Control of Dissolved Gases in the Brewery using a Hydrophobic Membrane

By Jon W. Brown, R. Bowerman and D. Smith Scottish Courage brewing, Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland *Realm Products, Ltd., Croydon, England. 1999 EBC Poster.

Abstract
Gases in contact with liquids will partition between gaseous and dissolved phases, the concentration in the liquid being determined the partial pressure of each gas in the gaseous phase (Henry's Law. Hydrophobic membranes allow highly intimate contact between the two phases allowing equilibration to be achieved very rapidly. Data will be presented for a brewery-sized (3-400 hl/hr) unit where gases of interest to brewers have been controlled in-line by the use of a hydrophobic membrane and appropriate control system. In particular the contents in beer of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide can all be increased or decreased in a controlled manner.
Keywords: Hydrophobic Membrane, Dissolved Gases Control; deoxygenation, Nitrogenation, Denitrogenation  

Sintesis
Los gases con liquidos se dividiran entre fases gaseosas y disueltas, la concentracioin en el liquido sera determinada por la presion parcial de cada gas en la fase gaseosa (Ley de Henry). Las membranas hidrofobicas permiten un contacto muy intimo entre las dos fases lo que perrnite que se equilibren muy rapidamente. Se presentara information de una unidad del tamano de una para una cerveceria (3-400 hl/hr) donde los gases de interes para los cerveceros han sido controlados en linea mediante el uso de una membrana hidrofobica y un sistema de control adecuado. En particular los contenidos de oxigeno, nitrogeno y dioxide de carbono pueden ser aumentados o disminuidos de una manera controlada.