refining process using other raw materials. These others

When refining, raw materials form a spent cake 12, which has a different structure than the spent cake 06, which is shown schematically in FIG. 2. Due to its different structure, the spent cake 12 tends to densify more easily, so that if the suction effect in the collecting openings is too great, 10 local compression maxima can occur in the spent cake 12. In order to avoid an impermissibly high compression of the spent cake 12 in the area immediately above the collecting openings 10, the support elements 06 initially used (see FIG. 1) are exchanged for other support elements 13 during the conversion. This requires retrofitting the lauter tun 01. Since the support elements 13 are higher than the support elements 06, the distance between the false floor 05 and the lauter tun floor 04 and thus also the volume of the intermediate space 04 is increased. This enlargement has the effect that the suction effect in the collecting opening 10 is reduced to such an extent that the pressure differences resulting from the suction effect do not cause an inadmissibly high compression of the spent cake 12 in the area immediately above the collecting opening 10.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment 15 of a lauter tun according to the invention. Again, a liquid-tight space is formed by the outer wall 02 and the lauter tun floor 03, collecting openings 10 with lauter tubes 11 connected to them being provided in the lauter tun floor 03. A false floor 16 is supported on stamps 18 which are height-adjustable with hydraulic cylinders 17. This makes it possible to adjust the height of the false floor 16 during the different phases of the refining process. Before mashing the mash 08, the false floor is moved into its lowest position in order to have to fill the space 04 between the false floor 16 and the lauter tun floor 03 with as little feed water as possible. Even when cleaning the lauter tun 16 after completion of the actual lautering process, the false floor 16 is moved to its lowest position in order to use as little cleaning agent as possible.

During the refining process, particularly when the wort is being refined or the spills are refining, the false floor 16 is moved into a higher position in order to compact too much due to the greater distance between the false floor 16 and the lauter tun floor 03. to prevent ten of the spent cake 07 due to the suction effect in the collecting openings 10. To regulate the height of the false floor 16, for example, the differential pressure in the collecting opening 10 can be measured in comparison to the normal pressure in the mash 08, the height of the false floor 16 being changed depending on this differential pressure in accordance with the selected control characteristic.

On the underside of the false floor 16, minimum spacers 19 are fastened, by means of which a complete placement of the false floor 16 on the lauter tun floor 03 is excluded. This ensures that even if the drive cylinder 17 fails or malfunctions, there is a certain minimum distance between the false floor 16 and the lauter tun floor 03, this minimum distance having to be at least large enough that a proper lautering process can be carried out at any time.

4 shows a third embodiment 20 of a lauter tun according to the invention in cross section. A false floor 21 is fixed in position above the lauter tun floor 03, for example by inserting false bottom segments into a supporting frame, and connects laterally to the outer wall 02 of the lauter tun 20. A flow obstacle 22 is arranged in the flow area of the filtered wort 09 above the collecting openings 10. The flow obstacle 22 is formed in the form of a flow plate in the embodiment shown. A downwardly projecting apron 23 is attached all round to the flow plate 22, which bypasses the flow of the wort and at the same time ensures a certain minimum distance between the flow plate 22. As an alternative to the apron 23, minimum spacers can also be provided on the flow plate 22. The flow in the region of the collecting openings 10 can be deflected and braked by the flow obstacle 22 in order to reduce the suction effect and the pressure peaks thereby acting on the spent cake. The flow obstacle 22 is supported on several plungers 24, the height of which can be changed by means of pneumatic cylinders 25. Depending on the height of the flow obstacle 22, the flow resistance caused and the damping of the pressure peaks caused thereby changes. As an alternative to the embodiment shown,

Adjustment of the flow plate 22 can also be provided with only one pneumatic cylinder, which preferably engages in the middle of the flow plate 22. Instead of pneumatic cylinders, mechanical adjustment drives can of course also be used.

