WO2015018907A1

WO2015018907A1 - Apparatus and process for production of fermented food and drink products

Info

Publication number: WO2015018907A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/067019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Achim ROSCH; Thomas HAUSSMANN
Original assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Förderung Der Angew. Forschung E.V.; Land Rheinland-Pfalz, Vertreten Durch Die Aufsichts- Und Dienstleistungsdirektion
Priority date: 2013-08-08
Filing date: 2014-08-07
Publication date: 2015-02-12
Also published as: DE102013215665B4; DE102013215665A1; EP3030643A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for production of fermented food and drink products, having at least one first tank (11) intended to accommodate the starting substrate (2) to be fermented, and having at least one unit (3, 4) for control and/or regulation of the temperature (T) during the fermentation, wherein the unit (3, 4) contains at least one latent heat storage material (3) which can be coupled thermally to the starting substrate (2) to be fermented. The invention further relates to a process for production of fermented food and drink products, in which the starting substrate to be fermented is introduced into the interior (111) of at least one first tank (11), wherein the temperature (T) is controlled and/or regulated during the fermentation of the starting substrate by monitoring the amount of heat supplied and removed and the starting substrate (2) is in thermal contact with a latent heat storage material (3) at least during the fermentation.

Description

Apparatus and process for the production of fermented food products

The invention relates to a device for the production of fermented food products with at least a first tank, which is provided for receiving the starting substrate to be fermented and with at least one device for controlling and / or regulating the temperature during the fermentation. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for the production of fermentatively produced

Food products in which the starting substrate to be fermented is introduced into the interior of at least a first tank and during the fermentation of the ^¬ starting substrate by controlling the amount of heat supplied or discharged control and / or regulation of the temperature. Devices and methods of the type mentioned above can be used for the production of pharmaceutical agents, for example insulin, hyaluronic acid, streptokinase or penicillin. Furthermore, devices and methods of the type mentioned in the food production can be used, for example, as alko ^¬ holische fermentation, in the maturity Matj or in the production of soy sauce or sauerkraut. From DE 35 25 455 AI a device and a method of the type mentioned input is known. To the at the

To control fermentation prevailing temperature is provided in this known device, a double-walled container, so that hot or cold water can be introduced in the space between the two walls. As a result, heat can be removed from the container into the intermediate space or heat is supplied from the intermediate space into the interior of the container. The supply of cold or warm water is controlled by a solenoid valve whose opening time is controlled by a temperature controller.

However, this known device has the disadvantage that, especially in the large-scale production of foods or pharmaceuticals, large amounts of energy are required to ensure temperature control. To make matters worse, that the output to be fermented ^¬ substrate at the beginning of the fermentation process is often too cold, that the starting substrate has to be heated by energy input. However, the fermentation itself is an exothermic reaction, so that the temperature thereafter rises rapidly and cooling becomes necessary. Towards the end of the fermentation, the heat produced exothermically decreases again, so that again energy-intensive heating is required. Next ^¬ towards the control systems described may fail due to failure of the transmitter and / or the control valves so that no optimum temperature control takes place. This can result in the production of an inferior product or the complete rejection of the production batch.

Starting from the prior art, the invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a method and a device for the production of fermentatively produced products, which enable production with lower energy consumption and greater reliability. The object is achieved by a device according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 9.

According to the invention, a device for the production of fermentatively produced products or a device for the production of fermentatively produced food products is proposed. The device has at least one first tank, which is provided for receiving the starting substrate to be fermented. A fermentation biological Encrypt ^¬ development of an organic substance is meant in the sense of the present invention. The fermentation can be carried out by enzymes, bacteria, fungi or other biological ^¬ specific cell cultures. In some embodiments of the invention, the fermentation may be an alcoholic fermentation carried out, for example, to make alcoholic beverages. The fermentation can be carried out aerobically or anaerobically.

