Vinification Density Measurement with Anti-Contamination Valve
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing winemaking monitoring devices are manual, sensitive to gas presence, and prone to contamination, with high costs and limited representativeness of tank contents, necessitating a more automated, precise, and cost-effective solution.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a measuring column equipped with pressure sensors for density measurement, an anti-contamination valve using SO2 to prevent external oxygen ingress, and a processing unit for automated data correction and export, ensuring accurate and representative measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a manual densimeter method is used for measuring sugar and alcohol content, then the cost is low and implementation is simple, but the measurement cannot be automated and is sensitive to gas presence in the liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical densimeter with an electronic measurement system using pressure sensors and level detectors to automatically measure liquid density. The pressure sensor measures pressure at the bottom of the column, while the level detector measures liquid height, enabling automated calculation of density without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-measurement by automatically drawing liquid samples through suction, measuring density parameters, and calculating results without requiring manual operation. The electronic device autonomously completes the entire measurement process from sampling to data output.
2Ease of operation
If a manual densimeter method is used, then the implementation is simple, but the measurement is sensitive to the presence of gas in the liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the gas-sensitive mechanical densimeter with electronic pressure sensors that measure pressure independent of gas presence. Since pressure measurement at a fixed depth depends only on liquid density and height, not on gas bubbles, the measurement reliability is significantly improved while maintaining ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If sampling is done through a valve on the tank front face, then the sampling process is simple, but the sample is not representative of the entire tank
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydraulic suction through a tube extending to the bottom of the tank to draw samples from the deepest layer where settled particles accumulate. This ensures the sample includes all components (liquid, suspended particles, and settled material) making it representative of the entire tank contents, while the automated suction process remains operationally simple.
4Reliability
If CO2 level measurement is used for monitoring winemaking, then fermentation monitoring is possible, but the cost is high and careful sealing is required to avoid contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex sealed CO2 measurement systems with a simpler density measurement system. By measuring liquid density changes during fermentation (which naturally reflect CO2 production and sugar consumption), the system achieves reliable fermentation monitoring without requiring tight sealing or complex gas detection equipment.
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 device enables automated, precise, and reliable monitoring of winemaking processes without contamination risks, providing accurate and representative data at a lower cost, enhancing the monitoring of sugar and alcohol content during vinification.
Implementation Method 1
a first pressure sensor placed at the bottom of the column
Implementation Method 2
an anti-contamination valve device containing an aqueous solution of SO2 making it possible to neutralize, during the emptying operation of said column, the oxygen contained in the outside air
Implementation Method 3
a second pressure sensor, arranged along said column, towards its top
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The apparatus (1) has a measuring device measuring density of liquid and comprising a measurement column (2), where the column is provided with a measurement pressure sensor. The sensor is placed at a column bottom. A determination unit determines height of the liquid in the measurement column. A top of the column is provided with a valve device containing anti-contamination liquid for neutralizing at the time of operation of draining of the column. The oxygen contained in outdoor air is aspired to avoid contamination of the liquid in a reinjected medium.