Process and apparatus for recovering energy and / or saving energy during brewing of a brewing liquid

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for recovering energy and / or saving energy during brewing of a brewing liquid, which method comprises the following steps: a) introducing a brewing liquid into a wort boiler (W) via a dephlegmator (20), which brewing liquid is heated to a temperature (TA), brewing liquid flowing through the dephlegmator (20) at least in regions and / or partially; and b) boiling, evaporating and / or vaporising the brewing liquid in the wort boiler (W), the brewing liquid having a temperature (TS) and the temperature (TA) being at most 30 K, preferably at most 10 K, lower than the temperature (TS); and c) condensing the vapours created during the boiling, evaporating and / or vaporising of the brewing liquid in step b) in a rectification column (D), which comprises at least one column plate (B), and the dephlegmator (20). The invention also relates to an apparatus (100) for recovering energy and / or saving energy when brewing a brewing liquid.

Description

[0001] 'Method and device for energy recovery and / or energy saving during brewing of a brewing liquid'

[0002] The invention relates to a method and a device for energy recovery and / or energy saving when brewing a brewing liquid according to the preamble of the independent claims.

[0003] Brewing a brewing liquid, such as beer, a beer intermediate, and / or a fermentation product, is an energy-intensive process in which steam is primarily used for heating and boiling. Fossil fuels are predominantly burned to generate steam, which results in the emission of climate-damaging carbon dioxide. Various brewing methods are known for this purpose, such as internal boilers or external boilers in wort kettles, for example, from published patent application DE 29 3 1 854 A1.

[0004] It is therefore not surprising that a large number of processes and devices are known from the prior art, particularly for reducing energy costs, which represent a significant cost factor in brewing. For example, patent specification EP 1 769 062 B1 describes a wort boiling process with a rectification column and a dephlegmator, in which the wort to be boiled is fed batchwise and discontinuously to a wort kettle and boiled therein during a boiling phase at a boiling temperature essentially determined by the composition of the wort and the pressure conditions for a predetermined boiling time. The wort kettle is connected on the steam side to a buoyancy column, in which the wort steam escaping during this boiling phase is rectified in countercurrent with the condensing steam condensate.The recovered residual heat is fed into other process steps in the brewing process by means of a cooling / heating circuit.

[0005] Although the wort boiling process described in patent EP 1 769 062 B1 leads to a reduction in total evaporation and a shortening of the process time, the reduction in process time leads to an increase in the dimethyl sulfide (DMS) precursor (DMSP) in the finished wort due to a lack of thermal conversion. Furthermore, the use of water as an intermediate heat storage medium results in the disadvantage of low efficiency due to multiple transfer losses and storage losses.

[0006] Patent EP 1 807 499 B1 describes a complete fractional boiling process with separate vessels and separate treatment of the individual fractions, allowing the lauter wort to be treated differently according to its different properties. However, this approach requires additional containers for fractionating the wort.

[0007] Furthermore, patent EP 2 190 971 B1 describes a process for aroma recovery using a rectification column, in which the wort to be boiled can be introduced into the wort kettle either discontinuously or continuously. In this regard, a cooling unit at the end of the rectification column is mentioned for recovering residual heat, which can be used, for example, in other brewing processes. Another disadvantage of the described process is its low efficiency due to transfer losses and storage losses.

[0008] Furthermore, rectification in the form of a stripping process is known from the prior art, for example from European patent application EP 0 751 985 A1. Here, wort is continuously fed to a rectification column and stripped with steam in countercurrent. However, this process is completely continuous and therefore complex and not economical for small and medium-sized breweries. A similar rectification is known from European patent specification EP 0 873 395 B1. Here, the wort is finely distributed and treated with steam or inert gas in countercurrent, which requires a complex additional vessel and an additional steam or gas supply to provide the stripping gas. This requires additional energy consumption.

[0009] There is therefore a great need for a process and device for energy recovery and / or energy savings during the brewing of a brewing liquor in a brewery, which enables sufficient thermal conversion of the brewing liquor and ensures the required expulsion of undesirable aroma substances in a simple, reliable, precise, and energy-optimized manner. Furthermore, the process and device should achieve improved energy efficiency while simultaneously shortening the process time. Furthermore, the process and device should be cost-effective, operate reliably, be individually adaptable to the conditions at the installation site, and be retrofittable accordingly.The invention therefore has for its object to provide a method and a device for energy recovery and / or energy saving during the brewing of a brewing liquid in a brewery in order to overcome the above-mentioned difficulties and, above all, to reduce the cleaning, maintenance and / or repair-related work to a minimum in order to thereby reduce the downtime of the device and the resulting costs to a minimum.

[0010] This object is achieved in a surprisingly simple but effective manner by a method for energy recovery and / or energy saving during brewing of a brewing liquid and a corresponding device according to the teaching of the independent main claims.

[0011] According to the invention, a method for energy recovery and / or energy saving during the brewing of a brewing liquor is proposed, which comprises the following steps: a) introducing a brewing liquor heated to a temperature TA via a dephlegmator into a wort kettle, wherein the brewing liquor flows through at least part of the dephlegmator and / or sections thereof; and b) boiling, evaporating and / or vaporizing the brewing liquor in the wort kettle, wherein the brewing liquor has a temperature Ts and wherein the temperature TA is a maximum of 30 K, preferably a maximum of 10 K, lower than the temperature Ts; and c) precipitating the vapor produced during the boiling, evaporation and / or vaporization of the brewing liquor in step b) on a rectification column having at least one column tray and on the dephlegmator.

[0012] The process according to the invention is based on the fundamental idea that by using a dephlegmator cooled with brewing liquor to be heated and starting the wort boil before the brewing liquor is completely pumped into the wort kettle, indirect fractionation of the boiling and / or evaporation can be ensured. Because the brewing liquor, especially the first wort, is added to the wort kettle earlier, it is subject to greater thermal conversion and the expulsion of undesirable aromatic substances than subsequent wort fractions. It has been recognized that wort qualities that are the first to be produced after lautering and require increased thermal conversion are thus subjected to sufficient thermal treatment.Subsequent wort qualities require low thermal conversion and receive reduced thermal treatment through the process, thus ensuring sufficient thermal conversion of the entire brewing liquor. Furthermore, the continuous boiling, evaporation, and / or vaporization of the brewing liquor, the precipitation of the vapor in the dephlegmator, and the rectification, including energy recovery, ensure the required and sufficient removal of undesirable aroma substances within the process.

[0013] Within the scope of the invention, it has further been recognized that the use of the dephlegmator ensures that all / most of the energy required for boiling, evaporating, and / or vaporizing the brewing liquor is recovered and used directly to heat the brewing liquor in the same batch. In this way, the overall evaporation can be minimized with the process according to the invention, so that the efficiency of this process is significantly higher than with comparable energy storage systems, especially since an intermediate storage medium is no longer required. This is based on the recognition that all rising vapors are precipitated at the dephlegmator, and only when the dephlegmator is no longer cooled by the introduced brewing liquor does brewing liquor evaporate, which is included in the overall evaporation.However, undesirable aromas have already been removed from the brewing liquor by the preceding rectification and concentrated in the rectification column, so that the total evaporation only accounts for the portion needed to remove these aromas present in the column. Therefore, wort boiling can begin before the mash has been completely lautered. This results in an overall time saving for the brewing process. Ideally, the thermal treatment of the brewing liquor (wort boiling) can take place at the same time, or almost at the same time, as the end of wort extraction in the lautering system.