The first tank, which is provided for receiving the starting substrate to be fermented, may have a cylindrical basic shape in some embodiments of the invention. The tank can have a capacity of about 50 liters to about 3000 liters. In other embodiments of the invention, the size of the tank may range from about 200 liters to about 1500 liters. In other embodiments of the invention, the size of the tank may range from about 50,000 liters to about 200,000 liters. The tank can be made of aluminum, stainless steel, a plastic or a copper alloy. In some embodiments of the invention, the first tank may have a multilayered built wall aufwei ^¬ sen, for example, an inner stainless steel panel to be coated on a copper vessel. This enables good heat conductivity while an inert con ^¬ tact surface of the substrate to be fermented starting with the container wall of the first tank. Furthermore, the invention proposes to connect the first tank to a device for controlling and / or regulating the temperature during the fermentation. According to the invention, the device can have at least one second tank, which contains a latent heat storage material, which can be thermally coupled to the starting substrate to be fermented. A latent heat storage material in the context of the present invention is characterized in that it can absorb or release heat energy at a constant temperature. This can be done for example by a solid-liquid phase transition of the latent heat storage material. The latent heat storage material can be stored in a second tank so that it is available during the fermentation of the starting substrate. Of course, in some embodiments of the invention, a plurality of second tanks and / or a plurality of first tanks may be available, so that the performance and / or the reliability of the device is increased.

In order to avoid contamination of the finished product or of the starting ^substrate to be fermented with the latent heat storage material, it merely thermally couples to the starting substrate to be fermented, without, however, coming into direct contact with the starting substrate. Such thermal coupling can for example take place in that the latent heat storage material is separated from the starting substrate by a partition wall and / or the latent heat storage material may in grains or Parti ^¬ angles micro- or macroencapsulated, so that only the

Grains or particles come into contact with the starting substrate, but not the latent heat storage material contained in the particles. Such particles can be introduced directly into the first tank.

The method according to the invention and the device according to the invention have the advantage that excess heat arising in the fermentation process is dissipated by the latent heat Storage material is recorded. Since the latent heat storage material ^¬ is able to absorb heat at a constant temperature Tem ^¬, the temperature of the starting substrate does not rise above the melting or working temperature of the latent heat storage material. If at the beginning or at the end of the fermentation process lowers the temperature of the substrate and thereby the activity of the enzymes or micro Orga ^¬ mechanisms is reduced, heat can be supplied from the latent heat ^¬ storage material in the fermentation product or to the starting substrate. As this concerns the resulting during fermentation excess heat, in some embodiments of the invention, the method can be performed such that to-no additional thermi ^¬ specific energy or must be dissipated. In other embodiments of the invention, the expense of electrical or fossil-generated heat can be reduced because the temperature differences during different stages of the fermentation due to the latent heat storage material are lower.

Furthermore, the apparatus and method according to the invention has the advantage that the latent absorbs heat storage material with a predetermined transition Tempe ^¬ temperature or a predetermined transition temperature range heat or gives off heat, without the need for an elec ^¬ trical and electronic control. The in contact with the latent heat storage material outlet ^¬ substrate is maintained at a constant temperature, as long as the latent heat storage material has stored sufficient heat and can absorb sufficient excess heat generated. For the function of the control e thus comes only to a sufficient active mass of the

Latentwärmespeichermaterials and a correctly selected transition temperature on. Thus, electronic or mechanical components can be saved, which are error-prone, maintenance-intensive and expensive to purchase. In some embodiments, the at least one second tank may be disposed in the interior of the at least one first tank. In this case, the partial volume of the first tank, which is not claimed by the second tank, is available for receiving the starting substrate to be fermented. Since the latent heat storage material in the second tank is securely ^¬ closed, contamination of the starting substrate with the latent heat storage material is impossible. At the same time there is a large contact surface, which can be increased by Verwen ^¬ tion of several smaller second tanks.

In some embodiments of the invention, a heat exchanger can be arranged in the interior of the first tank and / or in the interior of the second tank, which can be flowed through by a heat transfer medium. The heat exchanger may be configured as a plate heat exchanger or as a tube register. The heat transfer medium can be promoted by at least one pump, which has an example electric drive. In other embodiments of the invention can be dispensed with such a pump.

