ES2607716B1 - Installation to obtain quality wines - Google Patents

Abstract

Installation for obtaining quality wines. # The invention consists in taking advantage of the CO {sub, 2} generated in the must fermentation tanks due to its own fermentation, by recirculating the CO {sub, 2}, so that it enter said fermentation tanks (1) at the bottom, generating a bubble to the upper area, occupied by the hat formed by the skins, breaking it and causing it to mix with the must improving the extraction of the present compounds in these skins. For this, it is only necessary to have a storage tank of CO {sub, 2}, which is connected by a pipe network to the top (2) of each fermentation tank, and an extraction or discharge equipment (6 ), which feeds a circuit (7), which in turn feeds inferiorly to the fermentation tanks (1), through its means of bleeding / emptying.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an installation for obtaining red wines of

5 quality, specifically an installation that allows to take advantage of the CO2 generated in the fermentation process of red wines, to break the "hat" or accumulation of skins that accumulate in the upper part of the fermentation tanks, avoiding the tracing of the must and consequently the use of pumping equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

10 A correct obtaining of red wine is based on the greater exchange of substances between the solid parts of the grape and the Iquida, must.

The higher the extraction of the existing components in the solid part of the grape, the better quality the wine will finally have. Basically, in the skins, where anthocyanins are stored, which will color the wine, tannins and various aromatic substances, which

15 establish the differences between the different wines.

This process is performed during the so-called maceration, which reaches its highest extraction, when it is done during the alcoholic fermentation of the must.

To achieve this level of extraction it is necessary that the musts are in intimate relationship with the solid elements of the grape, mainly the skins, during

20 time periods normally established between 3 and 10 days.

In order to achieve this extraction, numerous maceration and fermentation systems have been devised and put into service, using basically specific equipment, whose use is decisive for obtaining different qualities of wine, facilities that nevertheless present some problems, well functioning or economic,

25 derivatives of its high cost.

The basic process of operation is that the accumulation of skins in the upper part of the tank because they are less dense than the must, called "hat", is crossed by the must under it and that must be traced.

In this way the passage of the must through the hat is an operation that is performed

30 periodically, once or twice a day, and that allows to extract the aforementioned substances that will give body to the new wine, so that depending on the quantities extracted, so will the quality of it.

This process has an inconvenience, and that is that the musts traced when pouring on the hat make a step in it to go through it, which is "used" by the

35 successive lifts, which makes the process lose effectiveness since a large part of the hat does not come into contact with the must and therefore anthocyanins, tannins, etc. are not removed effectively.

Although there are systems designed to destroy the hat and put it in total communication with the must in fermentation, these are complex and consequently expensive systems.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The installation that is recommended solves the problem previously fully satisfactory based on a simple solution, but of great efficiency, which takes advantage of much of the pre-existing installation.

For this, the essence of the invention consists in taking advantage of the CO2 that is generated in the fermentation process of the must so that it is stored and recirculated again through the fermentation tanks, a flow that causes the agitation of the skins, and consequently the breakage of the "hat".

This operation also implies, advantageously, the fact that the continuous must lifts are not necessary and consequently the constant use of the pumping equipment, with the consequent cost savings that this entails.

Thus, the C02 that is generated automatically and constantly in the fermentation of the must is expelled through the upper mouth of these deposits, being able to take advantage of the existing pipes, so that the different fermentation tanks are connected to a tank CO2 accumulation, tight.

This tank is connected in turn through the corresponding network of pipes with each of the fermentation tanks, specifically at the level of its bleeding / emptying valves, being driven through the corresponding pumping equipment.

The entry of high-pressure CO2 through the lower area of the fermentation tanks produces a very strong bubbling in the fermentation must, which upon reaching the upper zone destroys the entire hat.

The shattered hat is mixed completely with the must existing in the tank, a situation that remains until the new hat is formed, repeating the operation as many times as deemed convenient, thus achieving maximum extraction of the skin in a more simple and effective.

Since CO2 production is constant in the fermentation process, the supply of gas to the installation is more than guaranteed.

It should be noted that, with minimal modifications, existing facilities can be used, with a minimal cost and, however, significantly improving the quality of the wine obtained.

The leftover gas can be used to homogenize freshly concealed deposits, wine tracing and inertization of deposits at the beginning of concealment, or during wine storage, since this avoids the oxygen content in the deposit that could lead to new fermentations that would bring the denaturation of the wine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that will then be made and in order to help a better understanding of the features of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, an accompanying plan is attached as an integral part of said description. In an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 shows a representation corresponding to a schematic diagram of an installation for obtaining quality red wines made in accordance with the object of the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As can be seen in the above-mentioned figure, the installation of the invention is based on the preexistence of a plurality of self-emptying fermentation tanks (1), which, due to their upper end (2), are connected through a network of pipes ( 3) with a deposit

5 accumulator (4) of the CO2 generated in said deposits during the must fermentation process.

The accumulator tank (4) or nurse is connected through a conduit (5) to an extraction or impulse equipment (6), which feeds a circuit (7), preferably to cancel to avoid pressure losses, with shunts (8 ) towards the different batteries of deposits of

10 fermentation (1), branches (8) that are connected to the lower network (9) for the transfer and extraction of wine that the tanks have.

In this way, the COz is recirculated, so that it enters the must fermentation tanks (1) at the bottom, generating a bubbling up to the upper area, occupied by the hat, breaking it and causing it mix with

15 the must improving the extraction of the compounds present in the skins.

The dimensions of the CO2 accumulation tank, as well as the section of the pipes used will depend on the total volume of the installation, although, as mentioned above, the volume of CO2 generated by each fermentation tank is more than sufficient to carry out the breakage of the hat of each deposit, so it is not

20 rules out the use of surplus in other applications.

Claims (1)

1 '.- Installation for obtaining quality wines, of the type of those constituted from a plurality of self-emptying fermentation tanks (1), with upper and lower intakes of access to the interior of the deposits, it is characterized because the fermentation tanks (1) are connected by their upper end (2), through a pipe network (3) with at least one accumulator tank (4) of the CO2 generated in said tanks during the must fermentation process, with the particularity that the accumulator tank (4) is connected to an extraction or impulsion equipment (6) , which feeds a circuit (7), which in turn feeds the fermentation tanks (1) internally, through 10 of its means of bleeding / emptying, generating a flow through the tank capable of stirring and breaking the upper layer that is formed from the skins of the wine. 2nd ._ Installation for obtaining quality wines, according to claim 1, characterized in that the circuit (7), preferably has an annular configuration to avoid pressure losses, with leads (8) to the different batteries of fermentation tanks 15 (1), branches (8) that are connected to the lower network (9) for the transfer and extraction of wine that the tanks have.