GB2530299A

GB2530299A - Alcoholic beverage vapour condensing unit and method

Info

Publication number: GB2530299A
Application number: GB1416502.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher John Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-09-18
Filing date: 2014-09-18
Publication date: 2016-03-23
Also published as: GB201416502D0

Abstract

An alcoholic beverage vapour condensing unit (2) comprises a liquor container support (4) configured to permit ambient air to circulate in contact with an outer surface (20) of a liquor container (14) supported by the liquor container support. A condensing apparatus (28) is arranged to condense evaporated emissions from the container (14) and collection means (34) is configured to collect resulting condensate. The container support (4) may include apertures (16) or recesses to facilitate the circulation of ambient air around the container (14) and the unit (2) may include means for thermostatically controlling the temperature of liquor (86) within the container (14) and the temperature of the condensing apparatus (28). The invention also provides a method of condensing alcoholic beverage vapour and is useful for capturing vapours permeating through a liquor container such as a whisky barrel.

Description

--

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE VAPOUR CONDENSING UNIT AND METHOD

[0001] The present invention provides a unit and method for condensing and capturing vapour resulting from the aging of alcoholic beverages.

[0002] The manufacture of alcoholic beverages, such as whisky, rum, brandy, tequila, wine, vodka, gin, cognac and vermouth generally includes a so-called aging or maturing step in which liquid, which will be referred to below as liquor, is left in a barrel to age. The barrels used for this purpose are permeable and generally made of wood, for example oak. An essential part of this aging involves the evaporation of a part of the liquor from an outer surface of the barrel.

Both water and ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) evaporate in this manner and, depending on the ethanol content of the liquor and the temperature and humidity level of ambient atmosphere surrounding the barrel, between around 2% and 10% of the contents of the barrel may be lost in this manner per year.

[0003] The loss of ethanol by evaporation makes the aging process less financially efficient and also results in ethanol vapour in the atmosphere encouraging the growth of a black sac fungus known as Baudoinia Compnlacensis. Growth of this fungus is a common problem in distilleries. Furthermore ethanol is a toxic, highly flammable volatile organic compound (VOC) , a polar solvent and known neurological depressant which causes a wide range of symptoms from euphoria, dizziness and drowsiness to impaired perception, ataxia and narcosis. Ethanol is also harmful if ingested or inhaled including through skin absorption. Repeated contact can cause dry skin, resulting in cracking, peeling and irritation of the skin. Also absorption of ethanol during pregnancy can result in spontaneous abortion, developmental problems and birth defects. In the atmosphere ethanol is a potential contributor to tropospheric ozone formation. It can react with nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight to form photochemical smog. When dissolved in water it oxidizes into ethanoic acid and thereby reduces the oxygen content of the water. Preventing the evaporation of ethanol by the use of impermeable barrels would not he acceptable as this would adversely affect the aging process. Furthermore, sealingly enclosing a barrel in order to capture any evaporated ethanol likewise adversely affects the aging process. Past attempts to minimise or prevent ethanol lost through evaporation have generally utilised one or other of these disadvantageous methods. Capturing the evaporated ethanol would provide a number of advantages. Firstly, the captured ethanol could be marketed as a super-premium spirit possibly having been blended with water and/or other spirits or liquors to produce, for example, a blended whisky. Secondly, growth of the Baudoinia Compniacensis fungus would not be encouraged.

Thirdly, the health and environmental problems explained above could be at least reduced. Fourthly the financial efficiency of aging is improved through improved use of resources including water. It is essential however that the usual aging process, including evaporation from the outside of a barrel which is slightly permeable, should not be prevented.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an alcoholic beverage vaponr coriderisixig ciii L comprising a liguor container support configured to permit ambient air to circulate in contact with an outer surface of a liguor container supported by the liguor container support, condensing apparatus arranged to condense evaporated emissions from the liquor container and collection means configured to collect resulting condensate. Such a unit will not impede the natural aging process and yet will reduce the amount of ethanol vapour lost through evaporation.

[0005] Preferably the unit further comprises adjustable temperature control apparatus for thermostatically controlling a temperature of liquor in a liquor container supported by the liquor container support. With such temperature control apparatus, the unit can be used in a range of ambient temperature conditions and maintain aging liquor at an optimum temperature. Conveniently the temperature control apparatus includes a temperature control member adapted to be mounted on a liquor container in contact with its contents so as to reduce heat loss from the temperature control member and reduce temporal inertia of the temperature control.