The heat transfer medium, in some embodiments, may be or include an alcohol, a water, or an oil. By adjusting the conveying speed or the flow rate, the heat supply or the heat dissipation can be additionally influenced. In some embodiments of the invention, the heat transfer medium may contain or consist of a latent heat storage material. In some embodiments of the invention, the latent heat storage material circulating in the heat exchanger may be different than the latent heat storage material in the second tank. In these cases, the heat energy transferred per unit time can be increased compared to an oil, alcohol or water circulating in the heat exchanger. In other embodiments of the invention, the heat transfer medium circulating in the heat exchanger may contain the latent heat storage material from the second tank or consist of. In these cases, a second heat exchanger can be saved in the interior of the second tank, and a partial amount of latent heat storage material present in the second tank can be brought into contact with the starting substrate to be fermented in the heat exchanger. The heat-loaded latent heat storage is then fed back into the second tank.

In some embodiments of the invention, the heat transfer medium can circulate thermosyphonically. Since the density of a cooled heat transfer medium is greater than the density of a heated heat transfer medium, with appropriate choice of the cable cross-sections and to be overcome

Differences in height a circulation of the heat transfer medium can be achieved solely due to thermal energies, so that the additional use of pumps and thus the use of auxiliary energy can be avoided. Such a device can work very energy efficient.

In yet another embodiment of the invention may be arranged in the interior of the second tank, a heat exchanger, which is flowed through by the starting substrate to be fermented. In this case, the latent heat storage material may be stored in the second tank, whereas the starting substrate to be fermented in a pipe register or a plate heat exchanger is brought into contact with the latent heat storage material. In this way, the starting substrate can be brought to a predeterminable temperature before it enters the first tank or when it is removed from the first tank. Of course, however, embodiments are conceivable in which the starting substrate rotates cyclically and in this way is Continually ^¬ rend a partial volume in contact with the latent heat storage material.

In some embodiments of the invention, the latent heat storage material has a phase transition temperature of about 12 ° to about 35 °. In other embodiments of the invention, the latent heat storage material on a phase ^¬ transition temperature of about 15 ° to about 25 °. In ge ^¬ called temperature range a variety of microorganisms is viable, such as yeast or bacteria. At the same time, the reaction dynamics are sufficiently fast to enable economical production. On the other hand, the reaction dynamics are slow enough to produce high quality products.

In some embodiments of the invention, the latent heat storage material comprises at least one fatty acid or at least ^¬ may contain a paraffin or at least one salt hydrate or consist thereof. In particular, paraffins and fatty acids are well suited for microencapsulation and are themselves inert, so that degeneration can only be observed after prolonged use. Furthermore, paraffins and fatty acids are non-toxic, so that the starting substrate need not necessarily be discarded even if contaminated with the latent heat storage mate ^¬ rial. Salt hydrates have the advantage that they are not flammable and have a high melting enthalpy. Thus can be thermally stabili ^¬ Siert also fermentation processes with a large accumulation of heat with only one coagulating ^¬ gen amount of latent heat storage material.

The invention is based on figures without

Restriction of the general inventive concept will be explained in more detail. It shows

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of the thermi ^¬ specific coupling of the latent heat storage device with the stepped Ausgangssubs ^¬. Figure 3 shows a second embodiment for the ther ^¬ mix coupling of the latent heat storage device with the output ^¬ substrate.

Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the ther ^¬ mix coupling of the latent heat storage device with the output ^¬ substrate.

Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment for the ther ^¬ mix coupling of the latent heat storage device with the output ^¬ substrate.

Figure 6 shows a fifth exemplary embodiment of the ther ^¬ mix coupling of the latent heat storage device with the output ^¬ substrate.

Figure 7 shows a sixth exemplary embodiment of the thermal coupling of the latent heat storage device with the off ^¬ gear substrate.

Figure 8 illustrates the timing of a fermentation.

Figure 9 shows the temporal temperature and heat during fermentation.

Figure 1 shows schematically the structure of a device 1 for the production of fermentatively produced products. The device 1 can thus also be referred to as a fermenter or as part of a fermenter.

The device 1 has a first tank 11. The first tank 11 has an inner space 111, which is bounded by a wall. The wall may for example consist of stainless steel, an aluminum alloy or a copper alloy or a plastic. In some embodiments of the invention, the wall may be a multi-layered one Have structure, for example, to achieve a particularly good or a particularly low heat conduction.

The interior 111 is accessible via a filling opening 116. Furthermore, the inner space 111 can optionally have a pressure relief valve 117, which discharges gases formed during the fermentation and / or via which a protective gas can be introduced, for example to carry out anaerobic fermentations in the inner space 111 of the first tank 11.

