AU2004283761A1 - An apparatus and method for cleaning and recycling water used in cleaning of barrels - Google Patents

Description

WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 An apparatus and method for cleaning and recycling water used in cleaning of barrels BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wine and liquor producers use oak barrels to impart certain flavours to wine 5 and other beverages. Oak barrels are expensive and have a limited life and are only able to be cleaned a certain number of times before they are unable to impart much flavour to the wine. Wine producers therefore often reserve the first use of a barrel for maturation of premium wines. Wine makers manage oak barrels carefully ageing their wine in a mix of new 10 and used barrels to achieve desired sensory evaluation characteristics for each wine. Care however must be taken in the cleaning and reuse of older barrels, since the interior surfaces can harbour bacteria and yeasts that might contaminate the wine that is placed in the barrel. Such contamination results in vast amounts of spoilt wine each year. Furthermore, the wine maker will not know whether a wine has been 15 spoilt until it has spent some time in the contaminated oak barrel. In order to overcome this problem, it is known to shave the inner surface of the oak barrel to remove wine maturation residues. Various apparatuses including cutting routers, planes, rotating wire brushes and metal chains have been used to remove a small amount of wood off the inner surfaces of the barrel's staves. The 20 process involves either the dismantling of the barrel or the removal of one end of the barrel. The wood of the interior of the barrel is then shaved to remove residues. Shaving the wood reduces the chance of contaminating the wine that is to be placed in the barrel at a latter time, but also removes the toasting which is a critically important part of the flavour imparting characters of the oak. The method however is 25 not time effective since the barrel must be moved to a location where it can be shaved. Furthermore, the inner surface of the barrel must be re-toasted. Other methods that have been used to clean or decontaminate a barrel involve the use of high-pressure water and /or high temperature hot water to clean the interior surface of the barrel. A high-pressure water lance is inserted through the 30 bunghole and is manually manipulated or mechanically rotated to spray jets of water over the internal surfaces of the barrel. This loosens the wine residue, tartrates and WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 2 the like which can then be removed. The detritus lees can then be drained by the use of a pump or by inverting the barrel. An alternate method that is used involves inverting the barrel over a cleaning nozzle that sprays high-pressure hot water over the interior surface of the barrel. 5 The method of using high-pressure hot water is limited because this method requires the application to occur directly onto the inner surfaces of the barrel. This poses problems especially around the bunghole, as it is difficult to rotate the nozzle to a position where the surface is directly contacted by the steam or water. Furthermore these mrnethods often result in the flavour imparting characteristics of the oak barrel 10 being washed away by the high pressure I high temperature hot water and also require a large amount of water which is then discarded. It is an object of the preset invention to provide an apparatus and a method for cleaning oak wine barrels that overcomes at least some of the aforementioned problems or provides the public with a useful alternative. 15 It is a further object of the present invention to provide for the cleaning of oak wine barrels using ultrasonics. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of ultrasonic cleaning whereby the cleaning apparatus may be transported to the location where the barrels are stored. 20 It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an ultrasonic cleaning and water recycling apparatus that can be mounted on a trailer or mobile transport unit. Thus the wine barrels are cleaned by the use of ultrasonics. This cleaning method works by the action of cavitation where microscopic cavities collapse and release shock waves. The microscopic cavities are formed by sending sound at 25 certain frequencies into a body of liquid within the barrel. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed an ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of wine barrels of the type having a bunghole said apparatus including: 30 an ultrasonic processor, having at least one transducer and at least one generator; WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 3 a movable support boom on which said ultrasonic processor is mounted; a fluid holding tank; and at least one pump having a plurality of pipes used to circulate fluid. Preferably, said apparatus further includes at least one filtration device 5 wherein filtered fluid is stored in said holding tank for reuse. Preferably, said movable support boom is manually or hydraulically operated. Preferably, a set of rollers are associated with said cleaning apparatus to enable the movement of barrels to a position where they can be cleaned. Preferably, said apparatus is mounted on a trailer or a skids unit so that said 10 cleaning apparatus may be easily moved between sites in a winery or from winery to winery. Preferably, said fluid holding tank acts as a return tank for fluid once the cleaning process of a single barrel has been completed. Preferably, said fluid holding tank includes at least one filtration device to 15 clean said fluid so that said fluid may be reused. Preferably, said fluid holding tank includes at least one ultrasonic cleaning device to clean said fluid so that said fluid may be reused. Preferably, said fluid is filtered once it has been siphoned out of a first barrel and before it is used in a second barrel. 20 In a further form of the invention there is proposed a method for ultrasonic cleaning of wine barrels including the steps of: filling a first wine barrel, of a series of wine barrels, at least in part with fluid; immersing at least one ultrasonic transducer into said fluid; operating said transducer to induce ultrasonic cavitation within said fluid thereby 25 cleaning the inside of said wine barrel; wherein said steps are repeated until all of said series of wine barrels are cleaned. Preferably, said ultrasonic transducer is manually placed within said barrels in a vertical position.

WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 4 Preferably, said fluid is filtered and treated with ultrasonics between when it is used in one barrel of said series of barrels and before it is used in subsequent barrels of said series. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 5 The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for cleaning and recycling water 10 mounted on a trailer, illustrating how the shaft of an ultrasonic processor is inserted through the bunghole of a wine barrel; Figure 2 is a side cut away view of a wine barrel partially filled with water illustrating how the water is pumped in and out of the barrel through a tube housed within the body of an ultrasonic processor; and 15 Figure 3 is a side cut away view of a wine barrel partially filled with water illustrating how the ultrasonic processor may be of a curved configuration and how the inside of the barrel may be viewed using a optical lens arrangement. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 20 The following detailed description of the invention and claims refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the 25 following description to refer to the same and like parts. Figure 1 illustrates a cleaning apparatus 10 including an ultrasonic processor 12 a movable support boom 14, on which the ultrasonic processor 12 is mounted, a water holding tank 16 and pumps 18 & 20 to circulate water through a filtration device 22. The average diameter of the bunghole 24 of a standard wine barrel 26 is 30 between 49-50 mm at the outside surface and 47-48 mm at the interior surface.

WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 5 Therefore the shaft 28 of the ultrasonic processor 12 must be less than the smallest diameter of the bunghole 24. The shaft 28 is preferably made from titanium however the reader should understand that the invention is not limited to an ultrasonic processor 12 with titanium shaft 28. 5 The practice of recycling wine barrels by way of cleaning is used extensively within the wine industry. However bacterial and yeast contaminations resulting from incomplete cleaning, costs the wine industry vast amounts each year in spoilt wine. The difficulty with wine and liquor barrels is that the opening of the container is restricted. This poses significant problems when such a container is cleaned. 10 Previously the barrels were dismantled and shaved, however recently high-pressure water or steamrn has been use to clean such containers. This however presents other problems especially in dryer areas where winemakers have limited water available. The present invention proposes a transportable apparatus and a method of using ultrasonics to clean wine barrels and like container with restricted access. In the 15 present embodiment, as illustrated in the Figures, the shaft 28 of an ultrasonic processor 12 is inserted through the bunghole 24 of a wine barrel 26. The reader should however understand that the present invention is not limited to wine barrels and can be used to clean any container with limited access such as liquor barrels or casks. 20 The cleaning apparatus can be mounted on a trailer 28 of the type include a tray 30 wheels 32 an A-frame 34 towing arrangement and associated coupler 36. The reader should however understand that the invention is not limited to a cleaning apparatus 10 mounted on a trailer 28. Any type of transportation vehicle could be used and if desired the cleaning apparatus 10 could be affix in one location with the 25 barrels being brought to the cleaning apparatus 10. The cleaning apparatus 10 can be powered by 240 volts through mains power or as illustrated in Figure 1 the trailer 28 can include a power generator 38. As the reader could appreciate including a generator or similar device means that the cleaning apparatus 10 can be used in any location independent of a mains power source. Having a power generator 38 also 30 reduces the chances of electrocution occurring while the apparatus 10 is been used. In one form of the invention the movable support boom 14 is constructed of a horizontal arm 40 and a vertical arm 42. The horizontal arm 40 as illustrated in Figure 1 can include two segments 44 and 46. Segment 44 is able to slide within the WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 6 body of segment 46 thereby reducing the length of the horizontal arm 40. Segment 46 of the horizontal arm 40 is attached to the cleaning apparatus 10 and able to pivot at point 48 in the horizontal and vertical planes. The retractable nature of the horizontal arm 40 and its ability to pivot at point 48 means that the movable support 5 boom 14 can be safely secured while the cleaning device 10 is being moved between sites. The attachment of the support boom 14 can be, as illustrated in Figure 1, on the top of the water holding tank 16, however the invention is not limited to a support boom 14 affixed to the top of the water holding tank 16. The horizontal arm 40 could alternatively be attached to a platform (not shown) which in turn is attached to the 10 tray 30 of the trailer 28. Section 44 of the horizontal arm 40 is attached to the vertical arm 42, which is able to pivot at point 50. The vertical arm 42 is attached to the ultrasonic processor 12. In this way the ultrasonic processor 12 can be aligned with the bunghole 24 of the wine barrel 26 through the manually manoeuvring of the support boom 14. 15 In one form of the invention and as illustrated in Figure 1, water is deposited into and siphoned out of the barrel 24 by means of a water distribution device 52 and a water pump 20. In the present form of the invention the water distribution device 52 is a standard flexible hose as is commonly used in household gardens, however, any type of flexible hose could be used. 20 To facilitate the cleaning of the wine barrels 26 a series of rollers 54 can be used to move the wine barrels 26 into position. These rollers 54 can be in the form of a ladder type configuration 56 as illustrated in Figure 1. These ladder type sections 56 can be coupled together at point 58 so as to form the desired length. The reader should understand that although only straight ladder type sections 56 are illustrated 25 the invention is not limited to straight ladder type sections 56. Angular connections or semi-spherical sections may be used to transport the barrels 26 to the cleaning apparatus 10 from a distant location at an angle from the cleaning apparatus 10. In the present form of the invention and as illustrated in Figure 1 the sections 56 may be stored on a shelf 60 within the body of the trailer 28. 