Solar-Heated Brewery Plant for High-Temperature Process Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Breweries are heavily dependent on fossil fuels for energy, leading to high energy costs that may increase with fossil fuel shortages, and existing energy recovery methods are inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Integration of solar collectors to provide heat energy for brewery processes, including direct and indirect heating methods using high-pressure water or thermal oils, combined with a high-speed steam generator for backup, to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and optimize energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If solar collectors are used to heat fluid to high temperatures (≥120°C), then dependence on fossil fuels is reduced, but achieving sufficient heating temperature is difficult with conventional solar collectors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines solar collectors with a backup heating device to create a hybrid heating system. The solar collectors provide primary heating during sunny periods, while the backup device activates when solar energy is insufficient, achieving both temperature requirements and fossil fuel reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The system preheats water using solar collectors before it enters the backup heating device. This preliminary solar preheating reduces the energy burden on the backup device and maximizes fossil fuel independence while ensuring temperature requirements are met
2Loss of energy
If conventional solar collectors are used, then solar energy utilization is achieved, but only low temperature heating (50-60°C) is possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges conventional solar collectors with a backup heating device to overcome the temperature limitation. The solar collectors capture solar energy efficiently, and the backup device supplements heating to reach the required ≥120°C for brewing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameters by using solar preheating to raise water temperature to 50-60°C first, then applying additional heating to reach final temperatures of ≥120°C, thereby maximizing solar energy utilization while achieving required temperature
3Device complexity
If solar collectors heat fluid directly, then system complexity is reduced, but temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat exchanger as an intermediary between the solar-heated fluid and the brewing process water. This allows indirect heating with better temperature control, as the heat exchanger enables precise heat transfer while isolating the brewing process from direct solar fluid variations
4Use of energy by moving object
If solar energy is used for brewing processes, then energy costs are reduced, but insufficient high temperature heating occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines solar thermal systems with a backup heating device to create a hybrid system that leverages free solar energy to reduce costs while ensuring sufficient high temperature heating is available when needed for brewing processes
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 system effectively reduces energy costs by utilizing solar energy to achieve high temperatures required in brewing processes, with a backup steam generator ensuring consistent energy supply, thereby making the brewery less dependent on fossil fuels.
Implementation Method 1
With the help of solar collectors, which convert the energy of the sun's rays into heat energy
Implementation Method 2
the fluid flows through the solar collectors and is heated there
Implementation Method 3
The heat energy generated in the solar collectors can preferably be temporarily stored in a heat accumulator
Implementation Method 4
a second fluid is heated in the solar collector and thermal energy is transferred to the one used in the brewing process via a heat exchanger
Implementation Method 5
Water under increased pressure (high-pressure water) can preferably be used as the fluid. By increasing the boiling temperature, the required high temperatures of at least 120° C., in particular temperatures in the range from 160 to 180° C., can be achieved with the high-pressure water in the liquid phase
Implementation Method 6
the solar collectors may comprise parabolic trough collectors. By focusing the sun's rays with the help of a parabolic mirror onto the lines, in which a fluid to be heated flows, to relatively high temperatures
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a brewery plant comprising at least one mash container, a clarifying vat, a wort pan and a water housing. Said brewery plant is characterised in that at least one part of the thermal energy requirements of the brewery are covered with sun collectors which directly or indirectly heat a fluid. The invention also relates to a brewery method, wherein the thermal energy requirements of at least one part of the brewery processing step are at least partially covered with a fluid which is directly or indirectly heated by sun collectors.