METHOD FOR DEVATTING THE GRAPE HARVEST AND MEANS FOR DEVATTING A GRAPE HARVEST

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for devatting the grape harvest and a means for devatting a grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air or other gases in a controlled manner into self-emptying wine making vats or similar, for the purpose of emptying the grape harvest once the maceration thereof has been completed, after the homogenisation of the mixture, transferring the liquid portion to another tank and the crushed grape pulp to the press, thereby obtaining a solid phase (pomace) as a waste product which can be used to produce associated products.

Claims

1. A method for devatting a grape harvest or similar, comprising the following steps: performing pressurized injection of air continuously through a lower portion of a bottom of a tank for 10-20 minutes, before starting extraction through pumping; removing the grape harvest from the tank through one opening of the tank by means of extracting same through pumping, maintaining the pressurized injection of air; driving the grape harvest to a sieve, a conveyor with a bleeding grid, or a press with a bleeding grid, where the grape harvest is drained, sending a liquid portion to a storage area and a drained solid portion to a storage or pressing area, as appropriate; extracting the solid portion obtained in the press.

2. The method for devatting the grape harvest or similar according to claim 1, characterised by maintaining the injections of air for a duration between 1 and 15 seconds and at intervals comprised between 2 and 15 minutes until the end of devatting.

3. The method for devatting the grape harvest or similar according to claim 1, wherein said method is controlled by means of a microprocessor of the PC type, PLC type, or similar, in which time values are fixed or can be varied by a user of the pumping-over system.

4. The method for devatting the grape harvest or similar according to claim 1, comprising an additional step of cleaning an inside of a means for injecting air.

5. The method for devatting the grape harvest or similar according to claim 4, wherein the additional step of cleaning the inside of the means for injecting air consists of injecting water into the means for injecting air followed by injecting compressed air which dries said means.

6. The method for devatting the grape harvest or similar according to claim 1, food grade purified air is used for carrying out the pressurized injection of air.

7. The method for devatting the grape harvest or similar according to claim 1, comprising an additional step of purifying the compressed air to be injected into the tank.

8. A means for devatting a grape harvest or similar, comprising at least one devatting diffuser for a pressurised injection of air or other gases in a controlled manner into a wine making tank located in a lower portion of a bottom of the tank.

9. The means for devatting a grape harvest or similar according to claim 1, wherein actuation time of the at least one devatting diffuser is controlled by means of a microprocessor of the PC type, PLC type, or similar, in which values of the actuation times are fixed or varied by a user of a devatting system.

10. The means for devatting a grape harvest or similar according to claim 7, further comprising a compressor including filters at an outlet of said compressor to eliminate moisture, oils and suspended particles from a compressed air before injecting into the wine making tank.

11. The means for devatting a grape harvest or similar according to claim 7, wherein a compressed air distribution circuit includes a water intake for cleaning the at least one devatting diffuser once the devatting of the grape harvest processed in the wine making tank has been completed.

12. The means for devatting a grape harvest or similar according to claim 7, further comprising at least one devatting diffuser installed together with pumping-over diffusers in the compressed air distribution circuit and controlled through the microprocessor or an independent microprocessor.

13. The means for devatting a grape harvest or similar according to claim 12, wherein the at least one devatting diffuser is installed at a height lower than the height of the pumping-over diffusers with respect to the bottom of the wine making tank.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] To complete the description that is being made and to help make the invention fully understandable, said description is accompanied by a set of figures wherein the following is depicted with an illustrative and non-limiting character:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a general diagram of a means for devatting a grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention, incorporating a bleeding sieve.

[0029] FIG. 1B shows a general diagram of a means for devatting a grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention, incorporating a screw conveyor with a bleeding grid.