Claims

claims 1. lauter tun (01, 15, 20) for clarifying beer wort (09), with a false bottom (05, 16, 21) to retain the spent cake (07) serving as a filter layer, the false bottom (05, 16, 21) Has a large number of passage openings through which the wort (09) filtered in the spent cake (07) can flow, and a lauter tun bottom (03) which is arranged at least slightly apart below the false bottom (05, 16, 21), the lauter tun bottom (03) has collecting openings (10) with connected lauter tubes (11) through which the wort (09) collected in the intermediate space (04) between the false bottom (05, 16, 21) and the lauter tun bottom (03) from the lauter tun (01, 15 , 20) can flow out, characterized by the fact that at least one adjustable flow guide element (05, 16, 22) is provided on the lauter tun (01, 15, 20), by means of whose adjustment the flow in the flow area of the collecting openings (10) can be influenced , 2. lauter tun according to claim 1, characterized g ekennz ei chn et that the false bottom (05, 16) is at least partially height adjustable and thereby serves as an adjustable flow guide. 3. lauter tun according to claim 1 or 2, characterized g ekennz ei chn et that the distance between the false bottom (05, 16) and the lauter tun bottom (03) in a setting range from 5 mm to 100 mm, in particular in a setting range from 10 mm to 60 mm, is adjustable. 4. lauter tun according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized g ek ennz ei chnet that the false bottom (05) on interchangeable support elements (06, 13), which are arranged between the false bottom (05) and the lauter tun bottom (03), arranged support elements (06, 13) with different heights can be mounted in the lauter tun (01) for the height adjustment of the false floor (05). 5. lauter tun according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized g ek ennz ei chnet that on the lauter tun (15) a drive device (17, 18) is provided with which the false floor (16) before and / or during the lautering process at least in some areas can be raised and lowered. 6. lauter tun according to claim 5, characterized g ek ennz ei chnet that the drive device (17, 18) is driven electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically. 7. lauter tun according to claim 5 or 6, characterized e g ennz ei chnet that between the false bottom (16) and lauter tun bottom (03) at least one minimum spacer (19) is provided, the height of a certain minimum distance between the false bottom (16) and the lauter tun bottom (03 ) corresponds. 8. lauter tun according to claim 7, characterized gekennz ei chnet that the height of the minimum spacer (19) is changeable. 9. lauter tun according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized g ekennz ei chnet that as a flow guide for influencing the flow in the flow area of the collecting openings (10) flow obstacles (22) are provided, which in the space (04) between the false floor (21) and Lauter tun bottoms (03) are each arranged in and / or above the associated collecting opening (10). 10. lauter tun according to claim 9, characterized e g ennz ei chnet that the flow resistance caused by the flow obstacle (22) is variable. 11. lauter tun according to claim 10, characterized gekennz ei chnet that the flow obstacle (22) is adjustable to change the flow resistance caused. 12. lauter tun according to claim 11, characterized gekennz ei chnet that an adjustment device (24, 25) is provided on the flow obstacle (22) with which the flow obstacle (22) can be adjusted before and / or during the lautering process. 13. lauter tun according to claim 12, characterized gekennz ei chnet that the adjusting device (24, 25) is mechanically driven electrically, hydraulically and / or pneumatically. 14. lauter tun according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized g ekennz e i chn et that the flow obstacle is designed in the manner of a flow plate (22). 15. lauter tun according to claim 14, characterized g ek ennz e i chn et that the flow plate (22) is arranged to run substantially parallel to the lauter tun bottom (03). 16. lauter tun according to claim 14 or 15, characterized g ekennz e i chn et that the flow plate has a closed surface. 17. lauter tun according to claim 14 or 15, characterized g ekennz e i chn et that the flow plate (22) has recesses for passage of the wort. 18. lauter tun according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized g ekennz ei chn et that arrangement and shape of the recesses in the flow plate (22) substantially correspond to the arrangement and shape of the recesses in the false floor (21), in particular that the flow plate is produced from a false floor element, the flow plate (22) being able to be arranged below the false floor (21) such that the recesses in the flow plate (22) and the recesses in the false floor (21) are approximately aligned with one another in the direction of flow. 19. lauter tun according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that at least one minimum spacer is provided on the flow plate or on the lauter tun bottom, the height of which corresponds to a certain minimum distance between the flow plate and the lauter tun bottom. 20. lauter tun according to one of claims 15 to 19, characterized g ek ennz ei chn et that the flow plate (22) has an apron (23) protruding downwards in the direction of the lauter tun bottom. 21. A method for operating a lauter tun according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the flow guide element (16, 22) for influencing the flow in the flow region of the collecting openings (10) before and / or during the Refining process is shifted from a first functional position into a second functional position. 22. The method according to claim 21, characterized g ek ennz ei chn et that the adjustment of the flow guide element (16, 22) takes place depending on the type of beer to be produced according to the respective original wort content. 23. The method according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the flow guide element (16, 22) is adjusted as a function of the raw materials used, in particular as a function of the proportion of raw fruit or as a function of the proportion of undissolved or undissolved malt , 24. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that at least one condition parameter is measured with a sensor in the lauter tun (15, 20) and the flow guide element (16, 22) is adjusted as a function of the sensor measured values. 25. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 24, characterized in that the adjustment of the flow guide element (16, 22) takes place as a function of the different phases of a refining process. 26. The method according to claim 25, characterized in that the false bottom (16) serves as an adjustable flow guiding element and a high position of the false bottom (16) is approached when the wort is cleaned and / or the spills are cleaned. 27. The method according to claim 25 or 26, characterized gekennz ei chnet that the false bottom (16) serves as an adjustable flow guide and when filling the lauter tun (15) with feed water a low position of the false bottom (16) is approached. 28. The method according to any one of claims 25 to 27, characterized gekennz ei chnet that the false bottom (16) serves as an adjustable flow control element and before and / or when draining the smooth water a low position of the false bottom (16) is approached. 9. The method according to any one of claims 25 to 28, characterized in that the false bottom (16) serves as an adjustable flow guide element and before and / or when cleaning the lauter tun (15) a low position of the false bottom (16) is approached.