[0014] In the first step, a brewing liquid heated directly and immediately via a dephlegmator to a temperature TA is introduced into a wort kettle, whereby the introduction of the brewing liquid takes place continuously or discontinuously, preferably continuously. Due to the continuous introduction of the brewing liquid into the wort kettle with rectification column, the time in which the brewing liquid is preheated is extended, so that the temperature TA is significantly higher. The brewing liquid is preheated via the dephlegmator of the rectification column and, in parallel, ensures a backflow in the column. Within the scope of the invention, it has been recognized that the energy and heat input into the brewing liquid can be direct and immediate, ieprimarily, from the present method and / or process, which further contributes to an increase in the temperature TA due to unnecessary transfer and / or intermediate storage losses, as present in an energy storage system. Furthermore, it is essential that the brewing liquor flows through the dephlegmator at least in certain areas and / or sections and evenly, and that the dephlegmator is connected to the wort kettle in an energy- and / or heat-transferring manner using measures known to a person skilled in the art, so that the temperature TA of the brewing liquor is essentially constant.

[0015] In the next step, the brewing liquid flowing from the lautering system or pre-run tank according to the state of the art, such as wort or beer wort, is at least partially or completely boiled, evaporated and / or vaporized in the wort kettle for the inactivation of enzymes, for the coagulation of the proteins contained, for the isomerization of the hop bitter substances, for the adjustment of the original wort, for the evaporation of undesirable aromatic substances and / or for the sterilization of the brewing liquid, whereby the resulting total evaporation and / or vaporization is at most 1.5% mas, preferably at most 1.4% mas, 1.3% mas, 1.2% mas, 1.1% mas, 1.0% mas, 0.9% mas, 0.8% mas, 0.7% mas, 0.6% mas, 0.5% mas, 0.4% mas, 0.3% mas, 0.2% mas or 0.1% mas. It is understandable to a person skilled in the art that the brewing liquid in the wort kettle is preferably partially evaporated and / or evaporated.This evaporation / evaporation is the total evaporation and / or vaporization measurable externally. Due to the constant evaporation and condensation in the rectification system, internal evaporation is many times higher, which is why the system's very good evaporation efficiency is evident. A person skilled in the art will be familiar with the difference, particularly the related temperature difference, taking into account the pressure prevailing in the wort kettle and the composition of the brewing liquor, between boiling (i.e., heating a liquid up to and at its boiling point), evaporation (i.e., the transition of liquid particles into the gas phase at temperatures below the liquid's boiling point), and vaporization (i.e., the conversion of liquid particles into the gas phase by boiling).It has been recognized as essential that the brewing liquid has a temperature Ts and that the temperature TA of the brewing liquid is a maximum of 30 K, preferably a maximum of 29 K, 28°K, 27°K, 26°K, 25°K, 24°K, 23 °K, 22°K, 21 °K, 20°K, 19 K, 18°K, 17°K, 16°K, 15°K, 14°K, 13 °K, 12°K, 11 °K, 10°K, 9 K, 8°K, 7°K, 6°K, 5 °K, 4°K, 3 °K, 2°K or 1 °K, lower than the temperature Ts. This means that exactly the amount of heat and / or energy required to heat the brewing liquid subsequently flowing through the dephlegmator is transferred by the rising vapor, so that the temperature Ts essentially corresponds to the temperature TA. Furthermore, it has been recognized that the extended and in-process heating of the brewing liquid in step a) results in a significantly higher temperature TA, so that the difference to the temperature Ts is significantly smaller than in prior art processes.This saves considerable energy costs, since the required energy has already performed one task, namely the thermal treatment of the brewing liquid in the wort kettle, and does not need to be temporarily stored. Furthermore, it is known to those skilled in the art that the temperature Ts depends on the pressure and medium, or rather the composition of the brewing liquid in the wort kettle, and lies between 50°C and 150°C, preferably between 70°C and 120°C, and particularly preferably between 90°C and 110°C.

[0016] The preferentially clarified brewing liquor of a batch is continuously fed into the wort kettle, heated, boiled, partially evaporated, and / or partially evaporated until all or at least the majority of the brewing liquor of the batch to be boiled, evaporated, and / or evaporated has been introduced (fed-batch). Upon first entering the wort kettle, the brewing liquor is boiled, partially evaporated, and / or partially evaporated. This can already occur during the lautering process. Once sufficient backpressure has been created in the column by the evaporation of the wort, the wort can be continuously fed at approximately boiling temperature directly into the rectification column. This may conceivably result in stripping the brewing liquor of undesirable aroma components.Aromas stripped from the brewing liquor and evaporated and / or vaporized continuously accumulate in the rectification section of the rectification column. As soon as all of the brewing liquor from the batch to be boiled, evaporated, and / or vaporized has been introduced, or even during the introduction, the wort is pumped into the rectification column via a riser pipe from the wort kettle. This can also strip the wort of unwanted aromatics and those formed during boiling. In the next step, the vapors produced during boiling, evaporation, and / or vaporization of the brewing liquor in step b) are precipitated in a rectification column, through which they are passed, and in the dephlegmator. At the top of the column, a (partial) condensation creates a countercurrent flow back into the rectification column.The (partial) condensation occurs when brewing liquor to be heated flows through the dephlegmator. When brewing liquor is used as a coolant, energy is recovered directly from the rising vapor. This increases the efficiency of energy recovery compared to a conventional energy concept with an energy storage tank. Furthermore, the undesirable aroma compounds contained in the brewing liquor are reliably, adequately, and as required. When brewing liquor to be heated is used as a coolant in the dephlegmator, the cooling effect stops due to a lack of coolant when the introduction of the brewing liquor to be boiled, evaporated, and / or vaporized stops. As soon as the cooling effect of the dephlegmator has stopped, the vapors enriched with aroma compounds are completely discharged from the column.It is also conceivable that the dephlegmator could be additionally flowed with another coolant (e.g. water) that is different from the brewing liquor and can then be used in other areas of the brewery. It is also conceivable that, after all the brewing liquor has been introduced, another condenser could be installed for precipitation, which operates with a different coolant than the brewing liquor. It is also conceivable that, as soon as no more brewing liquor is available as a coolant, the process could be terminated and the liquid fraction on the top tray, containing enriched, expelled, and / or stripped aroma components, could be discharged via a separate drain.

[0017] In the final step, the brewing of the brewing liquid is completed. Experts will understand that not all of the brewing liquid can be directed into the wort kettle, but that even the final fractions can be bypassed, as explained in detail elsewhere.

[0018] The term "process for energy recovery and / or energy savings during the brewing of a brewing liquor" refers to an energy-efficient, energy-saving process for brewing a brewing liquor in a brewery, in particular one that directly and immediately utilizes existing heat, waste heat, and / or energy from the process and / or the process to heat the brewing liquor, wherein the energy savings and / or energy recovery amounts to at least 30%, preferably at least 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, or 90%, based on processes known from the prior art and / or based on the total energy requirement of the process. Furthermore, it is conceivable to additionally utilize waste heat and / or energy from renewable and / or regenerable energy sources. Furthermore, it is possible to track the conditions and / or influences under which the process was carried out.The method according to the invention may include additional steps that occur after or between the explicitly listed essential steps a) to c). Furthermore, it is conceivable that individual steps may be repeated as often as desired. The method is preferably automatable.

[0019] The term "rectification column" is known to a person skilled in the art and relates to a process device for the thermal separation of mixtures, in which several distillation steps are arranged discretely or continuously in series by countercurrent flow of two phases, in particular a vapor phase and a liquid phase in direct contact with the vapor phase. The rectification column has at least one, preferably 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more, identically or differently designed column trays and is preferably arranged above and / or next to the wort kettle, placed on top of it and / or standing next to it, so that low total evaporation is achieved and energy can be saved. Furthermore, it is conceivable for the rectification column to be retrofittable and to be designed in one or more parts with the wort kettle and / or the dephlegmator.Conventional CIP systems can be used to clean the rectification column. Spray heads in the rectification column, which are arranged so that all surfaces can be cleaned, are particularly suitable. The tray design in the rectification column is arbitrary and can be selected from all known tray types, such as sieve trays and bubble-cap trays.

