Analytical Session
Daniel L Gore, Anton Paar, Graz, Austria
Co-author(s): Keyvan Ghanaviztchi, Anton Paar, Graz, Austria
ABSTRACT: Optical measurement technology is becoming more
and more common in process environments, especially in the brewing and
beverage industries, and offers many benefits, such as ease of
installation and cleaning, compact size, reduced maintenance, etc., but
does it also meet the high expectations of the brewmaster and quality
personnel in terms of accuracy, repeatability, and stability in daily
use? This paper describes the results of a head-to-head test to compare
ease of use in daily routine, measurement performance (accuracy and
repeatability) of the test instruments compared to the lab reference
methods, performance during product changes, start-up procedures, and
measurement response time. The test location for this comparison was a
60.000 hL brewery with 14 different beers and multiple product changes
every day. The test candidates were the VS-3000BM optical sensor with
the VS-300 sensor management station and the beer monitor, comprised of
the DSRn427S, Carbo 510 Smart Sensor, and mPDS 5 evaluation unit. The
VS-3000BM is an optical, mid-infrared ATR (attenuated total reflectance)
spectrometer that measures the components of liquids. A specific,
modulated, infrared emitter emits a signal that reflects through the ATR
crystal, where some wavelengths are absorbed by the product and then
strikes various detectors, each with a narrow band pass interference
filter. Specific wavelengths are used to measure alcohol, extract, and
CO2 and as a background reference. The classic beer monitor
is a measuring system combining two well-established sensors. The
combined density and sound velocity sensor DSRn427S measures density
according to the oscillating U-tube principle. The U-shaped tube is made
of Hastelloy C276 and is excited to a continuous oscillation at its
natural frequency by means of a magneto-electrical excitation system.
The oscillation frequency is directly related to the density of the
product flowing through the tube. The sound velocity is measured by an
ultrasonic transmitter and receiver located on one side of the U-tube.
The electronics measure the propagation time of the ultrasonic pulses
through the product and calculate the sound velocity. These two sensors
are responsible for alcohol and extract measurement. The Carbo 510 Smart
Sensor combines the classic method of CO2 analysis according to Henry’s law with the volume expansion method, which makes use of the fact that the solubility of CO2 in beverages is much higher than the solubility of air.
Daniel
Gore received his B.A. degree from the University of Maryland, College
Park, including two years of study in Germany. After graduating in 1995
he returned to Germany and began an apprenticeship as a brewer and
maltster at the Lammbrauerei Hilsenbeck. After successfully finishing
his apprenticeship he worked in multiple breweries throughout Germany,
including the Uerige Obergärige Hausbrauerei and Quenzer Bräu before
moving back to the United States to assume the role of head brewer at
the Long Trail Brewing Company. In 2006 he changed focus to work as a
technical sales representative for Anton Paar, USA and continued to put
his 12 years of practical brewing experience to good use serving the
beverage industry. During this time Daniel was a member of MBAA and ISA
and enjoyed working with local chapters in the Northeast. In 2010 he
moved to Graz, Austria, to become Anton Paar GmbH’s application
specialist, supporting Anton Paar’s existing applications in the
beverage industry, as well as developing new beverage applications and
technologies.
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