AU2004284952A1

AU2004284952A1 - An apparatus and method for the treatment of wine using ultrasonic cavitations

Info

Publication number: AU2004284952A1
Application number: AU2004284952A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peck Yok Lee; Wah Tong Lee; Julian MacDonald Smith
Original assignee: SONICLEAN Pty Ltd
Current assignee: SONICLEAN Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2003-10-22
Filing date: 2004-10-22
Publication date: 2005-05-12
Also published as: AU2008100816A4; NZ543155A; AU2009100378A4; WO2005042178A1

Description

WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 1 An apparatus and method for the treatment of wine using ultrasonic cavitations BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The wine making process generally involves the following steps: 5 1. De-stemming and crushing of the grapes; 2. Pressing which involves the separation of and recovery of pure juice from the skin, pulp and seeds of the grapes; 3. Settling or centrifugation to remove solids from the juice; 4. Yeast addition 10 5. Fermentation whereby yeast metabolizes the natural grape sugars, thereby producing alcohol, and carbon dioxide that dissipates. Tannins, colour, and flavours are extracted in red wine fermentations. The time period of fermentation can vary depending on the type of wine being produced and typically involves temperature control for quality purposes; 15 6. Malo-lactic fermentation is initiated for red wine and certain styles of white wine 7. Ageing of the wine in oak barrels whereby compounds such as tannins and flavours are extracted from the wood and slow oxidation causes various components of the wine to react; 20 8. Cold stabilization, protein stabilization, fining and filtration; and 9. Bottling of the wine. A growing problem in the wine industry is that during various stages of the above process the wine itself and the interior surfaces of wine-carrying and wine-storage containers harbor various types of yeast and bacteria that are known to contaminate. 25 wine. Such contamination costs the wine industry vast amounts of money each year in that the appearance of the wine is adversely affected and perhaps more importantly physical, chemical and microbial stability is not achieved. Stability allows wine to age gracefully within a bottle without developing the problems caused by excess amounts of yeast or bacteria. The range of bacteria that is capable of 30 operating in the pH range of wine includes: Acetobacter and Glueconobacter which turns wine into vinegar; WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 2 Spoilage yeasts, such as zygosaccharomyces and Dekkera/Brettanomyces; Lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacilus which ferments glucose sugar into lactic acid and, Pediococcus. 5 In order to overcome the problems presented by the abovementioned yeasts and bacteria and other associated contaminants, various solutions have been proposed. It is well known that cooling the juice after crushing and pressing inhibits oxidation, yeast, and enzyme activity. A further known solution is the filtration of the wine. 10 Filtration and/or centrifugation carried out prior to fermentation and post fermentation removes suspended particles such as yeast and bacteria and grape solids. Stability of wine is improved by methods such as extensive barrel ageing, malolactic fermentation and decontamination of the barrel itself. This latter process 15 may involve the use of high-pressure water or steam to clean the interior surface of the barrel. A high-pressure water or steam lance is inserted through the bunghole and is manually manipulated or rotated to spray jets of water or steam over the internal surface of the barrel. This loosens the wine residue tartrates and the like which can then be removed. 20 Decontamination of wine is also improved by other methods such as extensive barrel ageing, inoculation of cultures and decontamination of the barrel itself. This latter process involves the use of high-pressure water or steam to clean the interior surface of the barrel. A high-pressure water or steam lance is inserted through the bunghole and is manually manipulated or rotated to spray jets of water or 25 steam over the internal surface of the barrel. This loosens the wine residue, tartrates and the like which can then be removed. Although somewhat effective, the abovementioned procedures for decontaminating wine either involve the introduction of foreign compounds into the wine or methods that are simply not effective in destroying contaminants. The above 30 procedures also do not provide for the treatment of wine in other less accessible bodies such as pipes and tanks.

WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 3 It is therefore an object of the preset invention to provide an apparatus and a method for decontaminating wine that overcomes at least some of the aforementioned problems or provides the public with a useful alternative. It is a further object of the present invention to provide for the 5 decontamination of wine using ultrasonic cavitation. Thus the wine barrels are cleaned by the use of ultrasonics. Ultrasonic cavitation works by sending very intense sound at high frequency into a liquid, in this case wine, therein creating strong chemical and physical reactions through the formation of millions of microscopic cavities. Surrounding liquid then fills these 10 cavities with such force, that they collapse and release shock waves. When applied to a wine-carrying or wine-storage vessel, it is these shock waves that provide the decontamination and cleaning action on tartrates and residual yeast and bacteria. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed an ultrasonic 15 apparatus for the treatment of wine contained within a body such as a barrel, tank, or pipe having an access means said apparatus including: at least one longitudinal shaft adapted to be inserted through said access means; at least one ultrasonic transducer associated with said shaft; whereby the intense sound delivered at high frequency through said ultrasonic 20 transducers acts on the yeast and bacteria present in said wine thereby decontaminating said wine. Preferably, several transducers are associated with a single support member. In this way a plurality of vertical shafts which include transducers can be positioned at different locations within the body that contains the wine. This is particularly 25 important where the body is large, such as where the wine is stored in large tanks. Preferably, said apparatus further includes an ultrasonic activity sensor adapted to indicate the amount of ultrasonic activity within said body. Preferably, said shaft is made from titanium or titanium composite. In a further form of the invention there is proposed a method for ultrasonic 30 treatment of wine including the steps of: WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 4 immersing at least one ultrasonic transducer into said wine contained within said body; and operating said transducer to induce ultrasonic cavitation within said wine thereby decontaminating said wine. 5 Preferably, said method further includes the step of removing any sediment from within said body. Preferably, the ultrasonic transducer is vertically placed within the body and located within said access means with an intermediate flange. Preferably, multiple ultrasonic shafts are positioned within said body, each 10 said shaft in operative communication with a said transducer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 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. 15 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side cut away view of a wine barrel filled with wine including an ultrasonic processor inserted through the bunghole of the barrel and adapted to deliver ultrasonic energy in accordance with a first aspect of the invention; 20 Figure 2 is a detailed perspective view of a wine tank including a plurality of ultrasonic processors located therein in accordance with a second aspect of the invention; and Figure 3 is an exploded view of a pipe extending from a wine tank and an ultrasonic processor which is located within the pipe in accordance 25 with a third aspect of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments 30 described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 5 possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. The present invention relates to the treatment of wine located within a body for storing or transporting wine. The invention is therefore not only capable of being 5 applied to the treatment of wine in traditional barrels but also in larger storage tanks and even pipes transporting wine. It is to be understood that the invention is also not intended to be limited to any one of these bodies. Figure 1 illustrates the first embodiment of the present invention, more specifically, an ultrasonic processor 10 which is inserted through the bunghole 12 of 10 a traditional wine oak barrel 14 for storing wine 15. The ultrasonic processor 10 includes a longitudinal shaft 16, a handle 18, and an intermediate flange 20. At least one ultrasonic transducer (not shown) is associated with the shaft 16. Obviously, the total diameter of the shaft 16 is less than the diameter of the bunghole 12 and is preferably constructed from titanium for various purposes such as rust prevention. 15 The reader should understand that the shaft 16 need not necessarily be cylindrical and may be constructed of an alternate material. Intermediate flange 20 locates the ultrasonic processor 10 in place once the shaft 16 has been inserted through the bunghole 12. The intermediate flange 20 does not have to produce a perfect seal as the cleaning is typically only a short 20 process. It is preferable however that the flange 20 be secure enough so that when the barrel 14 is rotated or moved the ultrasonic processor 10 is not dislodged from the bunghole 20. The average diameter of the bunghole of standard wine barrels is between 49-50 mm at the outside surface of the barrel and 47-48 mm at the interior surface. Therefore the shaft 16 of the ultrasonic processor 10 must be less than the 25 smallest diameter of the bunghole 20. A generator (not shown) produces an ultrasonic signal that is emitted by the transducer or transducers associated with the shaft 16. As previously mentioned, the ultrasonic decontamination process works by the action of microscopic cavities collapsing and releasing shock waves. In the present example the shock waves act 30 to destroy the yeast and bacteria cells within the wine. The shock waves also provide a secondary action in that they loosen the wine residue, tartrates, and the like located on the interior surface of the wine barrel staves 22 and particularly in the WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 6 space between each stave. The wine 15 can then either be filtrated or the barrel 14 cab be inverted allowing the residue to drain out through the bunghole 20. The configuration of the ultrasonic processor described above may well vary. For example, intermediate flange 20 may well include pivoting means such that the 5 shaft 16 may be rotated within the barrel to more effectively decontaminate or clean particular areas. The shaft 16 may well be curved and the tank or the shaft may well include a plurality of sensors for determining the effectiveness of the ultrasonic activity. Those skilled in the art would realise that wine is not only stored in barrels but 10 can also be stored in tanks and vessels, whether they be underground, aboveground, wooden or metal. Figure 2 illustrates a second aspect of the invention, that is, a decontamination apparatus 24 for an aboveground wine tank 26 using a plurality of ultrasonic processors 10. The tank 26 is filled with wine 28 and includes an access 15 means 30 at the top of the tank that may be sealed with a suitable hatch (not shown). The decontamination apparatus 24 is adapted to be inserted through the access means 30 whereby subsequent to insertion, a plurality of arms 32 either by manual means or electronically extend outwardly, each arm suspending therefrom an ultrasonic processor 10. Each arm is horizontally maintained by reinforcing arms 33. 20 An ultrasonic processor 10 also suspends from a central position on the apparatus 24. It is to be understood that each processor 10 functions in the same manner as described in the first embodiment of the invention whereby high frequency sound is emitted from the transducers associated with each shaft 16 thereby destroying any yeast or bacteria within the vicinity of the shaft 16. 25 The reason for including a plurality of ultrasonic processors 10 in this case is the typically large nature of underground or aboveground wine tanks 26. Another example of where decontamination of wine may need to take place is in pipes 34 used in the transportation of wine where bacteria breeding grounds may be more abundant. Figure 3 illustrates a pipe 34 including female threaded member 30 36 for connection to a male threaded member 38 located at the top surface of a tank 40. The pipe 34 extends upwardly and then outwardly relative to the tank 40 and aligned with the outward extension of the pipe 34 is an ultrasonic processor 10. The ultrasonic processor 10 is adapted to be inserted and housed within the pipe 34 and WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 7 once again works to decontaminate the wine being transported therethrough as well as the interior surface of the pipe. The processor 10 may be maintained within the pipe 34 in a number of alternate configurations, for example, it may include means to be locked at a pipe coupling connection. 5 As the reader would now be aware the use of ultrasonics is an effective and cost effective way to decontaminate wine that is stored or transported in a variety of different bodies. The introduction of foreign compounds such as fining agents for example does not guarantee that the entire volume of wine will be treated whereas ultrasonics ensures that the wine will be treated more uniformly and effectively. 10 Furthermore, the introduction of foreign compounds has been known to affect the overall taste and aroma of the wine, an undesirable side-effect. The ease of which the apparatus of the present invention can be introduced into existing wineries is evident. The invention does not require transportation or manipulation of barrels, tanks, or pipes. Added to this advantage is the reduction in 15 overall decontamination time as compared to previously known methods. The cables associated with the present invention for transferring power are of a sufficient length to enable the wine in barrels and other bodies to be treated in situ, even when they are at a distance from power sources. Furthermore the ultrasonic processor can also be located on a boom to enable the user to manipulate the processor with ease, even 20 when for example barrels are stacked or on rollers at a height above the ground. In the simplest form of the invention, an ultrasonic processor having an associated transducer is inserted into a wine-carrying or wine-containing body to thereby effect decontamination of the wine. Depending on the strength of the cavitation energy and/or the size of the body it may be advantageous to introduce a 25 plurality of such processors. Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown 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 30 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.

WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 8 In the summary of the invention and in the claims, 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

1. An ultrasonic apparatus for the treatment of wine contained within a body such as a barrel, tank, or pipe having an access means said apparatus including: 5 at least one longitudinal shaft adapted to be inserted through said access means; at least one ultrasonic transducer associated with said shaft; whereby the intense sound delivered at high frequency through said ultrasonic transducers acts on the yeast and bacteria present in said wine 10 thereby decontaminating said wine.

2. An ultrasonic apparatus for the treatment of wine as in claim 1 wherein a plurality of transducers are associated with a single support member.

3. An ultrasonic apparatus for the treatment of wine as is claim 1 wherein said apparatus further includes an ultrasonic activity sensor adapted to 15 indicate the amount of ultrasonic activity within said body.

4. An ultrasonic apparatus for the treatment of wine as is claim 1 wherein said shaft is made from titanium or titanium composite.

5. A method for ultrasonic treatment of wine contained in a vessel including the steps of: 20 immersing at least one ultrasonic transducer into said wine contained within said vessel; and operating said transducer to induce ultrasonic cavitation within said wine thereby decontaminating said wine.

6. A method for ultrasonic treatment of wine as in claim 5 wherein said 25 method further includes the step of removing any sediment from within said vessel.

7. A method for ultrasonic treatment of wine as in claim 5 wherein said ultrasonic transducer is vertically placed within said vessel and located within said access means with an intermediate flange. WO 2005/042178 PCT/AU2004/001447 10

8. A method for ultrasonic treatment of wine as in claim 5 wherein multiple ultrasonic shafts are positioned within said vessel, each said shaft in operative communication with a said transducer.

9. An ultrasonic apparatus for the treatment of wine substantially as 5 hereinbefore described with reference to figure 1.

10. An ultrasonic apparatus for the treatment of wine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figure 2.

11. An ultrasonic apparatus for the treatment of wine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figure 3.