In the interior 111 is the output to fermented The starting substrate 2 may for example be a mash, which is converted by alcoholic fermentation to an alcoholic drink ^¬ substrate 2. In other embodiments of the invention, the initial substrate 2 can be a fish or meat product, for example in the Her ^¬ position of raw sausage or Matjeshering. Finally, the starting substrate 2 can be a pharmacologically active substance or be converted to such an active substance. The invention does not teach the use of a special starting substrate 2 as a solution principle.

The starting substrate may be moved by an optional stirrer 112. However, agitator 112 may be in others

Embodiments of the invention also omitted.

For thermal coupling of the starting substrate with a latent heat storage material, a plate heat exchanger 113 is available. This can also be omitted in other embodiments of the invention, as will be explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 2 to 7.

The plate heat exchanger 113 is connected by a supply line 115 to a second tank 12. Also, the second tank 12 includes an inner space 121. This is filled with a latent heat storage material 3. The latent heat storage material 3 may be, for example, a fatty acid, a paraffin or a salt hydrate or contain such a material. In addition, the latent heat storage material may contain 3 ^¬ other materials ^¬ example, a liquid as a carrier material or a synthetic ^¬ material for microencapsulation. In this case, the latent heat storage material may be a granulate which may be dispersed in an oil or water.

In the illustrated embodiment, the latent heat ^¬ storage material 3 is conveyed through an optional pump 118 via the pipe 115 into the plate heat exchanger 113. There, the latent heat storage material 3 can absorb heat energy from the starting substrate 2 or release heat to the starting ^¬ substrate. This prevents excessive heating due to the microbiologically active activity or the latent heat storage material 3 gives off heat energy to the starting substrate 2, so that an excessive drop in temperature is avoided, which could, for example, cause the microbiological activity is low and therefore the fermentation does not get started or takes too long.

Furthermore, in Figure 1, an optional control and Re ^¬ gel means 4 is shown. This has two temperature sensors 41 and 42, which detect the temperature of the latent heat ^¬ storage material 3 and the temperature of Ausgangsubs ^¬ trat 2 continuously. If the temperature difference is too large can be increased by closing the control valve 114 in the return line of the plate heat exchanger 113, the flow ^¬ resistance, so that a lesser part of the latent heat storage material 3 per unit time flows through the plate heat exchanger 113. As a result, then the cooling capacity or heating power of the latent heat storage material 3 can be increased or decreased. Optionally, the ^device 4 can also determine whether the latent heat store 3 is above its melting temperature or phase transition temperature. has warmed up and therefore has become ineffective. In this case, the device 4 may trigger an alarm or initiate countermeasures for overheating the starting substrate 2, for example, by activating an emergency cooling system with a compression refrigerator.

It should be understood, however, that the device 4 as well as the control valve 114 and the pump 118 are optional. In other embodiments of the invention, the latent heat storage material 3 can revolve thermosyphonisch or permanently in contact with the starting substrate 2, so that a self-regulating cooling and heating of the off ^¬ gear substrate 2 is obtained. In this case, the fermenter 1 is particularly simple and can be operated energy-saving and low maintenance.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment, as the thermal coupling of the latent heat storage material and the output ^¬ substrate 2 can be performed. In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the second tanks 12 are arranged in the interior 111 of the first tank 11. The transition from a second tank to a macroencapsulation is flowing. Is Wesent ^¬ Lich for this embodiment that the latent heat storage material ^¬ 3 is included so that it does not come into contact with the starting substrate to be fermented. This avoids contamination. Simultaneously, the contact surface of a plurality of second tank 12 is sufficiently large, however, so that a good heat ^¬ transition from the latent heat storage material 3 to the output ^¬ substrate is made possible in the interior 111th In some ^embodiments , the second tanks 12 have a wall which, on the one hand, permits good heat transfer and, on the other hand, provides an inert outer side so as not to contaminate the starting substrate 2. In some embodiments of the invention, the wall of the second tank 12 may be made of stainless steel. In some embodiments, the number of second tanks may be 1 to about 500. In In other embodiments, the number of second tanks may be about 15 to about 100. In other embodiments, the number of second tanks may be from about 20 to about 80.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment for the ther ^¬ mix coupling of the starting substrate 2 with the latent heat storage material ^¬ 3. The first tank 11 and second tank 12 are in the embodiment illustrated side by side or one above the other. In the interior 111 of the first tank 11 is a first heat exchanger 113. In the interior 120 of the second tank 12 is a second heat exchanger 123. The heat exchanger can be designed as a plate heat exchanger or as a pipe register. The first heat exchanger 113 and the second heat exchanger 123 are connected to each other via two pipes, so that a heat transfer medium can circulate in them. Thus, that can

