Wine Fermentation Heat Generation

[Steve Mitchel]

I am working on an HVAC system for a winery. Part of the heat loading during the peak late summer/fall season will be from the fermentation process and I am having difficulty finding information on the amount of heat generated from fermentation of wine.
Exposed wine surface area of each tank is 2.63m2.
Total fermenting volume of each tank is approx 4000L of wine before fermentation begins.
Expect maximum 6 tanks fermenting at a time.
Range of fermentation temperatures expected 14-22C.

Can anyone help me with this information and also; is the heat purely sensible or will there be additional latent heat released?

 

[Insanity]

While I know during winemaking, the fermentation does produce enough heat to require some cooling of the must/wine, I am unsure as too how much heat is produced.

The best source I could find so far is here

http://tinyurl.com/4g7fxqx

It states on pg 2 that per fermentation reaction, in addition to ethanol and CO2, 2 ATP and heat are produced, the Total free energy change is -227 kcal and the conserved energy is 15 kcal.

If you know the moles of glucose, should be able to figure the total kcal then I would think.

 

[Steve Mitchel]

Thanks I think that will work.

 

[NoGamesLS1]

Find out how much heat is generated per liter of alcohol (I have used it before, but can't locate it now). In a 4000L tank, about 600L is alcohol, worst case. Now multiple the heat generated per liter by the amount of liters per tank. The shortest fermentation is in the area of 10 days if I recall correctly. So divide that number by 240 to get you capacity required per hour at peak fermentation, then add a percent to account for losses to atmosphere.

 

[LudusRex]

I can provide some insights on the heat generation during wine fermentation and potential solutions for your HVAC system. The amount of heat generated during fermentation of wine can vary depending on several factors such as the type of yeast used, the sugar content of the grapes, and the temperature of fermentation. Generally, fermentation of 1% alcohol by volume can generate around 0.6 kWh of heat per 100 liters of wine. This means that for 4000L of wine, you can expect around 24 kWh of heat to be generated during the fermentation process.

In terms of the heat being purely sensible or releasing additional latent heat, it is a combination of both. Sensible heat is released due to the increase in temperature of the wine during fermentation, while latent heat is released as the sugar in the grapes is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide. This latent heat release can contribute to around 20% of the total heat generated during fermentation.

To accurately determine the heat load from fermentation, you can consider measuring the temperature of the fermenting tanks and the surrounding air, and using this data to calculate the heat transfer rate. You can also consider using a heat flux sensor to directly measure the heat being released from the tanks.

In terms of solutions for your HVAC system, it is important to have proper ventilation and air circulation to remove the excess heat and maintain a consistent temperature in the winery. You can also consider using a heat recovery system to capture and reuse the heat generated during fermentation, which can help reduce energy costs. Additionally, insulation of the tanks and pipes can also help minimize heat loss and improve the efficiency of your HVAC system.

I hope this information helps you in your project and please feel free to reach out if you need any further assistance.