Real-time monitor for wine fermentation
OwnerMarci Norkin, Steven D. Colomeinventors
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Abstract
A system is provided for real-time, continuous, and accurate monitoring of the various states of the fermentation process in a closed fermentation vessel by monitoring the pressure created by the flow of carbon dioxide that is evolved as a consequence of the fermentation activity. The carbon dioxide transits through an orifice that has a flow area sufficient to maintain pressure in a range suitable for a pressure sensor with the electrical output thereof transmitted to an instrument that records and displays the pressure data to provide state information for use in algorithms to establish pre-alert warnings or alarms and provide correction control signals to ameliorate any anomalous condition detected.
Claims4
A system for measuring the state or states of a fermentation cycle in a fermentation vessel for producing an alcohol-containing beverage, the fermentation vessel having a liquid therein undergoing fermentation in which at least a carbon dioxide gas is evolved into a headspace of the fermentation vessel at a rate that is proportionate to the state of the fermentation cycle, comprising:
- a pressure transducer measuring pressure in the headspace and providing an electrical signal therefrom representing the so-measured pressure;
- a stored-program microprocessor for receiving the electrical signal from the pressure transducer and logging the so-sensed pressure data and comparing the so-sensed pressure data with reference data to identify an anomalous condition including at least one of a group of anomalous conditions comprising at least a slow fermentation condition and a high-activity fermentation condition and issuing a signal to effect a corrective action increasing fermentation activity upon identification of a slow fermentation condition or to effect a corrective action decreasing fermentation activity upon identification of high-activity fermentation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.