Latent heat storage material in the second tank 12 release thermal energy to the heat transfer medium or absorb thermal energy. The heated or cooled Wärmeträgerme ^¬ dium then circulates thermosyphonically or by unillustrated pumps through the first heat exchanger 113, where it in turn emits thermal energy to the starting substrate or absorbs energy.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the invention. In this case, the inner space 111 of the first tank 11 has no heat exchanger. Instead, a heat exchanger 123 is arranged in the interior of the second tank 12, which is connected via pipes to the first tank 11. This makes it possible to circulate the starting substrate to be fermented through the heat exchanger 123 and in this way to thermally couple it to the latent heat storage material 3 in the second tank 12. By increasing or decreasing the rotational speed can thus be additionally influenced the cooling ^¬ or heating power. At the same time, the phase transition temperature of the latent heat storage materials in the second tank 12 a self-regulation of the temperature of the starting substrate in the first tank 11 achieved.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, a first heat exchanger 113 is located in the interior 111 of the first tank 11. The second tank 12 is filled with a latent heat storage material and a heat transfer medium. The heat transfer medium is circulated through pipes in the first heat exchanger 113, so that thermal energy to be fermented with the off ^¬ can be replaced gear substrate. The return line of the heat exchanger 113 opens in the second tank 12, where the heat transfer medium is in turn heated or cooled by the latent heat storage material. For this purpose, the latent heat storage material ^¬ may be encapsulated so that it fills the volume of the second tank 12 only partially and to circulate the heat transfer medium in the verblei ^¬ reproduced intervals.

Figure 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention. The fifth embodiment is constructed structurally similar to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG 5. However, circulated in the heat exchanger 113, the latent heat storage material ^¬ 3 that this is the second tank entnom ^¬ men. This ensures that the latent heat storage Mate ^¬ rial, in the first heat exchanger 113 in thermal contact with the starting substrate in the interior 111 of the first tank 11 are placed, without contaminating the starting substrate. The charged with thermal energy latent heat storage can then be returned via the return line in the second tank 12 and is here again for heating the substrate available.

Figure 7 shows a sixth embodiment of the inven ^¬ tion. In this case, the first tank 11 is completely in the interior 121 of the second tank 12. The intermediate space can then be filled with latent heat storage material 3 so that the starting substrate 2 to be fermented is in thermal contact with the latent heat storage material 3 throughout the fermentation via the boundary walls of the first tank 11. This embodiment has the advantage that it is possible to dispense entirely with circulation pumps or similar energy-consuming devices.

8 shows an exemplary sequence of a Fermenta ^¬ tion process. Shown are propagating and metabolic ^¬ selphasen of yeast cells during fermentation. The time in days is plotted on the abscissa. On the right ordinate is the sugar content in

Grams / liter, the left ordinate indicates the number of yeast cells per milliliter. Curve A shows the sugar content versus time, curve B shows the total yeasts versus time and curve C the number of live yeasts versus time.

The fermentation proceeds essentially in four periods, which are designated I, II, III and IV. The first phase is the start-up phase, during which the added yeast cells adapt to the conditions and multiplication begins. In the example shown, the start-up phase takes about 1 day. This is followed by Phase II, in which there is an increase in the yeast cells up to a maximum value for four consecutive days. it

joins a main fermentation period of about seven days. The last phase is the dying off phase, in which the increasing alcohol content leads to the death of the yeast cells. Throughout the propagation of the yeast cells, sugar is converted into the metabolites of the yeasts, so that the sugar content continuously decreases. The Hefezel ^¬ len multiply in Phase II, then in Phase III or less constant and take in the death phase again. Figure 9 shows on the same scale on the abscissa, qualitative ^¬ tiv the resulting during fermentation amount of heat W and the Tem ^¬ peraturverlauf T. As is apparent from Figure 9, increases with increasing number of the yeast cells and increased activity of these cells, the amount of heat produced by the yeast and remains approximately constant at a high level during the main fermentation phase. In the dying phase, the metabolic activity of the yeast cells decreases progressively, so that the amount of heat released decreases again.