[0020] The term "dephlegmator" is familiar to those skilled in the art and refers to a condenser that condenses vapors / vapors and returns them to the brewing liquor in the wort kettle. This distinguishes it from the classic kettle vapor condenser, which condenses vapors and drains off the condensate. As a result, the dephlegmator, particularly in combination with a rectification column, achieves greater separation efficiency and removal of undesirable aromatic substances with a lower boiling point compared to water. The dephlegmator is connected to the rectification column using measures known to those skilled in the art and is preferably arranged above or at the upper end of the column. By using the dephlegmator with the brewing liquor to be heated as the cooling medium, the energy used can be transferred or recovered, whereby the energy transfer takes place within a brew or process and not between two brews or processes.Accordingly, the efficiency is also higher, since there is no need to store the energy temporarily.

[0021] It is conceivable that the brewing liquor is preheated from the lauter tun directly via the dephlegmator, then boiled, evaporated and / or vaporized and introduced in the next step. The advantage would be the increased AT at the dephlegmator, which could then be designed smaller. It is also conceivable to first preheat the brewing liquor via a heating system and then allow the remaining temperature increase to TA to take place via the dephlegmator. The disadvantage of this would be the lower AT at the dephlegmator and a corresponding increase in the heat exchange surfaces. A subcooled introduction of the brewing liquor into the rectification column would have the advantage of increased stripping effectiveness. It is also conceivable to first preheat the brewing liquor via the dephlegmator and then carry out the remaining temperature increase to TA using a heating system outside the wort kettle. The disadvantage of this would be the increased technical complexity.

[0022] The term "undesirable flavorings" is familiar to those skilled in the art and refers to the flavorings introduced into the brewing liquor via malt. Due to the large number of undesirable flavorings, dimethyl sulfide (DMS) has been established as the key component for simplified orientation. It has been recognized that with sufficient depletion of DMS, the remaining undesirable flavorings are also sufficiently depleted as required.

[0023] The process according to the invention enables indirect, fractional wort boiling of different qualities of brewing liquor, while simultaneously ensuring sufficient thermal conversion of the brewing liquor and, at the same time, ensuring the required removal of undesirable aromatic substances from it in a simple and reliable manner. The use of the dephlegmator, in which the brewing liquor is heated before it flows into the wort kettle, requires that the brewing liquor is continuously fed into the wort kettle after lautering while the wort boiling is already in progress. This results in different thermal loads for the different wort qualities. This corresponds to indirect fractional wort boiling.In addition, the energy and heat available in the process is used directly and immediately to heat the brewing liquid to be introduced into the wort kettle, thus avoiding the need for intermediate storage. This not only makes it possible to shorten the brewing process time, since wort boiling can begin even before lautering has been completed, but also to improve energy efficiency. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the process time is reduced, particularly by overlapping pumping times and other process steps. In this way, the process according to the invention offers an opportunity for the decarbonization of breweries and makes a significant contribution to environmental protection.Furthermore, its simplicity makes it possible to drastically reduce the downtime required for cleaning, maintenance, and / or repair, thus avoiding unnecessary downtime and / or costs. Furthermore, it is possible to replace and / or repair only the elements affected by cleaning, maintenance, and / or repair, thus significantly reducing costs.

[0024] Advantageous further developments of the invention, which can be implemented individually or in combination, are presented in the subclaims.

[0025] In a further development, it is conceivable that the method additionally comprises: d) recording at least one state value of at least one characteristic physical, mechanical and / or chemical property of the brewing liquor, the wort kettle, the dephlegmator and / or the rectification column in step a), b) and / or c), wherein the characteristic property is selected from the temperature, the quantity, the fill level, the weight, the volume, the viscosity, the electrical conductivity, the flow velocity, the volumetric flow, the pressure, the density, the duration, the time, the light transmittance, the light absorption, the color, the pH value, the chemical composition and the concentration. Furthermore, further properties not listed here are conceivable.Within the scope of the invention, it has been recognized that in order to recover energy and / or save energy when brewing a brewing liquor in a brewery, it is sufficient to record the change in at least one state value of at least one characteristic physical, mechanical and / or chemical property during the implementation of the process. It is irrelevant which state value of the characteristic property is involved or whether it is determined directly or indirectly. For example, it is conceivable to determine the temperature in the feed line of the brewing liquor to be heated into the dephlegmator and / or in the discharge line of the brewing liquor heated to temperature TA emerging from the dephlegmator. Furthermore, it is conceivable to determine the temperature of the brewing liquor in the rectification column, in the dephlegmator and / or in the wort kettle.It is also conceivable to determine the flow velocity in a line, such as the inlet and / or outlet of the dephlegmator and / or an energy source, and / or in pumps. It is also conceivable to perform a flow measurement and / or pressure measurement in the energy source inlet, in the inlet of the brewing liquid to be heated into the dephlegmator, and / or in the outlet of the brewing liquid exiting the dephlegmator. Furthermore, the pressure can also be determined in the wort kettle, in the rectification column, and / or in the dephlegmator.

[0026] The term "state value of at least one characteristic physical, mechanical, and / or chemical property" refers to a property essential to the brewing liquid, the wort kettle, the dephlegmator, and / or the rectification column, as well as other means involved in the process, in steps a), b), and / or c), by means of which a direct or indirect conclusion can be drawn about these, the process, and / or the progress of the process. For example, the temperatures TA and Ts are essential to ensure the required heating, boiling, evaporation, and / or vaporization of the brewing liquid, as well as the temperature Ts of the brewing liquid to guarantee and ensure corresponding legal and / or quality requirements for a brewing liquid, as described elsewhere.It is important that the state value is examined, known and / or defined with sufficient precision, in particular its change over the duration of the method and over time, preferably the progress of the method. The change can be represented, for example, but by no means exclusively, in a function as a trend with a method course and / or progress over time, for example in a linear function, a logarithmic function, an exponential function, a logistic function, a polygonal function and / or a mixture thereof. Within the scope of the invention, it is conceivable that step d) is repeated once, preferably twice, three times, four times, five times, six times, seven times, eight times, nine times, ten times, eleven times, twelve times, thirteen times, fourteen times, fifteen times or more often, under the same or different conditions.

[0027] It is also conceivable for the condition value to be recorded in combination with at least one further value for a factor relating to the composition, quantity and / or volume of the brewing liquid, the temperature, the pressure, the location, the material, the size and / or the conditions of use of the means used to carry out the process, even more preferably with values ​​for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 or more factors. This is due to the fact that the condition value is dependent on and / or can be influenced by various factors, the additional recording of which contributes to an improvement in the process for energy recovery and / or energy savings when brewing a brewing liquid in a brewery.For example, in this context, humidity, ambient pressure, ambient temperature, the materials used, and / or the brewing liquid are conceivable factors that can influence the state value. A person skilled in the art understands that detecting, ascertaining, and / or determining cannot generally be 100 percent accurate. The terms therefore refer to a statistically significant probability regarding the accuracy of detecting, ascertaining, and / or determining the state value or parameters, such as process parameters. Whether this is statistically significant can be determined by a person skilled in the art, without inventive activity, using methods known in the art. Examples include statistical evaluation tools such as determining the confidence interval, the p-value, the Student's st-test, the Mann-Whitney determination, etc.The corresponding intervals are at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% correct. The p-values ​​are preferably 0, 1, 0.05, 0.01, 0.005, or 0.0001. Preferably, the detection, ascertainment, and / or determination within the scope of the present invention is at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% correct.

