WO2005023977A1

WO2005023977A1 - Apparatus and method for treating vegetable products

Info

Publication number: WO2005023977A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/002855
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paolo Gentili
Original assignee: Tecnogen S.R.L.
Priority date: 2003-09-04
Filing date: 2004-09-03
Publication date: 2005-03-17
Also published as: ITMO20030243A1

Abstract

Apparatus for treating vegetable products at ambient temperature conditions, comprising container means (2,3,8) suitable for containing a vegetable product in a part of said container means and an operating fluid in another part thereof, closing means (4,9a) of said container means, inlet means (9,10) into, and outletmeans from, said container means of said vegetable product, characterised in that in said container means said vegetable product and said operating fluid are in direct contact with one aother and method for treating vegetable products at ambient temperature conditions, comprising: inserting a vegetable product through inlet means of container means; making an operating fluid interact with said vegetable product in such a way that said vegetable product and said operating fluid are in direct contact with one another in said container means and making said vegetable product exit from outlet means of said container means.

Description

Apparatus and method for treating vegetaoxe products

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for treating vegetable products, for example in pressing grapes or in vinification. The state of the art comprises presses for grapes, comprising a container to the internal walls of which a pressing diaphragm is fixed that defines, inside the container, a pressing operating chamber having dimensions and a shape such as to receive inside itself a given quantity of grapes and a non-operating chamber that is complementary to the operating chamber .

By applying a pressure difference between the operating chamber and the non-operating chamber, for example by injecting pressurised air into the non-operating chamber, (or sucking air from the operating chamber) , the pressing diaphragm shifts to the part of the wall of the container that belongs to the operating chamber, thus pressing the grapes within the latter. One drawback of these presses consists of the action of the diaphragm, which exerts mechanical pressure on the grapes to be pressed such as to crush without distinction ripe, softer berries and unripe harder berries.

In this way, in addition to the desired substances coming from the ripe berries, also certain undesired substances contained in the unripe berries are dispersed in the must.

This is highly undesirable in the vinification of certain types of grapes inasmuch as it adversely affects the properties of the wine. To avoid this drawback, it is necessary to select the bunches before pressing, with significant expenditure of time and a consequent increase in costs.

Also in vinification there is recourse to pressing of grape berries during the phase of pressing of the cap to extract from the latter the part of the fermented must contained therein.

According to the prior enological art, vinification is implemented by special fermentation tuns, known as vats, in which a mixture is inserted comprising grape must, pressed berries, dregs of pressed grapes and grape-stones. As fermentation proceeds, significant quantities of carbon dioxide are developed by the must amounting to approximately 2 hectolitres of gas per hour per hectolitre of must. The carbon dioxide pushes dregs of pressed grapes and pressed berries upwards, which form the so-called "cap" that floats on the must contained in the vat. The cap tends to solidify, substantially preventing the solid parts that make it up from coming into contact with the must and freeing useful substances in the latter such as the polyphenols contained in the berries and responsible for the colour that the wine takes on. It is therefore necessary to periodically sprinkle over the cap a certain quantity of must that is taken from the base of the vat. In fact, the must that is sprinkled over the cap is unable to completely soak the latter, because in the cap preferential outflow conduits form along which the must flows, which therefore wets only the zones of the cap near the preferential outflow conduits. To overcome this drawback and make wetting of the cap more effective, submerging the latter in the must is known. However, this involves using complex mechanical organs, for example pistons, that are expensive and damage the berries. Another drawback that besets known vinification apparatuses is connected with the aforementioned production of carbon dioxide. As the vats are open at the top, during fermentation the carbon dioxide is released continuously and in an uncontrolled manner into the external environment and in quantities such as to constitute a significant risk for operators . Furthermore, the carbon dioxide produced in the must tends to occupy the internal cavity of the pressed berries, preventing the exiting from the latter of the polyphenols. For this reason, even if the cap is sprinkled and/or submerged, the polyphenols are extracted in a substantially incomplete manner from the pressed berries.

After fermentation, the cap is extracted from the vat by screw conveyors to be taken to the pressing apparatuses. During conveying, the screw conveyors thus tend to pound the berries, from the damaged skin of which undesired substances or even harmful substances such as methanol are released that adversely affect the quality of the wine. Furthermore, the screw conveyors complicate the structure of the vat with moving mechanical parts that are expensive and require energy to be actuated.

Lastly, it should be noted that the need to transfer the fermented must from the vat to a pressing apparatus implies prolonging processing times and costs in an undesired manner. One object of the invention is to improve the pressing of vegetable products.

Another object is to provide a grape-pressing system in which berries having different degrees of ripeness are pressed in different ways. Another further object is to avoid the need to separate unripe berries from ripe grapes before pressing.

A further object is to improve vinification apparatuses and known vinification methods.