Microorganisms such as the yeasts exemplified need an optimal temperature for active metabolism. Too high or too low temperature increases or delays the metabolism. In the example of an alcoholic fermentation, too warm fermentation temperatures lead to increased C0 ₂ production due to the increased metabolic activity, which permeates the medium and expels positive aromas, which are also less soluble at higher temperatures. Therefore, the temperature should be kept throughout the fermentation in the range shown in Figure 9 ΔΤ.

Due to the contact of the fermentation medium with the latent heat ^¬ storage material, the latent heat storage at the beginning of the fermentation process, with low metabolic activity of the yeasts heat the fermentation medium, so that the temperature rises rapidly to the desired value, which is given by the Schmelztempera ^¬ tur or phase change temperature of the latent heat storage material is. The strong exothermic reaction in phase II and III does not lead to a further increase in Tempe ^¬ temperature, since the heat from the latent heat storage material is placed ^¬ taken. When the exotherm diminishes again and the amount of heat produced is again low, the latent heat storage material is again heat to the Gärmedi ^¬ order, so that the temperature remains largely constant in phase IV. Only towards the end of the last fermentation phase, the amount of heat of the latent heat storage is no longer sufficient, so that the temperature drops again. At this time fermentation is however already completed so that this does not have adverse effect on the product quality more resul ^¬ advantage.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the figures. The above description is therefore not to be considered as limiting, but as illustrative. The following claims are to be understood as meaning that a named feature is present in at least one embodiment of the invention. This does not exclude the presence of further features. Features of different embodiments can be freely combined with each other.

Claims

claims

1. Device (1) for the production of fermentation produced food products having at least a first tank (11), which for receiving the material to be fermented starting substrate (2) is provided, and with at ^¬ least one device (3, 4) for controlling and / or regulating the temperature (T) during the fermentation, characterized in that

the means (3, 4) contains at least one latent heat storage material ^¬ (3) which is thermally coupled to the output to be fermented substrate (2) can be coupled.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least a second tank (12) which contains the latent heat storage material (3) and / or

the latent heat storage material (3) is microencapsulated.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one second tank (12) in the interior (111) of the first tank (11) is arranged or

in that the at least one first tank (11) is arranged in the interior (111) of the second tank (12).

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that in the interior (111) of the first tank (11) and / or in the interior (121) of the second tank (12), a heat exchanger (113, 123) is arranged, which of a heat transfer medium can be flowed through.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the heat transfer medium contains a Latentwärmespeichermate ^¬ rial or consists thereof.

6. Device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the heat transfer medium circulates thermosiphonically.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in the interior (121) of the second tank (12), a heat exchanger (123) is arranged, wel cher can be traversed by the starting ^substrate to be fermented (2).

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the latent heat storage material (3) has a phase transition temperature of about 12 ° C to about 35 ° C or

that the latent heat storage material (3) has a phase ^¬ transition temperature of about 15 ° C to about 25 ° C on ^¬ or

in that the latent heat storage material (3) contains or consists of at least one fatty acid or at least one paraffin or at least one salt hydrate.

9. A process for the production of fermentatively produced products, in which

the starting substrate to be fermented in the in ^¬ nenraum (111) of at least a first tank (11) is introduced, and

during the fermentation of the starting substrate by controlling the amount of heat supplied or removed, a control and / or regulation of the temperature (T), characterized in that

the starting substrate (2) is in thermal contact with a latent heat storage material (3) at least during the fermentation.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the latent heat storage material (3) at least temporarily heat is supplied from the starting substrate in the first third of the time required for the fermentation and in the last third of the time required for fermentation tation is at least temporarily heat from the latent heat storage material ^¬ (3) in the starting substrate (2) takes supplied ^¬.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the temperature control takes place without the use of electrical or electronic control devices.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the Latentwärmespeichermate ^¬ rial (3) without supply of auxiliary energy with the output ^¬ substrate (2) is brought into contact.