Beer Base via Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing beer-derived beverages focus on retaining original beer components while minimizing water and alcohol loss, but they do not effectively obtain a liquid fraction with a majority of the original alcohol content and purified from non-volatile aromas, which limits the production of a taste-neutral ethanol base for adding aromas.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a first filtration step using nanofiltration or ultrafiltration followed by a second step of reverse osmosis to obtain a base liquid with at least 2% ABV, which is then combined with exogenous aromas to create an aromatic beverage, utilizing high-pressure nanofiltration and additional treatments like distillation or fractionation to achieve the desired alcohol concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If existing methods (distillation, freeze-concentration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis) are used to concentrate beer and retain original components, then the original beer components are preserved, but the alcohol content is not sufficiently concentrated and non-volatile aromas remain in the base liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the beer components into three distinct fractions through sequential filtration: (1) a retentate fraction containing non-volatile aromas and original beer components retained by nanofiltration, (2) a permeate fraction containing alcohol and volatile flavor components, and (3) a base liquid fraction obtained after reverse osmosis that is purified from non-volatile aromas. This segmentation allows each fraction to be treated independently to achieve both high alcohol concentration and aroma purification.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the non-volatile aroma components from the beer matrix using nanofiltration, separating them into a retentate fraction that is discarded or used separately. This extraction leaves the permeate fraction enriched in alcohol and volatile compounds, which is then further processed by reverse osmosis to produce a purified base liquid free from non-volatile aromas, enabling clean aroma addition later.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple filtration steps (nanofiltration, reverse osmosis) are applied to separate alcohol from non-volatile aromas, then a purified alcohol fraction is obtained, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nanofiltration membrane serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a physical filter to remove suspended particles and yeast, a molecular sieve to separate non-volatile aromas from alcohol based on molecular size, and a concentration device to produce both retentate and permeate streams. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate processing units and simplifies the overall process architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the filtration process by using nanofiltration at controlled pressures to achieve selective separation. By adjusting pressure, flow rate, and membrane selection, the process optimizes the separation efficiency between volatile and non-volatile components while maintaining high throughput, thereby reducing the number of additional processing steps needed.
3Productivity
If conventional methods are used to obtain ethanol-enriched fractions, then the process can be implemented with existing equipment, but the throughput is limited and alcohol losses occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical separation methods like distillation with membrane-based filtration processes (nanofiltration and reverse osmosis). These membrane processes operate at lower temperatures and pressures, preventing alcohol evaporation and loss while achieving efficient separation. The process maintains high throughput by using cross-flow filtration configurations that prevent membrane fouling and maintain consistent separation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The nanofiltration membrane acts as an intermediary that selectively allows alcohol and volatile compounds to pass through while retaining non-volatile aromas. This intermediary separation mechanism enables high-speed processing without the need for energy-intensive distillation, thereby increasing throughput while minimizing alcohol loss. The permeate stream directly contains the concentrated alcohol fraction ready for further processing or use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method efficiently produces a taste-neutral ethanol base with high alcohol content, allowing for the addition of exogenous aromas, thereby enhancing beverage diversity while maintaining cost-effectiveness and high throughput.
Implementation Method 1
a first filtration step comprising nanofiltration (A) or ultrafiltration to obtain a retentate fraction (2) and a permeate fraction comprising alcohol and volatile flavour components (3)
Implementation Method 2
a first filtration step comprising nanofiltration (A) or ultrafiltration to obtain a retentate fraction (2) and a permeate fraction comprising alcohol and volatile flavour components (3)
Implementation Method 3
b) Subjecting the permeate fraction comprising alcohol and volatile flavour components to a next filtration step comprising reverse osmosis, to obtain a base liquid comprising at least 2 ABV
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method for preparing an aromatic beverage, the method comprising the steps of: a) Subjecting a fermented beverage (1) to a first filtration step comprising nanofiltration (A) or ultrafiltration to obtain a retentate fraction (2) and a permeate fraction comprising alcohol and volatile flavour components (3); b) Subjecting the permeate fraction comprising alcohol and volatile flavour components to a second filtration step comprising reverse osmosis, to obtain a base liquid comprising at least 2% ABV; c) Combining the base liquid from b) with exogenous aromas thereby obtaining the aromatic beverage. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fermented beverage is a beer or cider.