[0028] In one embodiment, it is conceivable that in step d) 2 to 20, preferably 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, identical or different state values ​​of the same property or of a corresponding number of properties are recorded. For example, it is conceivable that several identical or different state values ​​are recorded. The recording of a further state value or a further state value different therefrom offers the advantage that a better approximation of the functional relationship of the change in the same can be achieved. The accuracy increases with an increasing number of recorded state values. A change can preferably be an improvement, a deterioration and / or a course, in particular a course over time, of these.It is conceivable that these values ​​could be incorporated, for example, by repeating individual or multiple steps, as described elsewhere. This would optimize and significantly increase energy recovery and / or energy savings.

[0029] In another embodiment, it is conceivable that the method additionally comprises: e) comparing the at least one state value recorded in step d) with a corresponding process parameter known to a person skilled in the art, a reference value and / or a temporally subsequent further state value.

[0030] The term “process parameter” is known to a person skilled in the art and refers to a value stored for the process, predefined, theoretical, fixed, mathematically and / or manually determined and / or empirically and / or manually assigned, for the temperature, quantity, fill level, weight, volume, viscosity, electrical conductivity, flow velocity, volumetric flow, pressure, density, duration, time, light transmittance, light absorption, color, pH value, chemical composition and concentration. It is conceivable that the process parameter or value is a historical value, a recipe value, an ideal value, an empirical value and / or a mixture thereof. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the process parameter or valuethe value is fixed or changeable during the execution of the procedure, for example by adaptation to the temporal change of the state value described elsewhere.

[0031] The term “reference value” refers to a framework condition to be observed for the procedure and / or process that is stored, fixed, determined, predefined, theoretical, mathematically and / or manually determined, empirically and / or manually assigned, historically conditioned and / or legally prescribed. The reference value, i.e. the framework condition to be observed, can in particular, but by no means exclusively, be a laboratory value, a database entry, a historical value, a recipe value, an ideal value, an empirical value and / or a mixture, and can be recorded before and / or at the start of the procedure and / or process. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the reference value defines a threshold value, which is preferably defined as the upper limit of the normal value of the state value under different conditions. The value of the upper limit of the normal value can be determined using various techniques well known to a person skilled in the art.

[0032] In this way, it is possible, based on the previous comparison, to detect the change in the state value, more preferably the change of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 or more, identical or different state values ​​and / or factors of the same property or corresponding multiple properties.

[0033] The term "comparison" refers to the comparison of state values ​​with each other, in particular with a corresponding process parameter, a reference value, or a subsequent state value. It is understood that a comparison, as used here, refers to a comparison of corresponding parameters and / or values. For example, it is conceivable that an absolute value is comparable with another absolute value, while a relative value is comparable with another relative value.

[0034] Within the scope of the invention, the comparison can be carried out manually and / or with computer support. For a computer-supported comparison, all means known to a person skilled in the art are conceivable, such as a computer and / or a computer program. A computer program can additionally evaluate the result of the comparison, for example, automatically provide an assessment of the recorded state values. It is also conceivable, for example, for step e) to be supported by an evaluation, analysis and / or evaluation unit. Preferably, the time at which the state value is recorded is taken into account in the comparison, so that based on the comparison, a prediction can be made as to how the value will change over time during the implementation of the method.This offers the advantage that a temporal change in these values ​​can be derived, determined, calculated mathematically and / or manually and / or determined empirically and / or manually, so that the temporal change in these values ​​can be saved and / or used as a process parameter or influences a process parameter.

[0035] Within the scope of the invention, it is understandable that the result of the comparison depends directly or indirectly on the state value. Thus, it is conceivable that a small and insignificant, a large and significant and / or no change in the state value in comparison with a corresponding process parameter, reference value, or a temporally subsequent further state value is indicative of the implementation and / or progress of the method. A change in the state value can preferably be an improvement, a deterioration and / or a course, in particular a course over time, of this. In this context, it is conceivable that the result of the comparison can be output as a time specification, for example in years, months, days, hours and / or minutes, as an absolute value and / or a relative value.

[0036] In this context, it is also conceivable that the result of the comparison is an extension of the temporal specification of the process. In this way, for example, conclusions can be drawn about the change in the state value of the respective process depending on the prevailing conditions. This offers the advantage that the condition influencing the state value can be determined and / or monitored.

[0037] Within the scope of the invention, it must be considered that all recorded and / or determined values, as well as the result of the determination and / or determination, depend significantly on the materials and / or means used for the determination and / or recording, the operating conditions of the means used to carry out the method, and / or the location of use. This is known to a person skilled in the art.

[0038] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the at least one state value, the further state value, the process parameter, and / or the reference value are recorded under essentially similar conditions. This significantly increases the accuracy of the comparison in step e), in particular by partially or completely excluding various factors on which the at least one state value depends and / or can be influenced, as described elsewhere.

[0039] The terms "essentially," "essentially constant," and "essentially similar" mean that there is only a minor, particularly insignificant, change, modification, and / or deviation from the relevant conditions. For example, it is conceivable that the change, modification, and / or deviation from the prevailing condition for performing the process is so minor that the process can still be performed despite the change, modification, and / or deviation. This means that it has no or an insignificant effect on the process.

[0040] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the at least one state value, the further state value, the process parameter and / or the reference value are recorded under different conditions. Recording under different conditions, i.e. under differing conditions, makes it possible to determine the dependence and / or influence of the at least one state value on various factors, such as temperature, pressure, humidity, quantity, volume and / or chemical composition of the brewing liquid, size, material and / or design of the means used to carry out the process. This, in turn, influences the efficiency of the process, for example by avoiding or eliminating these factors in whole or in part.

[0041] In a further development, it is conceivable that the process parameter is selected from a stored, predefined, theoretical, set, computationally and / or manually determined and / or empirically and / or manually assigned value of the characteristic property.

[0042] It is conceivable that the method additionally comprises: f) representing steps c), d) and / or e).

[0043] By means of this embodiment, it is possible to represent the at least one state value recorded and / or compared in steps d) and / or e), individually or in comparison with one another or in comparison with others, numerically and / or graphically, in order to simplify the understanding of the recording and / or comparison. Furthermore, it is possible to represent the precipitation of the vapors produced during boiling, evaporation and / or vaporization in the rectification column and the dephlegmator, for example as a percentage and / or as a quantity, and to represent the utilization of the rectification column. Suitable means for displaying an output of a value are known to a person skilled in the art. Step h) can be supported by an output unit.

[0044] Furthermore, it is conceivable that steps a), b), c), d), e), and / or f) are controlled and / or regulated, for example, by means of a control and / or regulating unit, in order to simplify and / or automate the process while making the best possible use of the heat and energy available in the process. Suitable means are known to a person skilled in the art.

[0045] It is conceivable to create a control loop for heating the brewing liquor, introducing the heated brewing liquor into the wort kettle, and / or the heating system, for example, using the control and regulation unit, to ensure the best possible utilization of the heat and / or energy available in the process during the dephlegmator cooling process. This offers the advantage that the temperature TA of the brewing liquor is as close as possible to, and preferably essentially the same as, the temperature Ts of the brewing liquor to be boiled, evaporated, and / or vaporized.Furthermore, by means of the method according to the invention, in particular due to the steps a), b), c), d), e) and / or f) controlled and / or regulated by the control loop, it is possible to determine the amount of heat and / or energy available in the process with sufficient accuracy in order to use it as completely as possible, preferably at least 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, 99.9% or 100%, for heating the brewing liquid to the temperature TA in step a). In this way, the amount of heat and / or energy required for boiling, evaporating and / or vaporizing the brewing liquid in step b) is reduced to a minimum.

