The Heat Transfer Characteristics of Wine Fermentors

Abstract

A previously developed model for wine fermentations was modified to include various factors related to the cooling performance of commercial fermenting cooperage. This model was used to predict the temperature, fermentation rate and refrigeration load for several important cases. The current interest in the fermentation of white juices in wooden barrels and the widespread use of jacketed stainless steel fermentors have prompted this study. The natural temperature rise of musts in uncooled wooden barrels was predicted and compared with a simple relationship between the natural temperature rise and barrel size. Other predictions were made of the effect of coolant temperature and the amount of jacketing on the removal of heat and the control of fermentation temperature in stainless steel vessels.