[0006] The unit preferably further comprises vapour sensing apparatus adapted to sense water vapour concentration and/or volatile material vapour concentration adjacent to a liquor container supported by the liquor container support. More preferably, sensors for sensing such concentrations are situated between a vapour condensing surface of the condensing apparatus and a position situated by a liquor container supported by the unit. The volatile material sensed is preferably ethanol.

[0007] Preferably the liquor container support is adapted to partially enclose a liquor container. In this way it can he arranged that a reasonably high percentage of ethanol which has evaporated from the liquor container can be condensed by the condensing apparatus while at the same time allowing ambient air to circulate in contact with an outer surface of the liquor container.

[0008] Preferably the condensing apparatus includes a cooled vapour condensing surface and control means for thermostatically controlling its temperature. With such an arrangement, optimum condensing of evaporated alcohol can be achieved in a wide range of ambient operating temperatures.

A first portion of the vapour condensing surface may be actively cooled and a remaining second portion thereof may be cooled by conduction of heat between the first and second portions. The active cooling may be effected by a cooling medium in contact with the first portion of the vapour condensing surface.

[0009] The vapour condensing surface is preferably positioned so that at least a portion thereof is situated below a part of the support adapted to support a liquor container. More preferably a majority of the vapour condensing surface is so positioned. Since ethanol vapour is denser than air, this arrangement will result in ethanol, which has evaporated from the liquor container, automatically progressing downwardly towards the vapour condensing surface.

This process could be assisted by providing a fan or other means arranged to draw or force vapour downwardly towards the vapour condensing surface.

[0010] Preferably the liquor container support includes liquor container position adjustment means, and more preferably the position adjustment means is arranged to allow adjustmcnt of a stand-off distance between a liquor container supported by the liquor container support and the vapour condensing surface. The variation of this stand-off distance provides a further parameter which can be varied by an operator in order to optimise the aging, the condensing, and the ethanol capturing process.

[0011] Preferably the liquor container support includes a liquor container support wall with recesses positioned to permit a flow of ambient atmosphere between the support wall and a liquor container supported thereby. This arranqement reduces the tendency of the liquor container support to impede circulation of ambient air in contact with the outer surface of a liquor container supported by the unit.

[0012] Conveniently the liquor container support is configured to support a liquor container in the form of a barrel. The liquor container could however be a cask or other wooden container. The container need not be barrel shaped.

Furthermore, the container may be made of a material other than wood. For the aginq process to occur however the container must be at least slightly permeable.

[0013] So as to benefit from economies of scale, The liquor container support may be configured to support a plurality of liquor containers.

[0014] In order to reduce the requirement for operator intervention, preferably the unit further comprises control means for thermostatically controlling at least one of temperature of liquor in a liquor container supported by the liquor container support and temperature of a condensinq surface of the condensing apparatus.

[0015] Accordinq to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an alcoholic beveraqe vapour condensing method comprising: (a) providinq a liquor aqeinq unit including a liquor container support and condensing apparatus; (b) placing liquor in a liquor container and supporting the liquor container by means of the liquor container support; (c) permitting ambient air to circulate in contact with an outer surface of the liquor container; (d) condensing evaporated emissions from the liquor container with the condensing apparatus; and (e) collecting resulting condensate with collecting means of the liguor ageing unit.

[0016] The method may also include one or more of the additional steps of thermostatically controlling the temperature of the liquor in the container and thermostatically controlling the temperature of a vapour condensing surface of the condensing apparatus arranged to condense the evaporated vapour emissions.

[0017] The invention will now be explained by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view from the rear of an alcoholic beverage vapour condensing unit according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view from the front of the unit of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a schematic view from the front of the unit shown in Fig. 1 with a barrel mounted thereon; Fig. 4 shows a schematic partially sectioned side view of the unit in Fig. 3 on the line A-A; Fig. 5 shows a schematic part sectioned rear view of the unit shown in Fig. 1 showing internal components of the condensing apparatus; Fig. 6 shows a schematic part sectioned side view of the unit shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with a barrel mounted thereon; Fig. 7 shows a schematic view of the barrel shown in Fig. 4 on the line B-B; Fig. 8 shows a schematic diagram showing components of the unit and their interconnections; Fig. 9 shows a schematic perspective view from the rear of the unit shown in Fig. 1 with a barrel position adjustment means in place; Fig. 10 shows a schematic perspective view from the front of the unit shown in Fig. 9 with the barrel position adjustment means in place; and Fig. 11 shows a schematic view from the front of the unit shown in Figs. 9 and 10 with a barrel mounted thereon.

