The use of precision color sensors before the fillers, directly after the wort kettle or at any point where phase separation is important, can provide color dosing control and quality control based on specific color aspects of the brands.
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Single or dual beam colorimeters configured to monitor to specific visible wavelengths can offer continuous inline monitoring to minimize sampling, lab analysis and double check product ID prior to filling.
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Color Measurements in Breweries Benefits |
- Ensure wort color, independent of turbidity
- Optimize process performance
- Reduce effluent costs
- Maximize product recovery
- Ensure final beer color
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| Wort color |
To properly measure wort color, you need to compensate for background turbidity. An optek dual wavelength colorimeter allows you to measure two wavelengths simultaneously, one in the VIS range and the second in the NIR range. Subtracting the NIR measurement from the VIS provides you with a pure color measurement. This measurement can than be correlated to an ASBC or EBC color scale via the C4000.
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| Color dosing |
The color of some beers will be adjusted using i.e. malt extract or rye malt beer. Dosage can be controlled using an optek sensor. The color of the beer is measured and automated signals i.e. relays can be used to trigger pumps to start dosing the color into the beer stream. After the dosage, the color can be verified by a secondary sensor. Color of dark and bright beers, as well as the color of high gravity beer after blending can be controlled.
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| Interface detection / Phase separation |
Precise process interface detection with a single channel VIS absorption based photometer (optek AS56-F or AF56-F) is the easiest and least expensive technique available to brewers today to reduce product losses. In a large brewery, the sheer number of change-over operations can cost the brewer thousands of hectoliters of product and by-products each week. In today’s economy, recovering this product is essential to maintain a profitable business; however the costs
go beyond the product alone. Water as the push-out medium is also a commodity and has an inherent cost to procure and treat. Product and water, along with yeast, going needlessly down the drain are a large contributor to plant effluent and the costs to treat it. Local municipalities may also be involved; applying charges to the volume of effluent and even fines if solids load or BOD limits are exceeded. Gaining control of plant interface functions not only makes sense, it’s also environmentally friendly.
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