Technical Session 06: Quality Considerations Session
Robert K O'Leary, VitalSensors Technologies LLC
ABSTRACT: Many in-line or on-line instruments use physical
properties of fluids to determine concentrations of desired
ingredients. These traditional measurements include temperature,
pressure, sound velocity, and density. Mid-infrared is a technique that
can directly measure product properties, including sugar, ethanol, and
CO2, by looking at molecular absorption. Mid-infrared
technology is currently being used at critical process control points
(CPCP) in brewing and packaging processes. Current installations include
“direct” measurement of sugar in wort, ethanol in low alcohol beer,
ethanol in high gravity dilutions, ethanol and CO2 in
flavored alcoholic beverages (alcopops), phase transition, and beer in
the finishing and release to packaging lines. Mid-infrared’s principal
advantages are temperature immunity, process line hydraulic immunity,
and no requirement for product flow at the point of measurement. Mid-IR
is an instantaneous in-process measurement as opposed to slipstream or
membrane based (inferred) measurement. Mid-IR directly measures
fermentation parameters, including fermentable sugars, ethanol, and CO2;
Mid-IR does not need to convert from physical properties (including
density) to determine the concentration of desired measured analytes.
This eliminates the need for reoccurring “product dial-in” that other
measurement techniques require. The miniaturization of the VS-3000 beer
monitor allows for one analyzer to measure product ethanol, CO2,
and sugar using one compensation contained within the analyzer. The
sensor process interface is sapphire, 316L stainless steel, and virgin
PEEK; the sensor is mounted directly in the CIP stream for maximum
sterility and sanitization. The solid-state construction and 100,000 hr
mean time to failure of the VS-3000 mid-infrared beer monitor decreases
maintenance and is the most cost-effective measurement technique.
Robert
O’Leary is currently the chief technology officer and a founder of
VitalSensors Technologies LLC. He is the inventor of the Mid-Infrared
ATR beer monitor. Bob’s background includes 20 years at PerkinElmer,
where he designed custom sensors and optical benches for spectroscopy,
thermal imaging, and medical devices. He was president and CEO of
Optical Coating Corporation, where he developed custom infrared optical
filters for nondispersive mid-infrared instruments. Bob lives in Newton,
MA, with his wife and three sons.
VIEW PRESENTATION 22