[0030] FIG. 1C shows a general diagram of a means for devatting a grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention, incorporating a press with a bleeding grid.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an elevational view of equipment for devatting the grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention, installed together with equipment for the pressurised injection of air for the process of pumping over the grape harvest during the maceration thereof.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a section view of the tank in which the plan view of the equipment for devatting the grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention is seen, installed together with equipment for the pressurised injection of air for the process of pumping over the grape harvest during the maceration thereof.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the means for devatting a grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention, in an embodiment alternative to that of FIG. 3.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] To complete the description that is being made and for the purpose of helping to better understand its features, several specific exemplary embodiments of systems for the pressurised injection of air or other gases in a controlled manner into wine making vats according to the invention are provided in the present specification. These examples are provided for illustration purposes and do not seek to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention covers all the possible combinations of particular and preferred embodiments herein indicated.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an elevational view of the general diagram of equipment for devatting the grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air or other gases in a controlled manner into self-emptying wine making tanks or similar. The grape harvest with the differentiated liquid and solid phases is arranged inside the wine making tank (1). To start the devatting method, the at least one diffuser (2) injects air into the tank for 10-20 minutes. After said time, the grape harvest is perfectly homogenised, such that the grape harvest can be removed through the opening of the tank (3), being extracted from the tank by means of the devatting pump (4) through the closed suction pipe (5), while the pressurised injection of air is maintained throughout the entire devatting process. The same pump (4) drives the grape harvest through the closed drive pipe (6) in which there is intercalated a sieve (7), where the grape harvest is drained, the resulting liquid portion being pumped through the closed drive pipe (6) by means of the pump (19) to a tank (8) for storing the wine that is produced, whereas the drained solid portion runs along the pulp pipe (9) to the press (10), where a new liquid portion, which is sent by the pump (18) through the drive pipe (11) to the tank (8) for storing the wine that is produced, is recovered, and the solid portion (12), which can be used to produce related products, is separated.

[0036] FIG. 1B shows a variant of the invention in which a pump (4) drives the grape harvest through the closed drive pipe (6) in which there is intercalated a conveyor (7B), preferably a screw conveyor, where the grape harvest is drained, the resulting liquid portion being pumped through the closed drive pipe (6) by means of the pump (19) to a tank (8) for storing the wine that is produced, whereas the drained solid portion runs along the pulp pipe (9) to the press (10).

[0037] FIG. 1C shows another variant of the invention incorporating a pump (4) which drives the grape harvest through the closed drive pipe (6) to a press with a bleeding grid (10) where the grape harvest is drained, said grape harvest then being transferred to the tank (8) for storing the wine that is produced, and the solid portion (12) is separated.

[0038] Advantageously, the actuation time of the devatting system can be controlled by means of a microprocessor of the PC type, PLC type, or similar (13), in which the time values of pressurised injection of air during devatting are fixed or can be varied by the user of the devatting system.

[0039] The air is supplied by the compressor (14) incorporating filters (15) in the outlet of said compressor to eliminate moisture, oils and suspended particles from the compressed air and the compressed air distribution circuit (16) includes a water intake (17) for cleaning the at least one diffuser (2) once the devatting of the grape harvest processed in the tank (1) has been completed.

[0040] Advantageously, the actuation of the devatting system is carried out with a pressure of the pressurised air system comprised between 3 and 12 bar for the purpose of ensuring the effective operation of the on-off valve which allows the passage of air, preferably between 6 and 8 bar. The devatting system can work with air at the pressure obtained directly in the pressurised air system or by means of a pressure regulator.

[0041] Both the method and the equipment according to the invention can be controlled through a shared microprocessor (13) or an independent microprocessor (not depicted) of the PC type, PLC type, or similar, which performs all the operations in an automated manner based on values that are previously fixed or selected by the user.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a means for devatting a grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention, installed together with equipment for the pressurised injection of air for the process of pumping over the grape harvest during the maceration thereof. The means for devatting includes, together with the pumping-over diffusers (17), the at least one devatting diffuser (2) which is installed in the same compressed air distribution circuit (16) and controlled through the shared microprocessor (13) or an independent microprocessor (not depicted).

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the means for devatting a grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention, installed together with equipment for the pressurised injection of air for the process of pumping over the grape harvest during the maceration thereof. As seen in said figure, the means for devatting includes, together with the pumping-over diffusers (17), the at least one devatting diffuser (2) which is installed in the same compressed air distribution circuit (16) and controlled through the shared microprocessor (13) or an independent microprocessor (not depicted).

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the means for devatting a grape harvest via the pressurised injection of air according to the invention, in an embodiment alternative to that of FIG. 3 in relation to the compressed air distribution circuit (16).

[0045] Advantageously, the at least one devatting diffuser (2) is installed at a height lower than the height of the pumping-over diffusers (17) with respect to the bottom of the wine making tank (1), for the purpose of performing a more efficient homogenisation.

[0046] Logically, the present invention is in no way limited to the described and depicted embodiments, but any variant or modification within the limit of the attached claims will be readily apparent to the skilled person. Particularly, the devatting system according to the invention can be installed in polygonal tanks having any number of sides.