[0046] The term "control loop" is familiar to those skilled in the art and refers to a dynamic interaction between the brewing liquid, the heating system, the dephlegmator, and the available heat and / or energy to optimize the most complete utilization of the available heat and / or energy in the process. The control loop is a closed system in which the actual values ​​of the variables are continuously measured and compared with the target values ​​of the corresponding variables. Negative feedback is essential here, and this is familiar to those skilled in the art.

[0047] In another embodiment, it is conceivable that the brewing liquid is divided into at least two, preferably more, fractions of equal and / or different sizes, and / or that the brewing liquid is stripped. Further preferably, some fractions can be of equal size, while others can have different sizes.

[0048] For the method according to the invention, using the device in which

[0049] (i) the brewing liquid flows evenly through the dephlegmator,

[0050] (ii) when the brewing liquid first enters the wort kettle, it is partially evaporated,

[0051] (iii) exactly the amount of energy required to heat the brewing liquid subsequently flowing through the dephlegmator is transferred by the rising steam,

[0052] (iv) the brewing liquid in the wort kettle is homogeneous, and

[0053] (v) the wort is divided into n equal fractions, the following formulas (1) to (6) apply for an ideal system without radiation and / or transmission losses:

[0054] QL — QD (1)

[0055] QL = m i+1 • c p • AT (2)

[0056] QL amount of energy to be absorbed by the wort coming from the lauter tun in order to heat it by AT

[0057] QD amount of energy to be released (at the dephlegmator) of the steam rising in the rectification column c p specific heat capacity of the wort AT temperature difference between the inlet and outlet temperature of the wort in / from the dephlegmator

[0058] AHv Heat of vaporization of the wort or of the water evaporated from the wort rm Mass of the i-th fraction mo Mass of the rising vapor in the rectification column moi Mass of the i-th fraction in the rising vapor in the rectification column

[0059] TEi theoretical thermal energy input into fraction i, expressed as a percentage of the evaporated mass of the i-th fraction over the period of wort feed into the kettle to the total mass of the i-th fraction.

[0060] The term "fraction" is familiar to those skilled in the art and refers to the division of the brewing liquor into at least two, preferably more, equally and / or differently sized groups, which are introduced individually and one after the other into the wort kettle. It has been recognized as essential that the highest thermal energy input occurs in the first fractions, i.e., the first 0% to 30%, of the brewing liquor, while subsequent fractions have a significantly lower energy input. It is conceivable that thermal energy input for boiling, evaporation, and / or vaporization of the last fractions of the brewing liquor, i.e., the last 20% to 30%, can be dispensed with.Within the scope of the invention, it has also been recognized that dispensing with the heat and / or energy input for boiling, evaporation and / or vaporization in the last fractions of the brewing liquid results in a direct reduction and / or saving of the required amount of heat and / or energy by at least 10%, preferably at least 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30% or more. The process according to the invention with fractional boiling, evaporation and / or vaporization increases the thermal conversion of the brewing liquid, in particular of the first wort, which has the highest concentration of P-DMS, thereby achieving a reduction of P-DMS in DMS in the finished total wort.

[0061] The term "stripping" is familiar to those skilled in the art and refers to the continuous introduction of the brewing liquor into the rectification column, where, as it flows down the column, it is subjected to countercurrent action with a gaseous fluid, such as an inert gas or hot steam, thereby separating the substances contained in the brewing liquor. Due to the countercurrent of hot steam to the flowing liquid, substances to be expelled (i.e., highly volatile components, e.g., DMS) pass from the fluid surface into the stripping steam until a preferential phase equilibrium is established.

[0062] Within the scope of the invention, it is conceivable that the brewing liquor could also be introduced directly into the rectification column from the beginning and stripped in the process, provided that a suitable means known to a person skilled in the art is used to directly introduce steam below the brewing liquor introduction point. This would have the advantage that all introduced brewing liquor is always subject to stripping. Furthermore, no line for introduction at the bottom of the wort kettle or an additional heating device would be necessary, as this is provided by the direct steam introduction.

[0063] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the energy and / or heat required for the boiling, evaporation and / or vaporisation of the brewing liquid in step b) originates directly or indirectly, using measures, means and / or methods known to a person skilled in the art, from a heating process, from a waste heat process, in particular a waste heat process occurring in the brewery, and / or from renewable and / or regenerable energy sources.

[0064] It is also conceivable that the brewing liquid is wort, first wort, beer, beer wort, a beer intermediate product and / or a fermentation product.

[0065] It is assumed that the definitions and / or the embodiments of the above terms apply to all aspects described below in this description, unless otherwise stated.

[0066] According to the invention, a device for energy recovery and / or energy saving during the brewing of a brewing liquid is further proposed, preferably for carrying out the method described elsewhere, which device has a wort kettle, into which a brewing liquid at a temperature TA can be introduced, at least one heating system for boiling, evaporating and / or vaporizing the brewing liquid at a temperature Ts in the wort kettle, a rectification column having at least one column tray, and a dephlegmator. The device is characterized in that the brewing liquid flows through the dephlegmator at least in part and / or in sections and can be heated to the temperature TA, and in that the temperature TA is a maximum of 30 K, preferably a maximum of 10 K, lower than the temperature Ts.

[0067] The invention encompasses at least one heating system, preferably 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more identically or differently configured heating systems, which is described in detail elsewhere and is necessary for boiling, evaporating, and / or vaporizing the brewing liquid. It is conceivable that the brewing liquid flows through at least some areas and / or sections of the heating system to optimize energy and / or heat transfer. Advantageous developments of the invention, which can be implemented individually or in combination, are presented in the subclaims.

[0068] It is conceivable that the device comprises an energy storage device, a lautering system, a feed tank, a pump, at least one, preferably several, lines, such as a supply line or a discharge line, a valve, a compressor, in particular a vapor compressor for heat recovery of vapors / vapours passing the dephlegmator, a compressor, a control and / or regulating unit, an evaluation unit, an output unit and / or at least one means for detecting at least one state value of at least one characteristic physical, mechanical and / or chemical property of the device and / or the brewing liquid, wherein the characteristic property is selected from the temperature, the quantity, the fill level, the weight, the volume, the viscosity, the electrical conductivity, the flow velocity, the volume flow, the pressure, the density, the duration, the time, the light transmittance, the light absorption,the color, pH, chemical composition and concentration.

[0069] The term "evaluation unit" refers to a unit suitable for comparing the recorded state value with a corresponding process parameter, a reference value, or a subsequent state value. Suitable evaluation units, such as a computer and / or a computer program, are known to those skilled in the art. A computer program can also evaluate the result of the comparison.

[0070] The term "evaluation unit" refers to a unit suitable for evaluating the comparison or for determining the amount of heat and / or energy required to heat the brewing liquid to temperature TA and / or Ts. For example, the evaluation unit is a computer and / or a computer program. The term "output unit" refers to a unit suitable for displaying the recorded and / or compared state values ​​as well as the process parameters and the reference values, individually or in comparison with one another, wherein the display is preferably numerical and / or graphical in order to simplify the understanding of the recording and / or comparison. A person skilled in the art will be familiar with a suitable output unit for displaying the data, such as a directly or indirectly connected display and / or input device, in particular a computer, monitor, television, mobile device, and smart mobile device.

[0071] The term "means for detecting" refers to any means known to a person skilled in the art from the prior art, which is suitable for detecting the state value of the device and / or the brewing liquid, preferably at identical, subsequent, or different times and / or conditions during the implementation of the method. Preferably, the time and / or the conditions and / or factors present at that time are detected simultaneously, as mentioned elsewhere. Within the scope of the invention, at least one, preferably 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more, identically or differently configured means are conceivable.

