Brewing Plant Hot Water Storage Device Thermal Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brewing plants face inefficiencies in thermal energy management, requiring large heating surfaces and costly replacements due to the need for separate heat exchange loops, which limits thermal efficiency and increases energy losses.
Innovation Solution
A brewing plant design incorporating a hot water storage device with a high temperature portion and a low temperature portion, utilizing fresh water as a heat transfer medium in an open system to efficiently recover and distribute thermal energy directly to the mash, reducing the need for extensive heat exchanger surfaces and allowing for quicker temperature distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a separate heat exchange loop with heat transfer fluid is used, then thermal energy can be recovered and stored, but the heating surfaces of the heating heat exchanger have to be configured very large to transfer the required thermal energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat transfer fluid with the brewing process fluid by using fresh water that circulates through both the heat exchanger and the mash tank. This eliminates the need for separate heat transfer fluid loops and reduces the required heating surface area because the same water serves dual purposes: as heat transfer medium and as process fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
The fresh water in the system performs multiple functions: it acts as the heat transfer medium in the heat exchanger, becomes the heating medium for the mash tank, and is eventually used in the brewing process. This multi-functionality reduces the need for extensive heating surfaces and separate fluid circulation systems.
2Productivity
If a separate heat exchange loop is used, then thermal energy can be recovered from waste heat, but the system requires large heating surfaces that are difficult to upgrade in existing plants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heat recovery system with the existing brewing process fluid circulation system. By using the same fresh water for heat exchange and brewing, the system leverages existing infrastructure and process flows, making upgrades more feasible and cost-effective compared to installing entirely separate heat exchange loops.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the brewing process fluid itself as the heat transfer medium, allowing the process to serve its own heating needs. The fresh water circulates through the heat exchanger and then directly into the mash tank, eliminating the need for separate heating systems and reducing upgrade requirements.
3Area of stationary object
If fresh water is used as heat transfer medium in an open system, then heating surfaces can be reduced, but the system requires direct connection between heat exchanger and mash tank
Solution Approach 1:
The fresh water serves multiple functions in the system: it is the heat transfer medium in the heat exchanger, the heating medium for the mash tank, and eventually the brewing process fluid. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for separate heating fluid circulation systems and reducing heating surface area requirements.
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 design enhances thermal efficiency by minimizing heat losses, reducing the evaporation coefficient, and enabling energy savings through efficient thermal energy recovery and distribution, while allowing for quicker and more even temperature control in the brewing process without the need for extensive upgrades or replacements.
Implementation Method 1
Thermal energy recovered from wort boiling and wort cooling is stored in the energy storage device
Implementation Method 2
the hot water storage device configured as an arrangement of two or more hot water storage containers... including a high temperature portion and a low temperature portion
Implementation Method 3
an exhaust vapor condenser including a low temperature water connection and a high temperature water connection
Implementation Method 4
heat exchangers for transferring heat between the process fluid and the heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 5
Thermal energy recovered from the wort cooling process through a wort cooler can be used to indirectly heat the mash
Implementation Method 6
Hot water from the energy storage device is thus introduced into a heating heat exchanger of a mash tank so that the mash in the mash tank is heated
Data Source
AI summary
A brewing plant, comprising: a hot water storage device, including a high temperature portion and a low temperature portion, at least one high temperature water inlet, at least one high temperature water outlet, at least one low temperature water inlet, at least one low temperature water outlet; a mash container; a lauter tun or a mash filter flow connected with the mash container by a mash conduit; a wort kettle including a lauter wort inlet, a wort outlet, and an exhaust vapor condenser including a low temperature water connection and a high temperature water connection, wherein the lauter wort inlet is directly or indirectly connected through a lauter wort conduit with the lauter tun or the mash filter, wherein the low temperature water outlet of the hot water storage device is connected with the low temperature water connection of the exhaust vapor condenser.