[0018] Fig. 1 shows an alcoholic beverage vapour condensing unit 2 referred to below as a unit. The unit 2 includes a liquor container support 4. The support 4 includes a front wall 6 and a rear wall 8 connected by two side walls 10. The support 4 is in the form of a cradle and may be made of plastic wood or any other suitable material. Each end wall has a cut-out portion or cut-out 12 configured to support a liquor container or barrel 14 as shown for example in Figs. 3 and 6. Each cut-out 12 defines a barrel supporting surface 18. The cut-cut 12 could be of any required shape so as to support liquor containers having shapes other than a barrel shape. The front wall 6 and the rear wall 8 each include apertures 16. These apertures 16 are in the form of recesses or channels distributed around the cut-out 12. The apertures could alternatively or additionally he provided in the front and rear walls not bordering the cut-out 12. The apertures could alternatively or additionally be provided in the side walls 10. The purpose of the apertures is to allow ambient air to come into contact with an outer surface 20 of a barrel 14 supported by the unit 2. Forminq the apertures as channels in the barrel supporting surfaces 18 of both the front wall 6 and the rear wall 8 permits ambient air to circulate in contact with the portion of the outer surface 20 of the barrel 14 within the unit 2. Unit 2 is accordingly configured to partially enclose a lower portion of the barrel 14. A condensation region 22 is formed around the barrel inside the unit.

[0019] At the top of each side wall is a rail 24 which extends from the front wall 6 to the rear wall 8. When a barrel 14 is mounted in the unit 2 a longitudinally extending wedge 26 is positioned between each rail 24 and the barrel.

These wedges 26 can accommodate and secure barrels of a variety of sizes. The wedges could be discontinuous so as to permit vapour permeating from upper portions of the barrel to descend bile Ltie sopporL 4.

[0020] Inside the unit is provided condensing apparatus 28 (which has been omitted from Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10 for the sake of clarity) [0021] The condensing apparatus 28 shown in Fig. 5 includes cooled vapour condensing surfaces or walls 30 which are shaped to roughly follow the shape of a typical barrel and form an upwardly open channel extending from the front wall 6 to the rear wall 8. Upper edges of the vapour condensing surfaces 30 are respectively connected to the rails 24 surmounting the side walls 10. Lower ends of the vapour condensing surfaces 30 are linked by means of a collecting channel 34. The vapour condensing sirfaces 30 and the collecting channel 34 may be integrally formed with each other or may be separate components which are interconnected.

The vapour condensing surfaces 30 and the collecting channel 34 are configured such that when the unit 2 is standing on a level surface, the collecting channel 34 slopes downwardly towards an outlet tap 36. The outlet tap 36 is mounted in the front wall 6 of the unit. The outlet tap 36 is arranged to allow condensed ethanol 38, which has collected in the collection channel 34 and run down the collection channel 34 towards the outlet tap 36, to be drained from the unit 2.

[0022] In order to permit an operator to view the contents of the collection channel 34 a viewing window 40, shown only in Fig. 11, may be provided. The viewing window 40 may be in the front wall 6 in the vicinity of the outlet tap 36. The viewing window could alternatively be incorporated into the outlet top 36. With such an arrangement it would be easy for an operator to watch for an interface between ethanol being drained off and an atmosphere excluding layer thereabove.

This in turn would help the operator to accurately judge when Lo sLop Llie eLhariol draining process.

[0023] The condensing apparatus 28 includes a cooling reservoir 42 containing heat exchange fluid 44. A compressor 46 circulates refrigerant fluid through condenser coils 48, an expansion valve 50 and evaporator coils 52. The evaporator coils 52 are situated in the cooling reservoir 42 and cool the heat exchange fluid 44. The heat exchange fluid -10 - 44 cools the collecting channel 34 and a first portion 54 of the condensing surfaces 30 which are situated within the cooling reservoir 42 and thus in contact with the heat exchange fluid 44. Second or upper portions 56 of the condensing surfaces 30 are conductively cooled as a conseguence of being connected to the first portions 54 thereof. The material from which the condensing surfaces 30 are made is selected so as to have good thermal conductivity.

A suitable material for this purpose is a metal such as copper. The collecting channel 34 is also preferably made from such & material.

