Brian Vernet

Properly weighing and accurately delivering all the ingredients for the brewery process without manual intervention can result in a number of process advantages, including fewer mistakes, better accuracy, lower bulk costs, improved product quality and savings in manufacturing costs. In addition, using devices and systems which involve highly accurate weighing and metering of precious and expensive ingredients such as flavors and additives can result in lower overall ingredient costs. The highly experienced personnel of Coperion K-Tron can provide a wide variety of design and layout options in both ingredient transfer and delivery to help brewery manufacturers to not only lower process costs but also to improve efficiency and product quality.

Gain-in-weight batching employs the use of highly accurate volumetric feeders that are integrated with the scale on which the empty box or container sits. A batch cycle is generally made up of two phases; during the first phase, 90% of the batch weight (as determined by the preprogrammed recipe) is fed as fast as possible. During the second phase the last 10% is fed in a slower “dribble” mode to ensure an accurate result in achieving the weight setpoint. When the setpoint is achieved, the feed is stopped. In most cases, the controller switches a single feeder between the two modes to achieve a batch.