[0072] The term “energy storage device” is known to a person skilled in the art and relates to a device for the (intermediate) storage of energy and / or heat, which device is filled with a storage medium, preferably water. The energy storage device is preferably a buffer storage device, a pressure vessel and / or a stratified storage device. By means of the energy storage device, it is possible for waste heat available in the brewery and / or in another device, such as in the dephlegmator, and / or the energy input from renewable energies, as described in detail elsewhere, to be available to the device equally or in a weighted manner. The waste heat process is preferably selected from another device for brewing a brewing liquor, a heat pump, a heat exchanger, an air conditioning system, a refrigeration system, a compressed air system and a carbon dioxide recovery system.Preferably, the renewable energy source is selected from solar radiation, geothermal energy, wind power, hydropower, biogas, hydrogen, methanol, butane, natural gas, and / or a mixture thereof. More preferably, several of the aforementioned means are coupled together, for example, a heat pump is coupled to at least one heat exchanger, preferably a condenser or evaporator. In this way, the process is further improved with optimal utilization of the available energy and / or heat.

[0073] In a further development, it is conceivable for the heating system to be an internal boiler, an external boiler, a heater, in particular an electric heater, an induction heater or a microwave, a heating surface, in particular in and / or on the wort kettle, a floor heating system, an evaporator, in particular direct steam injection, direct firing, a compressor, a heat pump, a heat exchanger and / or a combination thereof. A person skilled in the art will be familiar with the heating systems mentioned, their advantages and disadvantages, and their minimum fill levels. For example, with regard to a wort kettle that is partially filled with brewing liquid or filling during boiling, evaporation, and / or vaporization, some heating systems are preferable. For example, an external boiler or a heating surface makes more sense than others. However, with the appropriate design, all heating systems are possible.For example, depending on the geometry of the internal boiler, an additional evaporation device is conceivable in order to evaporate the brewing liquor right from the start. This could be, for example, a direct steam feed and introduction of the brewing liquor into the column, an additional heating surface at the bottom of the wort kettle, or a modified geometry of the internal boiler with introduction of the brewing liquor into the kettle. This is due to the fact that existing internal boilers generally require complete coverage of their tube bundles / heating surfaces. This would mean that wort boiling can only begin once a large portion of the wort is already in the wort kettle. With an external boiler, the brewing liquor can be fed directly into the wort kettle or into the external boiler and evaporated there with the external boiler.Since it has been recognized within the scope of the invention that the heat and / or energy input into the brewing liquor primarily comes from the process itself, it is conceivable to design a smaller heating system, which saves considerable resources and costs. Another positive aspect is the significantly lower volume flow of the brewing liquor when introduced into the wort kettle, as this reduces the required energy density. This also has a positive effect on the size of the heating system. Such means are known to those skilled in the art and are suitable due to their efficiency.

[0074] In a further development, it is conceivable for the heating system to directly or indirectly receive energy and / or heat from a battery, an accumulator, an inverter, an energy storage device, a solar thermal system, a photovoltaic system, a wind turbine, a hydroelectric power plant, a geothermal system, a biogas plant, a fuel cell, and / or a combination thereof. Since it has been recognized within the scope of the invention that the energy and / or heat input into the brewing liquor primarily comes from the current process, it is conceivable to supply the heating system from renewable heat sources. This creates an opportunity for the decarbonization of breweries and makes a significant contribution to environmental protection. These can be solar thermal energy, heat pumps, renewable electricity, waste heat from other processes, steam from biogas combustion or residue combustion, and other sources.

[0075] In another embodiment, it is conceivable that the at least one means for detecting is a counter, an operating time counter, a clock, an indicator, a thermometer, a camera, a camera system, a scale, a hygrometer, an ultrasonic device, a viscometer, a flow meter, a pressure probe, a tape measure, a sensor, in particular a nanosensor and / or microsensor, and / or a sensor system. Furthermore, other properties not listed here can be detected using the means.

[0076] Examples of such means are known to those skilled in the art. For example, an "indicator" is characterized by changing color when a predefined threshold value, such as a pH value, concentration, chemical composition, or temperature, is exceeded or undercut. The term "sensor" refers to a technical component known to those skilled in the art that can detect certain physical, mechanical, and / or chemical properties. The term "sensor technology" refers to the application of sensors to measure and / or monitor changes in environmental, biological, and / or technical systems.

[0077] For example, it is conceivable that the quantity, fill level and / or volume can be detected directly with a fill level sensor or indirectly by a fill level indicator or fill level estimation using a camera, a high-resolution camera system, a CCD sensor, a photodiode and / or a photocell. Furthermore, it is conceivable to use the camera, the high-resolution camera system, the CCD sensor, the photodiode and / or the photocell to detect the light transmittance, the light absorption and / or the color of the brewing liquid. Furthermore, it is possible, for example, to deduce the chemical composition of the brewing liquid from the change in the electrical resistance of an electrically conductive material. The temperature, in particular the temperature difference, can be detected, for example, using a thermoelectric sensor, i.e. a thermocouple with or without an amplifier, a thermometer and / or an indicator.The weight, quantity, pressure, and / or volume of the brewing liquid can be measured, for example, using a pressure sensor, a spring balance, a lifting balance, and / or a manometer, as well as indirectly its viscosity. Viscosity can also be determined using a viscometer. Density can be measured, for example, using X-rays, ultrasound, and / or weak gamma radiation, e.g., the isotope method. The flow velocity of the brewing liquid can be determined using a pressure probe, ultrasound, or Doppler radar, and the volume flow can be determined using flow meters. Furthermore, the chemical composition can be determined, for example, by taking a sample, using near-infrared or infrared measurement, or by deriving it from the aforementioned values.Furthermore, it is conceivable that the duration, such as the process duration and / or the progress of the process, and / or the time, can be recorded and / or determined using a counter, an operating time counter, and / or a clock. Furthermore, the humidity in the wort kettle can be determined using a hygrometer and an indicator.

[0078] It is also conceivable that the brewing liquid is wort, first wort, beer, beer wort, a beer intermediate product and / or a fermentation product.

[0079] Further details, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the subclaims. The respective features can be implemented individually or in combination with one another. The invention is not limited to the embodiments. The embodiments are illustrated schematically in the figures. The same reference numerals in the individual figures designate identical or functionally identical elements, or elements corresponding to one another in terms of their function.

[0080] In detail: Fig. 1 - 3 show a schematic representation of an apparatus 100 according to the invention for carrying out the method according to the invention; and

[0081] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the thermal energy input of a wort boiling process comprising 100 fractions using the process according to the invention under ideal conditions; and

[0082] Fig- 5 a diagram with the comparative comparison of volumes and volume flows between refining followed by classical boiling from the state of the art; and

[0083] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the comparative comparison of volumes and volume flows between refining followed by boiling according to the process according to the invention.

[0084] The device 100 according to the invention for carrying out the method according to the invention is shown by way of example in Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 and has a wort kettle W with a brewing liquid (not shown), a heating system 10, 11, 12, a rectification column D placed on the wort kettle W and a dephlegmator 20 at the upper end of the rectification column D through which brewing liquid to be heated and / or boiled flows.

