Malt Crushing System of Beer Equipment
Malt crushing can be divided into two methods: dry crushing and wet crushing. Wet crushing is considered superior to dry crushing due to its high yield of raw materials and the superior quality of wort filtration. However, wet crushing is more expensive and is usually employed by medium-sized and large beer plants.
Dry crushing is a common choice for small to medium-sized beer plants. There are options such as pair of rolls, four rolls, and five rolls for dry crushing. The number of rolls directly affects the crushing effect, with a higher number resulting in better crushing. However, for practical purposes, roll crushers are suitable for smaller plants.
Saccharification Equipment for Beer Equipment
A common and effective configuration for saccharification equipment includes a mash/lauter tank and a kettle/whirlpool tank. If the budget allows, adding a hot water tank can improve convenience and achieve better results.
In saccharification equipment, the key component is the sieve plate in the lauter tank, with an optimal clearance of 0.7mm. Additionally, it is important to have frequency control for the plow knife in the lauter tank. If the pump suction filtration method is used, it is preferable to control the pump frequency to ensure clear and transparent wort filtration.
Wort Cooling Equipment for Beer Equipment
To achieve accurate wort cooling temperature and ease of operation, it is recommended to use a 6-lead plate heat exchanger for cooling. In the case of large-scale equipment, choosing a primary cooling plate can save energy and water.
It is advisable to incorporate a 0.45μ filter for oxygenation. When utilizing compressed air, a 0.1μ primary filter, a 0.01μ secondary filter, and a 0.1μ steam filter should be used.
Fermentation Tanks for Beer Equipment
For small and medium-sized fermentation tanks, a lower cone angle of preferably 60° is recommended, with a maximum angle not exceeding 72°.
The inner wall of the fermentation tank should have a roughness (polish) of less than 0.6μ to meet sanitation requirements, with a preferred value of 0.4μ.
The diameter-height ratio of the fermenter is best designed at 1:2-2.8. In cases where plant height is limited, reducing the diameter-to-height ratio will have minimal impact.
Automatic temperature and pressure control is standard for fermenters. Manual control of temperature and pressure can result in significant deviations and errors due to human factors, therefore it is not recommended.
CIP Cleaning System for Beer Equipment
A reliable CIP cleaning system is vital for ensuring the quality of beer brewing and maintaining the overall sanitary conditions of the beer equipment. The flow and head of the cleaning pump are critical parameters. For small and medium-sized beer equipment, it is advisable to choose a pump head with a minimum of 24m.
Beer Equipment Cooling System
If the location and budget permit, it is recommended to have both a Glycol tank and a cold water tank. Adding a cold water tank has the advantage of maintaining ice water temperature unaffected during the automatic cooling period after wort cooling. If only one ice water tank is used, larger capacities for both the Glycol tank and ice water tank should be selected.
Beer Equipment Control System
If the budget allows, it is recommended to use PLC control for the equipment’s control system. PLC control offers high precision and the ability to set parameters such as temperature control as needed. Intelligent instruments have lower control precision. If conditions permit, the saccharification system can be automated, preferably with pneumatic control.
The configuration of beer equipment itself does not significantly impact beer brewing. The detailed processing of tanks and pipes within the beer equipment, such as polishing, temperature control accuracy, and filtration methods, has the greatest influence. Poor processing can easily lead to dead space and affect beer quality.