[0024] when a barrel 14 is mounted in the unit 2, its outer surface 20 may be directly supported by the barrel supporting surfaces 18 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. with this arrangement, the outer surface 20 of the barrel 14 is separated from the condensing surfaces 30 by a first stand-off distance 58. For certain ambient conditions and operating requirements, it may be desirable to increase this stand-off distance. For this purpose, position adjustment means are provided. The position adjustment means may be in the form of blocks 60. The blocks 60 are configured to be positioned at lowermost parts of the cut-outs 12 of the front wall 6 and the rear wall 8 as shown respectively in Figs. 10 and 9. Each block 60 has a block support surface 62 which is configured to support a barrel in the unit in a position shown in Fig. 11 which is elevated relative to the position shown iii Figs. 3 and 4. In Lhis elevaLed posi Lion, Lhe stand-off distance 58 between the outer surface 20 of the barrel and the condensing surfaces 30 is increased. The unit may be provided with blocks of various different heights to enable the barrel to be positioned with various different stand-off distances 58.

-II -

[0025] To increase the circulation of ambient air over the cuter surface 20 cf the barrel 14 in the unit 2, one cr more fans may be provided such as the fans 64 mounted in fan apertures 66 in the walls of the unit 2. These fans are only shown in Fig. 11.

[0026] The unit 2 also includes temperature control apparatus 68 including a thermostatically controlled bung heater 70. The bung heater 70 includes a bung 72 which fits into an aperture 74 in the barrel 14, a support leg 76 which extends from the bung 70 into the barrel and contains a wire 78 which connects supply leads 80 to a heating element 82.

The heating element is encased in a sleeve 84 which may be fluid filled and acts to prevent liquor 86 in the barrel 14 from coming into direct contact with the heating element 82.

[0027] The bung heater 70 may conveniently be mounted on brackets on an exterior of the support 4 when not in use.

[0028] Electrical power is supplied to the unit by means of a plug 88 and supply lead 90. The bung heater 70 is supplied with electrical power by means of a heater lead 92.

[0029] Components of the unit for carrying out monitoring and control are shown schematically in Fig. 8.

[0030] Monitoring and control is carried out from a monitoring and control panel 106. The panel 106 includes at least some of: a liquor temperature display and control unit 102 connected to the liquor temperature sensor 100 and the heater element 82; a condenser temperature display and control unit 108 which is connected to the condensing apparatus 28 and a condenser temperature sensor 94 mounted on one of the condensing surfaces 30; an ethanol vapour concentration display 110 which is connected to an ethanol -12 -vapour concentration sensor 98; a humidity display 104 which is connected to a humidity concentration sensor 96; and an ambient air temperature display 112 which is connected to an ambient air temperature sensor 114. The ambient air temperature sensor 114, the ethanol vapour concentration sensor 98 and the humidity concentration sensor 96 are mounted so as to be exposed in the space between the barrel 14 and the condensing surfaces 30.

[0031] The use of the unit 2 will now be briefly described.

Liquor 86, such as whisky, which requires aging or maturing, is placed in the barrel 14. A liquid 116 which is immiscible with ethanol is placed in the condensing apparatus 28 as shown in Fig 6 such that the collecting channel 34 is immersed in the immiscible liquid. A liquid which could be used for this purpose is oil such as olive oil. The purpose of this oil will be described below. The barrel 14 is then placed on the unit 2 either as shown in Fig 3 or as shown in Fig 11 with the blocks 60 raising the barrel to the position shown in Fig 11. The longitudinal wedges 26 are then inserted between the outer surface 20 of the barrel 14 and the rails 24 of the support 4 to secure the barrel in place.

[0032] The bung heater 70 is then fed through the aperture 74 in the barrel 14 until the bung 72 thereof sealingly engages the aperture 74. The liquor temperature display and controller 102 is then adjusted until the thermostatic control of tho bung hoatcr 70 rosults in tho liquor roaching and remaining at the desired temperature. The condenser temperature display and controller 108 is then adjusted so that the condensing surfaces 30 reach and remain at the desired temperature.

[0033] The cooling of the condensing surfaces 30 involves pumping refrigerant through the condenser coils 48, the -13 -expansion valve 50 and the evaporator coils 52. As the evaporator coils 52 are situated in the heat exchange fluid 44 in the cooling reservoir 42, the heat exchange fluid 44 is cooled which in turn cools the lower first portions 54 of the condensing surfaces 30 and the collecting channel 34 as undersides thereof are exposed to the heat exchange fluid 44.

As a result of conduction, the upper or second portions 56 of the condensing surfaces 30 are also cooled.

