Presenter: Adam DeBower, Austin Beerworks, Austin, TX
Coauthor: Ken DeBower, Austin Beerworks, Austin, TX
Brewery temperature control systems are often expensive
and uni-dimensional, i.e., capable of consistent control
but incapable of remote control and monitoring. Existing
commercially available integrated systems are expensive and
inflexible. Austin Beerworks has developed a flexible system
that utilizes a standard PC, freeware programmable software,
and readily available PLC and other hardware components
to monitor and control the temperature of all fermentation
vessels, brite tanks, and hot and cold liquor tanks. Further
brewery process monitoring and control has been integrated
into this system with minimal additional capital expenditures.
All components are readily available, with the exception of a
simple signal conditioning device that was fabricated in-house.
Analog data are fed from the temperature probes (Johnson
Controls A99-B) to the signal conditioners, which in turn are
processed by analog-to-digital (A/D) converters and ultimately
interpreted by a PLC. The PLC controls the opening and
closing of glycol valves at the tanks or steam valves in the case
of the hot liquor tank, and a positive confirmation mechanism
feeds back glycol valve position information to the PLC.
Temperature probes, glycol control power, and glycol valve
position data are all connected to the PLC via a CAT 6 data
cable that consists of 4 twisted pairs of 23 AWG wire. The PLC
is programmed and monitored by a server running on Microsoft
Server 2008 via machine-to-machine (M2M) programmable
freeware, and all data are archived and searchable on the server.
The server and PLC are physically connected via local area
network (LAN) and RS-232. The data and control features are
made available via any Internet browser and on any computer
or device with Internet connectivity anywhere in the world.
Programming is accomplished in-house and can be augmented
to add or subtract functionality as needs change. Data returned
from the tanks are constantly monitored for noise or unusual
values, and the program actively monitors for such anomalies
and alerts plant management when any occur. Other processes
that have been added include automatic hot liquor tank filling
and recirculating during heating, brewhouse and cellar pump
control, flow meter monitoring, and various packaging counting
processes. Archived data are exportable to Microsoft Excel and
Quickbooks.
Adam DeBower is co-founder and co-owner of Austin
Beerworks, a canning craft brewery in Austin, TX. In addition
to managing fermentation, filtration, and packaging operations,
Adam spends a large amount of his time maintaining brewery
physical plant systems and special project procurement and
installation. Adam worked at Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick,
MD, and at Real Ale Brewing in Blanco, TX, prior to founding
Austin Beerworks. A native Texan, Adam was born and raised
in Austin and is an alumnus of Baylor University.
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