Another further object is to simplify known vinification apparatuses by reducing the moving mechanical parts in the latter so as also to reduce production and maintenance time and costs.

Another further object is to supply a vinification apparatus and method that enable the cap to be wet in a substantially complete manner. Another further object is to provide a vinification apparatus and method that enable submerging of the cap in the must by mechanical means to be substantially avoided.

A yet further other object is to provide a vinification apparatus and method that enable continuous and uncontrolled dispersal of carbon dioxide into the environment to be avoided.

Yet another further object is to provide a vinification apparatus and method that enable damaging of the cap during conveying or processing to be avoided.

Yet another yet further object is to induce an action of compression and decompression on the berries to enable optimal washing of the internal part of the berry in the interests of optimal extraction and subsequent vinification. In a first aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided for treating vegetable products at ambient temperature conditions, comprising container means suitable for containing a vegetable product in a part of said container means and an operating fluid in another part thereof, closing means of said 'container means, inlet means into, and outlet means from, said container means of said vegetable product, characterised in that in said container means said vegetable product and said operating fluid are in direct contact with one another. In a second aspect of the invention, a method is provided for treating vegetable products at ambient temperature conditions, comprising: inserting a vegetable product through inlet means of container means; making an operating fluid interact with said vegetable product in such a way that said vegetable product and said operating fluid are in direct contact with one another in said container means; making said vegetable product exit from outlet means of said container means. This enables selecting of a pressure of said operating fluid, for example nitrogen or carbon dioxide or pressurised air, at which the riper berries are pressed whereas the unriper berries remain unpressed. Furthermore, during vinification, the operating fluid, namely the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, is first accumulated in the vat and is then abruptly expelled by opening the closing means, thereby producing a disturbing effect on the cap. In this way, the cap is completely broken up without resorting to complex mechanical submerging means, by eliminating which the moving parts in the vat and therefore the time and cost required to construct the latter are reduced. By using suitable conduit means, the carbon dioxide expelled by an apparatus according to the invention can be effectively removed from work environments, thus eliminating the risks arising from the uncontrolled and continuous release of the aforementioned gas that occurs in known vinification apparatuses . The volume of carbon dioxide expelled by an apparatus according to the invention can be furthermore channelled into a vinification apparatus of the known type to break up the cap formed inside the latter. Yet again, at the end of fermentation, the residues of the cap can be discharged by an apparatus according to the invention by delivering from above a pressurised fluid such as compressed air into the latter. This enables the use of screw conveyors to be avoided. The invention may be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate a non- limiting embodiment, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic, fragmentary and incomplete longitudinal section illustrating the operation of the apparatus in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic, fragmentary and incomplete front view illustrating a functional coupling that is achievable between an apparatus according to the invention and an apparatus of the known type;

Figure 4 is a section like the one in Figure 2, illustrating a press according to the invention. With reference to Figure 1, a vinification apparatus 1 comprises a hollow cylindrical body 2 having a longitudinal axis arranged vertically in relation to a floor M, and resting on the latter by means of a plurality of support elements 5 extending longitudinally. The body 2 extends downwards in a hollow bottom 3, shaped as a deflected cone with a truncated apex 6. The latter is oriented obliquely towards the floor M and is equipped with a door 4 of the known type, by means of which an outlet 4a can be opened or closed. The body 3 is closed at the top by a frustum-conical vault 8, from the centre of which a hatch 9 protrudes vertically. The hatch 9 has the shape of a hollow cylinder having a longitudinal axis aligned on the longitudinal axis of the body 2. The hatch 9 has a door 9a that enables the hatch to be opened or hermetically closed and is provided at the top with an inlet fitting 10, whereas an outlet fitting 11 emerges from a side wall 12. The inlet fitting 10 and the outlet fitting 11, both of which are equipped with valves that are not shown, are inserted into the hatch 9 in such a way as to be at right angles to one another. In particular, the valve in the outlet fitting 11 is a pressure-limiting .valve .

The apparatus 1 is equipped with a sprinkling system 14 of the known type comprising a wheeled pump 13. The pump 13 is connected to a stopcock 15 of the door 4 by means of a first flexible pipe 16 that is then connected to an assembly conduit 17 by means of a second flexible pipe 18. The assembly conduit 17 runs straight near the body 3 and parallel to the latter, then continuing near the vault 8 in an elbow joint 19 that debouches horizontally into the inlet fitting 10. The latter runs into a sprinkling device 14a of the known type.