30 As illustrated in Figure 1 more than one cleaning apparatus 10 can be located on a single trailer 28. The use of multiple support booms 14 with associated ultrasonic processors 12 means that more than one barrel 26 can be cleaned at a single time. The reader should understand that where two or more cleaning WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 7 apparatus' 10 are located on a single trailer the cleaning apparatus 10 may be configured to work completely independent of each other. Alternatively they can be integrated and share components such as the water holding tank 16 or filtration device 22. 5 The apparatus 10 further includes an ultrasonic control unit 62. The control unit 62 is in communication with the ultrasonic processors 12 via cables 64, as illustrated in Figure 1. The control unit 62 and ultrasonic processors 12 further include fans or air-conditioning units (not shown) which assist in cooling the components. 10 In the present invention a barrel 26 is at least partially filled with water. The shaft 28 of the ultrasonic processor or transducer 12 is then inserted through the bunghole 24 of the wine barrel 26 and immersed in the water contained within the barrel 26. The ultrasonic processor 12 is then induced to produce ultrasonics which in turn producing microscopic cavitations within the water body. Ultrasonic cleaning 15 works by the action of these microscopic cavities collapsing and releasing shock waves. The microscopic cavities are formed by sending sound at high frequencies into a body of liquid that is in contact with the surface to be cleaned. In the present example the microscopic cavities form on the interior surface of the wine barrel 26. The shock waves produced by the collapse of the cavities loosen the wine residue, 20 tartrates, and the like. The detritus along with the water contained within the barrel 26 can then be syphoned out through the bunghole 24 by the use of a pump 20 and a water distribution device 52. This water is then filtered through a filtration device 22, which may include commonly used mesh filters and an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus. 25 Ultrasonics can be used at the filtering stage as the process acts to disinfect the water body thereby limiting the chance of transferring bacterial or yeast contaminants to other barrels during the cleaning process. As the reader would now appreciate the use of a filtration device means that the water can be continuously recycled thereby substantially reducing the amount of water required for the cleaning process. This is 30 a significant improvement on present methods where water cannot be recycled. Turning now to Figure 2 the wine barrel 26 does not need to be completely filled with liquid. In the present example the barrel 26 is only half filled 66 with water 68. As the reader would now appreciate reducing the amount of water 68 used is a WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 8 significant advantage especially where the landholder has restricted water access. In a further aspect of the invention and as illustrated in Figure 2, the water 68 can be pumped into 70 and out of 72 the wine barrel 26 through the use of a pipe 74 or series of pipes housed within the shaft 28 and handle 76 of the ultrasonic processor 5 12. This means that the ultrasonic processor 12 which can include an intermediate flange 78 is able to remain in position within bunghole 24 through the entire cleaning process. As the reader can appreciate, limiting the handling of equipment both reduces the time taken and the chances of damage occurring to equipment. Figure 3 illustrates a further aspect of the invention where an ultrasonic 10 processor 12 with a shaft 28 is fitted with an optical lens arrangement 80. The optical lens arrangement 80 enables the operator to personally view 82 the interior of the barrel 26 to check the progress of the cleaning. This enhances the efficiency of the cleaning process as the operator can monitor the effects of the ultrasonic activity and where necessary make changes to the process. These changes can include 15 increasing the length of time that a particular barrel 26 is exposed to the ultrasonic activity. As illustrated in Figure 3 the shaft 28 of the ultrasonic processor 12 can be curvilinear in shape. By making the shaft 28 curvilinear in shape it may be easier for the operator to view the end staves 84 of the wine barrel 26. Alternatively a rigid or 20 semi-rigid viewing apparatus that is not associated with the ultrasonic processor 12 may be used for the purposes of check the progress of the cleaning process. As the reader would now be aware the use of ultrasonics is a cost effective way to clean wine barrels. The present invention avoids the need to completely dismantle the wine barrel or to remove one end of the barrel. The ability of 25 ultrasonics to sterilise the interior surface of the wine barrel stave also means that the chances of cross contamination from bacteria and yeast is reduced. Furthermore, the ease with which the present invention can be transported between locations combined with its ability to recycle water would make this invention appealing to potential users. 30 The processor or transducer fits into the wine barrel through the bunghole slidably movable through a sealing means that ensures that no fluid escapes through the bung hole even when the barrel may be inverted. This sealing means slidably WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 9 accommodates the transducer so that it can be raised or lowered within the barrel as needed and depending on the level of cleaning fluid within the barrel. Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown 5 and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. 10 In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprising" is used in the sense of "including", i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of wine barrels of the type having a bunghole said apparatus including: an ultrasonic processor, having at least one transducer and at least one 5 generator; a movable support boom on which said ultrasonic processor is mounted; a fluid holding tank; and at least one pump having a plurality of pipes used to circulate fluid.

2. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of a wine barrel as in claim 1 10 wherein said apparatus further includes at least one filtration device wherein filtered fluid is stored in said holding tank for reuse.

3. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of a wine barrel as in claim 1 wherein said movable support boom is manually or hydraulically operated.

4. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of a wine barrel as in claim 1 15 wherein a set of rollers are associated with said cleaning apparatus to enable the movement of said barrels to a position where they can be cleaned.

5. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of a wine barrel as in claim 1 wherein said apparatus is mounted on a trailer or a skids unit so that said 20 cleaning apparatus may be easily moved between sites in a winery or from winery to winery.

6. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of a wine barrel as in claim 1 wherein said fluid holding tank acts as a return tank for fluid once the cleaning process of a single barrel has been completed. 25

7. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of a wine barrel as in claim 1 wherein said fluid holding tank includes at least one filtration device to clean said fluid so that said fluid may be reused.

8. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of a wine barrel as in claim 1 wherein said fluid holding tank includes at least one ultrasonic cleaning 30 device to clean said fluid so that said fluid may be reused. WO 2005/039788 PCT/AU2004/001448 11

9. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of a wine barrel as in claim 1 wherein said fluid is filtered once it has been siphoned out of a first barrel and before it is used in a second barrel.

10. A method for ultrasonic cleaning of wine barrels including the steps of: 5 filling a first wine barrel, of a series of wine barrels, at least in part with fluid; immersing at least one ultrasonic transducer into said fluid; operating said transducer to induce ultrasonic cavitation within said fluid thereby cleaning the inside of said wine barrel; 10 wherein said steps are repeated until all of said series of wine barrels are cleaned.

11. A method for ultrasonic cleaning of wine barrels as in claim 10 wherein said ultrasonic transducer is manually placed within said barrels in a vertical position. 15

12. A method for ultrasonic cleaning of wine barrels as in claim 10 wherein said fluid is filtered and treated with ultrasonics between when it is used in one barrel of said series of barrels and before it is used in subsequent barrels of said series.

13. An ultrasonic apparatus for the cleaning of wine barrels substantially as 20 hereinbefore described with reference to the figures.