[0034] As ageing of the liquor progresses ethanol and water permeate through walls of the barrel. Due to the level of liquor commonly present in a barrel for ageing whisky for example a reasonably high proportion of the ethanol and water vapour will permeate through a portion of the barrel which results in this vapour entering the condensation region 22 between the barrel and the condensing surfaces 30. Since ethanol vapour is denser than air, It sinks in the condensation region 22 until It comes into contact with the condensing surfaces 30 where it is condensed from a vapour phase into a liguid phase. The liguid ethanol then runs down into the collecting channel 34. In the collecting channel 34 the ethanol runs under the oil 116 as it has a higher density than the oil. The oil accordingly forms a film over the condensed ethanol. This film prevents air coming into contact with the condensed ethanol. Such contact is undesirable as it would result in the ethanol being oxidized into ethanoic acid. The oil 116 or other liguid needs to have a density less Lhari eLlianol arid be able Lo form a riori-oxidlsirig fIlm layer which overlies the condensed ethanol. The condensed ethanol could alternatively be mixed with a suitable anti-oxidant in the collecting channel 34.

[0035] Periodically the outlet tap 36 can be opened and the ethanol can be drained off from the collecting channel -14 - 34. The viewing window 40 enables viewing of fluid in the collecting channel 34 and facilitates this draining process.

[0036] While a particular embodiment has been described, it will be appreciated that variations to the invention described, which still fall within the scope of the claims, could be used to put the invention into practice. While a vapour compression refrigeration system is described above thermo-electric refrigeration could alternatively be used.

Alternatives to electrically powered cooling means could be utilised using solar or wind power. Alternatives to vapour compression refrigeration could be used such as non-cyclic refrigeration, vapour absorption refrigeration, cycle (e.g. gas cycle) refrigeration, thermo-electric refrigeration, magnetic refrigeration and thermo-acoustic refrigeration.

Energy efficiency of the unit could be increased by thermally linking the refrigeration part of the condensing apparatus and the heating of the liguor in the barrel.

Claims

-15 -CLAIMS1. Alcoholic beverage vapour condensing unit comprising a liquor container support configured to permit ambient air to circulate in contact with an outer surface of a liquor container supported by the liquor container support, condensing apparatus arranged to condense evaporated emissions from the liquor container and collection means configured to collect resulting condensate.
2. The unit of claim 1, further comprising adjustable temperature control apparatus for thermostatically controlling a temperature of liquor in a liquor container supported by the liquor container support.
3. The unit of claim 2 wherein the temperature control apparatus includes a temperature control member adapted to be mounted on a liquor container in contact with its contents.
4. The unit of any preceding claim further comprising vapour sensing apparatus adapted to sense water vapour concentration and/or volatile material vapour concentration adjacent to a liquor container supported by the liquor container support.
5. The unit of any preceding claim further comprising vapour sensing apparatus adapted to sense volatile material vapour concentration adjacent to a liquor container supported by the liquor container support.
6. The unit of claim 5 wherein the vapour sensing apparatus is adapted to sense a concentration of ethanol vapour.

-16 -
7. The unit of any preceding claim wherein the liquor container support is adapted to partially enclose a liquor container.
8. The unit of any preceding claim wherein the condensing apparatus includes a cooled vapour condensing surface and control means for thermostatically controlling its temperature.
9. The unit of claim 8 wherein the vapour condensing surface is positioned so that at least a portion thereof is situated below a part of the support adapted to support a liquor container.
10. The unit of any preceding claim wherein the liquor container support includes liquor container position adjustment means.
11. The unit of claim 8 or 9 and claim 10 wherein the position adjustment means is arranged to allow adjustment of a stand-off distance between a liquor container supported by the liquor container support and the vapour condensing surface.
12. The unit of any preceding claim wherein the liquor container support includes a liquor container support wall with recesses positioned to permit a flow of ambient atmosphere between the support wall and a liquor container supported thereby.
13. The unit of any preceding claim wherein the liquor container support is configured to support a liquor container in the form of a barrel.

-17 -
14. The unit of any preceding claim wherein the liguor container support is configured to support a plurality of liquor containers.
15. The unit of any preceding claim further comprising control means for automatically controlling at least one of temperature of liquor in a liquor container supported by the liquor container support and temperature of a condensing surface of the condensing apparatus.
16. An alcoholic beverage vapour condensing method comprising: (a) providing an alcoholic beverage vapour condensing unit including a liquor container support and condensing apparatus; (b) placing liquor in a liquor container and supporting the liquor container by means of the liquor container support; (c) permitting ambient air to circulate in contact with an outer surface of the liquor container; (d) condensing evaporated emissions from the liquor container with the condensing apparatus; and (e) collecting resulting condensate with collecting means of the unit.