With reference to Figure 2, the body 2, the vault 8 and the bottom 3 together define an internal cavity 22. The cavity 22, in use, is loaded with a preset quantity of a mixture consisting of liquid grape must 20, and of solid vegetable parts, i.e. pressed berries, dregs of pressed grapes and grape-stones, which are not shown. The must 20 starts to ferment spontaneously, and this causes a significant development of carbon dioxide. The latter pushes up the solid parts of the mixture, in particular dregs of pressed grapes and pressed berries, which tend to float on the free surface of the must 20, thereby giving rise to a cap 21. The latter tends to solidify, thus giving rise to the drawbacks illustrated previously. The stopcock 15 is then opened and the sprinkling system 14 is actuated, that, by means of the pump 13, extracts from the cavity 22 through the first flexible pipe 16 a preset volume of must 20 and then directs the latter to the assembly conduit 17 through the second flexible pipe 18. The must 20 extracted from the cavity 22 is pushed along the assembly conduit 17 in a direction indicated by the arrow FI and by means of the elbow joint 19 and the inlet fitting 10, it is again discharged inside the cavity 22 by means of the sprinkling device 14a. The cap 21 is then sprinkled several times according to the procedure disclosed above. As the hatch 9 is hermetically sealed, the carbon dioxide arising from fermentation accumulates in the cavity 22 and produces positive pressure in the latter. When the pressure produced by the carbon dioxide inside the cavity 22 reaches a preset value, for example 0.8 atmospheres, the gas accumulated in the liquid below the cap 21 in microscopic compressed bubbles is discharged outside by abrupt opening of the valve comprised in the outlet fitting 11. The sudden expansion of the gas causes a violent and complete breaking up of the cap 21. As the bottom 3 has the shape of a deflected cone, in a longitudinal half of the cavity 22 comprising the apex 6 of the bottom 3, a greater volume of must 20 is collected, from which a greater volume of carbon dioxide consequently develops. The latter, by prevailing over the volume of carbon dioxide produced in the remaining portion of the cavity 22, rises towards the vault 8 and in a different quantity, overturning the layer of berries. This differentiated circulation of the gas, shown by the dotted arrows, contributes to further breaking up the cap 21. To prevent dispersal of carbon dioxide near the apparatus 1, it is sufficient to provide the outlet fitting 11 with suitable conduit means that is not shown, that enables the carbon dioxide to be removed from the vinification site, for example by discharging the latter into the atmosphere at a certain height from the ground. After discharging the gas from the cavity 22, the valve of the outlet fitting 11 can be closed again to enable a new accumulation of carbon dioxide in the apparatus 1. In fact, as fermentation continues in the latter, the carbon dioxide develops further with consequent formation of a new cap 21 floating on the must 20. To avoid solidification of the latter, the procedure can then again be followed in the manner disclosed above.

It is also envisaged to provide the apparatus 1 with a further inlet valve 33 that enables a fluid under pressure, such as compressed air, nitrogen or carbon dioxide to be delivered into the cavity 22 from above.

In this way, at the end of fermentation, after discharging the must fermented by the apparatus 1, with the aforementioned fluid, it is possible to compress the broken up cap 21 so as to push the latter downwards until it is completely extracted from the cavity 22 through the stopcock 15 or the door 4. By providing the latter with simple conduit means it is thus possible to convey the residues of the cap to a pressing apparatus without using mechanical conveying means such as screw conveyors or pumps.

With reference to Figure 3, it is envisaged to use the flow of carbon dioxide coming from the apparatus 1 to break up the cap, which is not shown, that forms during the fermentation conducted in a known vinification apparatus 23. In fact, by placing a connecting conduit 24 between the outlet fitting 11 of the apparatus 1 and a bottom portion 25 of the known vinification apparatus 23, it is possible to discharge into the latter the flow of carbon dioxide produced in the manner disclosed above. In this way, the gaseous flow traverses from bottom to top the volume of must, which is not shown, received in the known vinification apparatus 23, and hits the corresponding cap above, breaking it up. In this way it is possible to use the apparatus 1 according to the invention to break up the cap in a traditional vat, which enables the process of fermentation to be successfully conducted even in the latter.

With reference to Figure 4, an apparatus is lastly envisaged that is provided with a set of pressing means comprising a conical grille 29 and a wall grille 30. Both the conical grille 29 and the wall grille 30 are made of drilled and appropriately fashioned laminar material. The conical grille 29 has the shape of a cone, the base 31 of which is applied to the internal contour of the door 4, whereas the wall grille 30 is shaped in such a way as to adapt to the internal wall of the bottom 3. At the end of fermentation, after discharging the must 20 fermented by the cavity 22, compressed air is delivered from above to inside the latter by means of a yet further inlet valve 32, comprised in the side wall 12 of the hatch 9. In this way, the broken up cap 21 is pushed near the bottom 3 by the compressed air and, through the effect of the latter, is pressed against the conical grille 29 and the wall grille 30. Consequently, the cap 21 is squeezed and surrenders the liquid part contained therein, which can be discharged outside the apparatus 1 by means of the stopcock 15. To avoid the risk of undesired oxidation of substances contained in the cap 21, instead of air, a non-oxidizing gas such as nitrogen can be used.

