WINERY & BEVERAGE MANUFACTURING

Precision Temperature Control
for Wine Fermentation

China • Winery & Beverage Manufacturing

≈50–80 kWProcess Cooling Capacity
12–18°CFermentation Temperature
KA ScrollAir-Cooled Chiller
SeasonalContinuous Production Mode
SYSTEM STATUS — OPERATIONAL
✓ Air-Cooled Refrigeration ✓ Closed-Loop Chilled Water ✓ Jacketed Fermentation Tanks ✓ Food-Grade Cooling Process
Lohabour China Beverage Manufacturing
≈50–80 kWCooling Capacity
12–18°CProcess Temp.
SeasonalOperation
KA ScrollChiller Series
PROJECT OVERVIEW

Engineering Brief

CustomerConfidential Winery — NDA Protected
IndustryWine Production & Beverage Manufacturing
ApplicationCentralized Fermentation Tank Temperature Control
ENGINEERING OBJECTIVE

As yeast converts sugars into alcohol, significant metabolic heat is released — left unmanaged, tank temperatures rise quickly and affect yeast activity, aroma development and wine quality. The objective was a reliable cooling system holding stable fermentation temperatures throughout the entire production cycle while minimizing operating costs and simplifying maintenance.

PROJECT SCOPE
  • ✓ Fermentation cooling load analysis
  • ✓ Air-cooled chiller selection
  • ✓ Closed-loop hydraulic design
  • ✓ Jacket heat exchange engineering
  • ✓ Process pump selection
  • ✓ Insulated piping network
  • ✓ Automatic temperature control integration
  • ✓ Equipment installation & commissioning
View Full System Flow ↓
THERMAL NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

Factory Thermal Map

The full plant layout — heat rejection, generation, distribution, and return — with live flow direction.

Heat RejectionAmbient Air via Axial Condenser Fans
Thermal GenerationKA Air-Cooled Scroll Chiller
Hydraulic DistributionPrimary Water Pump
DistributionDistribution Header
Process LoadJacketed Wine Tanks (Multiple Vessels)
ConsolidationReturn Header
↺ Back to Chiller
THE PROCESS CHALLENGE

What Lohabour Was Called In To Fix

Alcoholic fermentation is an exothermic biological reaction — during peak yeast activity, tank temperatures can rise rapidly if heat isn't removed efficiently.

BEFORE — INCONSISTENT CONDITIONS

  • Fermentation temperatures fluctuated significantly
  • Yeast performance became inconsistent
  • Batch quality varied between production cycles
  • Cooling response depended heavily on manual intervention
  • Elevated temperatures raised the risk of off-flavor development

AFTER — ENGINEERED COOLING NETWORK

12–18°C
  • Stable chilled water temperatures, automatically regulated
  • Uniform cooling across every fermentation vessel
  • Continuous operation throughout the harvest season
  • Simplified installation, no cooling tower or condenser water system
ENGINEERED SYSTEM MODULES

Not Equipment. Engineering.

01 Thermal Generation

KA Air-Cooled Scroll Chiller

Input

Variable heat generated during alcoholic fermentation across multiple stainless-steel wine tanks

Purpose

Generate chilled water at a stable supply temperature, without a condenser water circuit or cooling tower

Result

Stable chilled water production, high seasonal efficiency, low maintenance

02 Process Distribution

Closed-Loop Chilled Water Circuit

Input

Chilled water produced by the evaporator

Purpose

Distribute temperature-controlled water uniformly to every fermentation vessel through insulated piping

Result

Uniform flow distribution, minimal temperature losses, stable hydraulics

03 Fermentation Heat Exchange

Jacketed Stainless-Steel Wine Tanks

Input

Chilled water supplied from the distribution circuit

Purpose

Remove fermentation heat by indirect exchange, with no contact between cooling water and wine

Result

Uniform fermentation temperature, improved yeast performance, food-safe cooling

04 Intelligence Layer

Automatic Fermentation Regulation

Input

Continuous temperature feedback from every fermentation vessel

Purpose

Automatically regulate cooling capacity to match the real thermal demand of each tank

Result

Precise temperature regulation, reduced compressor wear, simplified operation

HYDRAULIC DESIGN

Engineering Parameters

IndustryWine & Beverage Manufacturing
ApplicationFermentation Temperature Control
Chiller TypeKA Air-Cooled Scroll Chiller
Refrigeration MethodAir-Cooled
Heat RejectionAmbient Air
Cooling MediumChilled Water
Heat ExchangeJacketed Stainless-Steel Tanks
Process Temperature12–18°C
Water CircuitClosed Loop
RefrigerantR410A or R407C
Compressor TypeHermetic Scroll
Capacity ControlAutomatic Compressor Staging
Control MethodPLC + Digital Temperature Controller
Pump TypeClosed-Loop Circulation Pump
PipingInsulated Carbon Steel / Stainless Steel
Water ConsumptionClosed Circuit — Minimal Makeup Water
Operating ScheduleContinuous During Fermentation Season
THERMAL CYCLE SIMULATION

Hydraulic Cooling Cycle

Heat rejected to ambient air ↑ Axial Condenser Fans
🧊
KA Air-Cooled Scroll Chiller
Scroll CompressorsAir-Cooled CondenserExpansion ValveEvaporator
⚙
Primary Water Pump
🔀
Distribution Header
🍷
Jacketed Wine Tanks
↩
Return Header
🧊
Back to Chiller
7–12°CChilled Water Supply
12–18°CFermentation Temperature
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

Layered Automation Stack

INTELLIGENCE

Temperature Sensors · Digital Controllers · Alarm Monitoring

CONTROL

Compressor Staging · Flow Regulation · Temperature Control

HYDRAULICS

Circulation Pump · Distribution Header · Insulated Piping

THERMAL CORE

KA Scroll Chiller · Axial Condenser Fans

DESIGN PERFORMANCE

Thermal Performance Dashboard

Design parameters, not live telemetry — figures reflect engineered targets for this system.

