Glycol Chiller & Heater Solutions for Winemaking
Nov 21, 2022
One of the most important factors in making wine is fermentation. The rate of fermentation can impact the flavors of the resulting wine. This rate can be manipulated by controlling the temperature during the fermentation process to achieve the desired flavor characteristics.
Winemakers achieve this by using a glycol chiller or a chiller/heater. Glycol can be chilled to a temperature below 0°C (32°F). This makes it very effective for cooling, but you will need to maintain and control a temperature higher than freezing by adjusting the flow rate of the glycol through the heat exchanger. The range of temperatures, as well as the duration and timing of cooling or heating, are factors that require close attention to maintain consistently flavorful profiles. For example, red wine can require heat early in the fermentation process. Typical temperatures range from 80-90°F, and higher temperatures can accelerate the fermentation process. Some prefer slightly lower temperatures for red wines to extend fermentation or to impart a more fruity flavor. The fermentation temperatures of white wines are typically cooler, usually above 10°C (50°F), and even lower with aromatic white wines.
Challenge
Finding a simplified and accurate automatic temperature control solution for use with glycol chilling and heating systems designed and engineered specifically for the wine-making industry.
Solution
West Control Solutions' Vinireg+ and Oenoreg+ temperature controllers
Vinireg+ and Oenoreg+ are purpose-designed controllers for the wine industry. With intuitive user operation, dedicated buttons, and clear display, these controllers offer improved efficiency and more accurate temperatures. They save time, effort, and errors associated with manually opening and closing valves in glycol systems.
Features
- 1/16 DIN (48 x 48 x 110mm) and 1/8 DIN (96 x 48 x 110mm) formats (HxWxD)
- START/STOP of heating and cooling circuits.
- The target temperature set on the front panel
- Single or two setpoints
- Two control outputs for heat and cool water circuits
- One process alarm - Deviation high or low, absolute high or low, band
- Wine density alarm via remote signal input