Claims

1. Apparatus (1) for treating vegetable products at ambient temperature conditions, comprising container means (2, 3, 8) suitable for containing a vegetable product (20, 21) in a part of said container means (2, 3, 8) and an operating fluid in another part thereof, closing means (4, 9a) of said container means (2, 3, 8), inlet means (9; 9, 10) into, and outlet means (4a, 15) from, said container means (2, 3, 8) of said vegetable product (20, 21), characterised in that in said container means (2, 3, 8) said vegetable product (20, 21) and said operating fluid are in direct contact with one another.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, and furthermore comprising further inlet means (32; 33) through which said operating fluid (20, 21) can be introduced into said container means (2, 3, 8).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, or 2, and furthermore comprising further outlet means (11) through which said operating fluid can exit from said container means (2, 3, 8) in a controlled manner. . Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said container means (2, 3, 8) comprises bottom means (3) wherein said outlet means (4a, 15) is arranged.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said bottom means (3) has a hollow conical shape having a deflected longitudinal axis and converging on said outlet means (4a, 15).

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said container means (2, 3, 8) comprises top means (8) wherein said inlet means (9; 9, 10) and/or said further inlet means (32; 33) and/or said further outlet means (11) are arranged.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said inlet means (9; 9, 10) and/or said further inlet means (32; 33) and/or said outlet means and/or said further outlet means (11) comprise valve means. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said further outlet means (11) comprises a pressure-limiting valve. 9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said further outlet means (11) runs into conduit means (24) arranged to move said operating fluid away from said container means (2, 3, 8).

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said conduit means (24) debouches into a selected zone of further container means (23) of a vegetable product (20, 21) .

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said selected zone comprises a bottom portion (25) of said further container means (23) . 12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 11, wherein said inlet means (10) is arranged at right angles to said further outlet means (11).

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 12, furthermore comprising pressing abutment means (28), arranged near said bottom means (3) .

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said pressing abutment means (28) comprises grille means (29, 31; 30).

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said grille means (29, 31) comprises a base (31) fitted near an internal portion of said outlet means (4a) and a body (29) that protrudes inside said bottom means (3) .

16. Apparatus according to claim 14, or 15, wherein said grille means (30) is arranged along an internal wall of said bottom means (3) . 17. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, furthermore comprising sprinkling means (14).

18. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said sprinkling means (14) comprises a pump (13) that has an intake connected to said outlet means (15) and a delivery connected to said inlet means (10) by means of respective conduit means (16, 17, 19).

19. Method for treating vegetable products at ambient temperature conditions, comprising: - inserting a vegetable product (20, 21) through inlet means (9; 9, 10) of container means (2, 3, 8); - making an operating fluid interact with said vegetable product (20; 21) in such a way that said vegetable product (20; 21) and said operating fluid are in direct contact with one another in said container means (2, 3, 8); - making said vegetable product (20, 21) exit from outlet means (4a, 15) of said container means (2, 3, 8).

20. Method according to claim 19, wherein said vegetable product (20, 21) are grapes.

21. Method according to claim 20, wherein said grapes are in fermenting phase.

22. Method according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein said operating fluid is a pressurised gas. 23. Method according to claim 22 as appended to claim 21, wherein said operating fluid comprises carbon dioxide developing from the fermentation of grapes.

24. Method according to any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein said operating fluid comprises a gas not developing from the fermentation of grapes.

25. Method according to any one of claims 19 to 24, wherein said operating fluid comprises a non-oxidizing gas.

26. Method according to claim 23, wherein said gas arising from the fermentation of grapes is accumulated in said container means (2, 3, 8) in such a way as to produce an increase in pressure therein.

27. Method according to claim 26, furthermore comprising abruptly discharging said gas developing from the fermentation of grapes outside said container means (2, 3, 8) when said pressure increase reaches a preset value. 28., Method according to claim 27, wherein said discharging occurs in a sufficiently rapid manner to break up a solid layer (21) floating on a liquid part (20) of said vegetable product (20, 21), said solid layer (21) being formed during said fermentation.

29. Method according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein said pressure increase is obtained by substantially closing said container means (2, 3, 8) during said fermentation.

30. Method according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein said discharging is carried out after connecting further outlet means (11) to a further container (23). 31. Method according to any one of claims 19 to 30, wherein said operating fluid is delivered to said container means (2, 3, 8) to push a solid fraction (21) of said vegetable product (20, 21) against a bottom part (3) of said container means (2, 3, 8). 32. Method according to claim 31, wherein said pushing comprises pressing said solid fraction (21) against grille means (29, 31; 30) of said bottom part (3).