[0085] The device 100 according to the invention is shown in its simplest form in Fig. 1. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the brewing liquor is heated from a lautering system or foreshot tank L via the dephlegmator 20 and introduced into the wort kettle W. The brewing liquor is boiled in the wort kettle W, evaporated, and the resulting vapor is introduced into the rectification column D, which has four column trays B. The rising vapors heat the subsequent brewing liquor to be heated in the dephlegmator 20. At the same time, undesirable aroma components, such as dimethyl sulfide (DMS), are removed from the brewing liquor in this way, as these accumulate in the rectification column D. At the end of the wort boiling, these substances are discharged from the column trays B via the outlet R from the rectification column D.Furthermore, one of the lines of the device 100 is designated as line 60, by means of which the brewing liquid from the wort kettle can be introduced onto the column trays B of the rectification column D.

[0086] During wort boiling, the amount of energy introduced into the wort kettle W for evaporation is the same as the amount of energy absorbed at the dephlegmator 20 for wort heating. For this purpose, in the preferred case, there is at least one means 50 for detecting at least one characteristic physical, mechanical, and / or chemical property of the device 100 and at least one control and / or regulating unit (not shown), which can detect, control, and / or regulate the following elements:

[0087] - Flow measurement / control / regulation in the supply line of the energy source (e.g. steam or hot water) for heating the brewing liquid in the wort kettle W, in the supply line of the brewing liquid to be heated in the dephlegmator 20 and / or in the line 60 of the brewing liquid leaving the dephlegmator 20,

[0088] - Pump regulation / control of pumps 30 in the immediate periphery of the device 100,

[0089] - Temperature measurement in the supply line of the brewing liquid to be heated and / or the brewing liquid leaving the dephlegmator 20, in the supply line of the energy source and / or in the return line of the energy source, the brewing liquid, the wort kettle W and / or the rectification column D,

[0090] - Pressure measurement in the supply line and / or in the return line of the energy source, the wort kettle W and / or the rectification column D,

[0091] - Level measurement of the wort kettle W and / or the rectification column D, - Control and / or regulation of valves 40 in the immediate periphery and within the device 100.

[0092] Based on this, it is possible to control and / or regulate the wort boiling in the device 100 according to the examples shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 in such a way that the advantages described elsewhere are achieved with the lowest possible energy consumption.

[0093] Thus, the control and / or regulating unit controls and / or regulates the device 100 according to the invention, for example, in such a way that the flow rate of the brewing liquid through the dephlegmator 20 and / or the energy input into the wort kettle W is regulated based on the temperature and the brewing liquid emerging from the dephlegmator 20.

[0094] For example, the control and / or regulating unit controls and / or regulates the device 100 according to the invention in such a way that the amount of energy introduced for evaporation or the amount of steam for evaporation is regulated based on the temperature of the brewing liquid and the flow rate of the brewing liquid through the dephlegmator 20 or the pumping speed of the pump 30 conveying the brewing liquid to be heated.

[0095] Furthermore, it is conceivable, for example, that the control and / or regulating unit regulates the device 100 according to the invention in such a way that the pumping and / or flow rate of the brewing liquid to be heated through the dephlegmator 20 is controlled and / or regulated based on the amount of energy / steam introduced for evaporation and the temperature of the brewing liquid to be heated. Further recorded state values ​​of at least one characteristic physical, mechanical and / or chemical property of the device 100 are conceivable, which are suitable for adjusting the energy input into the wort kettle W based on the amount of energy required for wort heating at the dephlegmator 20. In Fig. 2 it can be seen that the device 100 according to the invention has a plurality of heating systems 10, 11, 12. This can be relevant, for example, since each heating system 10, 11, 12 has different minimum fill levels of the brewing liquid in the wort kettle W. Fig.2 shows an additional heating system in the wort kettle W as a bottom heater 12 (shaded area). In this regard, the control and / or regulating unit controls the energy supply of the bottom heater 12 with electricity / steam until the first heating system 10, 11 can be used after the minimum fill level of the brewing liquid has been reached, detected by a fill level sensor. Furthermore, simultaneous use of several heating systems 10, 11, 12 with a corresponding control and / or regulating unit, which distributes the required energy input into the wort kettle W among them, is also possible. In Fig. 3, it can be seen that the device 100 according to the invention has a three-way valve (not labeled) for directly introducing the brewing liquid into the rectification column D.

[0096] Furthermore, it is provided that the device 100 according to the invention has a control and / or regulating unit which is configured to alternate the introduction of the brewing liquid between the wort kettle W and the rectification column D or to divide the introduction of the brewing liquid into the wort kettle W and the rectification column D into arbitrarily large volume fractions based on the detected first state value of at least one characteristic physical, mechanical and / or chemical property and / or after the expiration of a defined and / or preset time value. It is thus provided that this takes place by means of the fill level in the wort kettle W and / or the pressure in the rectification column D. Furthermore, a pumping of brewing liquid from the wort kettle W into the rectification column D via the line 60 can be controlled and / or regulated, for example after a predefined fill level has been reached and / or the time value has elapsed.This pumping (stripping) can take place alone or at the same time as the introduction of brewing liquor coming from the dephlegmator 20 via a valve 40, such as the unlabeled three-way valve, wherein only a portion of the brewing liquor can be introduced from the dephlegmator 20 into the rectification column D at the valve and another portion is still passed into the wort kettle W (see Fig. 3 ). When the brewing liquor is introduced into the rectification column D (stripping), the temperature of the brewing liquor is preferably either at the boiling point or slightly below the boiling point (<5K). A temperature slightly below the boiling point of the brewing liquor is advantageous because this takes advantage of the lower boiling point of the volatile components to be driven off (e.g.DMS) can be utilized in comparison to the water content in the brewing liquor, thus minimizing the evaporation of water from the introduced brewing liquor. Stripping generally has the advantage that substances to be expelled (i.e. highly volatile components, e.g. DMS) by the countercurrent of hot steam to the descending liquid pass from the liquid into the stripping steam until phase equilibrium is established. This can further increase the effectiveness of the expulsion of undesirable aroma substances compared to a conventional wort boiling process. To enhance and / or achieve the stripping effect, it is also possible to strip gas and / or steam directly into the system in addition to stripping with rising steam from the brewing liquor.Gas / steam injection can also be used to purge oxygen or inert gas from the system before starting the process.

[0097] The device 100 according to the invention can be operated either without pressure or with overpressure. The advantage of overpressure in the system would be a higher boiling point of the brewing liquor and thus also a higher temperature in the rectification column D and at the dephlegmator 20, as well as a positive effect on the chemical conversion processes in the brewing liquor, such as hop isomerization and / or the conversion of DMS-P. Accordingly, the temperature difference between the rising vapor and the brewing liquor to be heated would also be increased, which in turn results in more efficient heat transfer. However, during overpressure operation, it must be ensured that the rectification column D is also completely under overpressure and, in particular, that its upper end is not directly connected to the atmosphere.

[0098] Fig. 4 shows an example of the theoretical thermal energy input TE, according to formulas (1) to (6) described elsewhere, resulting for a wort boil with n = 100 fractions and heating of the brewing liquid in the dephlegmator from 75°C to 100°C in the individual fractions. In Fig. 4, A describes the theoretical thermal energy input, expressed as a percentage of the evaporated mass of the fraction over the period of wort feed into the wort kettle as a percentage of the total mass of the fraction, and B the fractions [i].

