Oval Stainless Steel Fermentation Tank for Torus Vortex Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Egg-shaped concrete wine fermentation tanks are heavy, difficult to produce in large sizes, labor-intensive to clean, and prone to 'pinking' of white wines due to their porosity, making them costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Design of oval-shaped metal tanks with a cone-shaped wall and dome-shaped surfaces made of stainless steel, featuring a seamless interior to create a torus-shaped vortex for efficient mixing and oxygenation, reducing weight, production complexity, and susceptibility to discoloration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If egg-shaped concrete fermentation tanks are used to create torus shaped vortex, then wine fermentation function is achieved, but the tanks become extremely heavy and difficult to produce in large sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from concrete to stainless steel, transforming the tank from a fixed concrete structure to a modular metal construction. This material substitution maintains the fermentation functionality while dramatically reducing weight and enabling large-scale production through standardized metal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The tank is divided into separate modular components including top head, bottom head, cylindrical section, and conical section. These segmented metal parts can be manufactured independently and assembled, making the tank easier to produce in large sizes and simpler to clean compared to monolithic concrete structures.
2Productivity
If egg-shaped concrete tanks are used, then fermentation capacity is provided, but cleaning becomes labor intensive and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter changes from porous concrete to non-porous stainless steel, fundamentally altering the surface properties. This change eliminates the absorption characteristics of concrete that make cleaning difficult, while maintaining the egg-shaped fermentation capacity through metal construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The tank is segmented into removable components (top head, bottom head, cylindrical section, conical section) that can be disassembled for thorough cleaning. This modular metal construction allows access to all internal surfaces, making cleaning less labor-intensive compared to monolithic concrete tanks.
3Reliability
If concrete tanks are used, then fermentation function is achieved, but the tanks are susceptible to pinking of white wine due to porosity
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter changes from porous concrete to non-porous stainless steel, fundamentally altering the surface properties. This eliminates the porosity that causes wine absorption and subsequent pinking, while maintaining all fermentation functions through the metal construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The stainless steel lining or replacement tank provides a durable, non-reactive surface that does not absorb wine compounds. This effectively creates a protective barrier that prevents the harmful pinking effect, and the modular design allows replacement if needed.
4Reliability
If concrete tanks are used to create torus vortex, then wine circulation is achieved, but production becomes costly and labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter changes from custom-formed concrete to standardized stainless steel components. This substitution maintains the egg-shaped geometry needed for vortex circulation while reducing production costs through available metal fabrication techniques and modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The tank is segmented into standard metal sections (cylindrical and conical parts) that can be manufactured using conventional metalworking processes. This modular approach reduces production costs compared to custom concrete construction, while maintaining the circulation function through proper geometric design.
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
The stainless steel tanks are lightweight, easily producible in larger sizes, less labor-intensive to clean, and resistant to 'pinking', offering significant cost savings and improved fermentation efficiency with homogeneous mixing and oxygenation.
Implementation Method 1
when a product (e.g., wine, red wine, white wine, etc.) is displaced in the oval-shaped metal tank, the product is displaced in a torus shaped vortex between the top dome and the bottom dome
Data Source
AI summary
A tank includes a cone-shaped wall formed of steel and attached between a first dome-shaped surface formed of steel and a second dome-shaped surface formed of steel. The cone-shaped wall attached between the first dome-shaped surface and the second dome-shaped surface defines an oval-shape void of angled corners on the inside surface of tank such that, when a product contained in the tank is displaced, the product is displaced in a torus shaped vortex between the first dome-shaped surface and the second dome-shaped surface.