50–80 kW
Process Cooling Capacity
12–18°C
Fermentation Temperature
>99%
System Availability
High
Energy Efficiency
24/7
Seasonal Operation
ENGINEERING RATIONALE

Engineering Decisions

Why Select an Air-Cooled Chiller?

Challenge

The winery needed a system installed quickly without added infrastructure such as condenser water piping or cooling towers, given moderate, highly seasonal cooling demand.

Decision

A KA Series Air-Cooled Scroll Chiller was selected as the central refrigeration plant.

Benefit

Eliminates cooling tower installation, lowers installation cost and maintenance, with compact outdoor placement.

Why Jacket Cooling Instead of Direct Cooling?

Challenge

Wine must never contact refrigerant or industrial cooling water — direct cooling risks contamination and localized cold spots.

Decision

Each stainless-steel fermentation tank was fitted with an external cooling jacket connected to the chilled-water loop.

Benefit

Hygienic, uniform indirect heat exchange with no contamination risk.

Why Closed-Loop Chilled Water?

Challenge

Continuous water consumption would raise operating costs and introduce scaling and corrosion problems.

Decision

Implement a completely closed chilled-water circuit.

Benefit

Minimal water consumption, stable hydraulics, reduced corrosion.

Why Automatic Temperature Control?

Challenge

Fermentation heat generation changes continuously as yeast activity progresses — manual control can't react quickly enough.

Decision

Install digital temperature sensors and controls that continuously regulate compressor staging and chilled-water circulation.

Benefit

Stable fermentation temperatures, reduced energy use, longer compressor life.

PROJECT RESULTS

What This System Delivers

✓
Stable fermentation temperatureContinuous chilled-water circulation held consistent conditions throughout each cycle
✓
Improved wine consistencyAccurate control let yeast perform under optimal conditions across batches
✓
Better aroma preservationControlled temperatures reduced volatilization of aromatic compounds
✓
Reduced manual interventionAutomatic regulation removed the need for constant operator adjustment
✓
Increased equipment reliabilityScroll compressor system ran smoothly through the production season
✓
Lower operating costsIntelligent compressor staging reduced electrical consumption
ENGINEERING DNA PROFILE

What Defines This System

Ratings below are a qualitative engineering assessment, not a measured benchmark — shown as a segmented meter rather than star icons to keep the framing technical.

THERMAL
CORE
Thermal Stability
Reliability
Automation
Scalability
Maintainability
Energy Optimization
PROJECT EVIDENCE

Documented On Site

Air scroll chiller on site
Air scroll chiller
Closed Loop Circulation Pump
Closed Loop Circulation Pump
Beverage Manufacturing
Beverage Manufacturing
ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES

Engineering Principles Applied

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Common Engineering Questions

?
Why isn't a cooling tower used?This installation uses an air-cooled chiller — heat is rejected directly to ambient air through condenser coils and axial fans, eliminating condenser water circulation or evaporative cooling.
?
Why are fermentation tanks jacketed?The cooling jacket removes heat indirectly through the tank wall, with no contact between the wine and the cooling medium — hygienic and highly uniform.
?
Why is fermentation temperature so important?Yeast activity is extremely temperature-sensitive — stable conditions improve alcohol conversion, preserve aroma compounds, and produce more consistent wine quality.
?
Can one chiller cool multiple tanks?Yes — a central chilled-water system distributes cooling through a manifold, letting multiple vessels ferment simultaneously while each tank stays independently controlled.
?
Is glycol required?Not necessarily — for standard fermentation temperatures (12–18°C), clean chilled water is sufficient since there's no freezing risk. Glycol is generally reserved for applications below 0°C.
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SPECIFICATION PLATE

Project At A Glance

IndustryWine & Beverage Manufacturing
ApplicationWine Fermentation Temperature Control
LocationChina
Chiller SeriesKA Air-Cooled Scroll Chiller
Cooling MethodAir-Cooled Refrigeration
Heat RejectionAmbient Air
Cooling MediumClosed-Loop Chilled Water
Heat ExchangeStainless-Steel Tank Jackets
Process Temperature12–18°C
RefrigerantR410A / R407C
Water CircuitClosed Loop
Pump SystemVariable Flow Circulation
Control SystemPLC + Digital Temperature Controllers
Production ModeContinuous Seasonal Operation
OperationFully Automatic
ENGINEERING SCOPE
NEXT ENGINEERING MISSION

Design Your Precision
Cooling Architecture

Even small temperature variations can influence yeast activity, fermentation speed, aroma development and final sensory profile. Lohabour engineers analyze heat load, hydraulic requirements and future expansion plans to develop complete cooling architectures engineered for consistent, hygienic production.

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