[0099] As can be clearly seen from Fig. 4, the highest thermal energy input occurs in the first fractions of the brewing liquor, while subsequent fractions have a significantly lower energy input. If one considers the concentration of dissolved substances in the brewing liquor, this decreases over the course of lautering. This is known to the person skilled in the art from a lautering diagram, which shows, among other things, the concentration curve of the extract. Accordingly, in this boiling process, the wort fractions with the highest concentration of dissolved substances (e.g. DMS-P and proteins), and thus also the highest concentration of components to be expelled (e.g. DMS-P, formed from DMS), experience the highest energy input.Due to the fact that the concentration of dissolved substances in the brewing liquor decreases over the lautering time, thermal energy input for evaporation of the last fractions can be dispensed with without any loss of quality, since the concentration of components to be expelled there is also small to negligible. Example: If energy input for evaporation in the fractions that represent the last 20-30% of the brewing liquor is dispensed with, this results in a direct reduction / saving of the required energy amount by 20-30%. At the same time, these fractions can be used for pre-cooling of the entire wort without thermal energy input for evaporation, thus replacing the classic wort pre-cooling. For example, this last fraction can be placed in the downstream vessel, usually a whirlpool (not shown), or added to the remaining brewing liquor on the way there.It is also conceivable to add it to the wort kettle at the end of the thermal treatment.

[0100] Through the direct energy transfer from the evaporated brewing liquor to the brewing liquor to be heated using the dephlegmator, the transfer losses are reduced by 50% compared to conventional energy storage or energy recovery systems for wort boiling. Furthermore, all radiation losses from an energy storage tank and pipe losses are eliminated, since the direct transfer of energy eliminates the need for intermediate storage, as is the case with conventional energy recovery systems. By omitting energy storage water as an intermediate medium, all energy quantities required to transport this water, such as electrical energy for pumps, are also eliminated. This results in a total reduction of 50-80% in energy losses and a reduction of up to 90% in the electrical energy input compared to energy recovery systems.

[0101] Using the method according to the invention, wort boiling can start while the lautering of the brewing liquor is still in progress and can end simultaneously (<5 min) with lautering. The comparison of volumes and volume flows between lautering followed by conventional boiling is shown in Fig. 5 and the comparison of lautering followed by boiling according to the method according to the invention is shown in Fig. 6. In Figs. 5 and 6, A is the volume flow in L / h, B is the time in min, C is the volume in hl, where the point with a solid line = total volume of lautered brewing liquor, the point with a dashed line = volume flow of lautered brewing liquor from the lauter tun into the foreshots tank, the triangle with a solid line = volume of brewing liquor in the wort kettle, the triangle with a dashed line = volume flow of lautered brewing liquor in the wort kettle from the foreshots tank and the square with a solid line = volume of brewing liquor in the foreshots tank. In Fig.5 the volume of the brewing liquid in the pre-run tank until the start of pumping into the wort kettle is equal to the total volume of the clarified brewing liquid.

[0102] Because the boiling process begins in the present invention before all of the brewing liquid has reached the wort kettle, the total occupancy time of the wort kettle is reduced compared to conventional systems. The time normally required for pumping the brewing liquid into the wort kettle overlaps with the wort boiling time in this process. This eliminates up to 80% of the time required for pumping in the conventional process, or the time between the end of lautering / foreshot tank being full and the wort kettle being full.

[0103] The described potential of the process regarding the elimination of thermal treatment of the final wort fractions (20-30% of the total wort) further reduces the plant's utilization time per brew. Because the final fractions do not need to be treated in the wort kettle, they can be fed directly into the whirlpool or to the next process step after wort boiling. This reduces the time required for mashing the brewing liquor by the same percentage as the proportion of untreated brewing liquor (20-30%).

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for energy recovery and / or energy saving during the brewing of a brewing liquor, comprising the following steps: a) introducing a brewing liquor heated to a temperature TA via a dephlegmator (20) into a wort kettle (W), wherein the brewing liquor flows through at least part of the dephlegmator (20) and / or sections thereof; and b) boiling, evaporating and / or vaporizing the brewing liquor in the wort kettle (W), wherein the brewing liquor has a temperature Ts and wherein the temperature TA is a maximum of 30 K, preferably a maximum of 10 K, lower than the temperature Ts; and c) precipitating the vapor produced during the boiling, evaporation and / or vaporization of the brewing liquor in step b) into a rectification column (D) having at least one column tray (B) and the dephlegmator (20).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method additionally comprises: d) detecting at least one state value of at least one characteristic physical, mechanical and / or chemical property of the brewing liquid, the wort kettle (W), the dephlegmator (20) and / or the rectification column (D) in step a), b) and / or c), wherein the characteristic property is selected from the temperature, the amount, the fill level, the weight, the volume, the viscosity, the electrical conductivity, the flow velocity, the volume flow, the pressure, the density, the duration, the time, the light transmittance, the light absorption, the color, the pH value, the chemical composition and the concentration.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein in step d) 2 to 20 identical or different state values ​​are recorded.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the method additionally comprises: e) comparing the at least one state value detected in step d) with a corresponding process parameter, a reference value and / or a temporally subsequent further state value.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one state value, the further state value, the process parameter and / or the reference value are detected under substantially similar conditions.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one state value, the further state value, the process parameter and / or the reference value are recorded under different conditions.

7. Method according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the process parameter is selected from a stored, predefined, theoretical, set, computationally and / or manually determined and / or empirically and / or manually assigned value of the characteristic property.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the method additionally comprises: f) displaying steps c), d) and / or e).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein step a), b), c), d), e) and / or f) is controlled and / or regulated.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the brewing liquid is divided into at least two fractions and / or wherein the brewing liquid is stripped. 1 1. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the energy and / or heat required for the boiling, evaporation and / or vaporization of the brewing liquid in step b) originates from a heating process, from a waste heat process and / or from renewable and / or regenerable energy sources.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the brewing liquid is wort, first wort, beer, beer wort, a beer intermediate and / or a fermentation product.

13. Device (100) for energy recovery and / or energy saving when brewing a brewing liquid, preferably for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 12, with a wort kettle (W), wherein a brewing liquid at a temperature TA can be introduced into the wort kettle (W), at least one heating system (10, 11, 12) for boiling, evaporating and / or vaporizing the brewing liquid at a temperature Ts in the wort kettle (W), a rectification column (D) having at least one column tray (B) and a dephlegmator (20), characterized in that the brewing liquid flows through the dephlegmator (20) at least in some areas and / or sections and can be heated to the temperature TA, and that the temperature TA is a maximum of 30 K, preferably a maximum of 10 K, lower than the temperature Ts.

14. Device (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that the device (100) comprises an energy storage device, a refining system, a feed tank (L), a pump (30), a line (60), a valve (40), a compressor, a control and / or regulating unit, an evaluation unit, an output unit and / or at least one means (50) for detecting at least one state value of at least one characteristic physical, mechanical and / or chemical property of the device (100) and / or the brewing liquid, wherein the characteristic property is selected from the temperature, the quantity, the fill level, the weight, the volume, the viscosity, the electrical conductivity, the flow velocity, the volumetric flow, the pressure, the density, the duration, the time, the light transmittance, the light absorption, the color, the pH value, the chemical composition and the concentration.

15. Device (100) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the heating system (10, 11, 12) is an internal cooker, an external cooker, a heater, in particular an electric heater, a heating surface, a floor heater (12), an evaporator (11), a direct firing system, a compressor, a compressor, a heat pump, a heat exchanger and / or a combination thereof.

16. Device (100) according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the heating system (10, 11, 12) receives energy and / or heat directly or indirectly from a battery, an accumulator, an inverter, an energy storage device, a solar thermal system, a photovoltaic system, a wind power plant, a hydroelectric power plant, a geothermal system, a biogas plant, a fuel cell and / or a combination thereof.

17. Device (100) according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the at least one means (50) for detecting a counter, an operating time counter, a clock, an indicator, a thermometer, a camera, a camera system, a scale, a hygrometer, a ultrasonic device, a viscometer, a flow meter, a pressure probe, a measuring tape, a sensor and / or a sensor system.

18. Device (100) according to one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that the brewing liquid is wort, first wort, beer, beer wort, a beer intermediate product and / or a fermentation product.

Images