Mini fermentation monitoring solution for big and small wineries

Fermentation is a vital step in the production of high-quality wine, with wineries increasingly considering the adoption of new techniques and technologies to automate the ferment monitoring process. Darryl Blackeby, Regional Sales Manager (SA/WA) of ifm efector, explains that the selection of fermentation monitoring products is also essential for wineries.

“Wineries are looking for solutions that will reduce costs and drive production efficiency. Products that automate fermentation monitoring and negate the need for costly manual processes go a long way to answering this call,” Blackeby said.

Some of the traditional monitoring solutions may not be suitable for wine industry applications. For example, Blackeby points out that traditional differential pressure transmitters use ultra-thin (and fragile) diaphragms to monitor small changes in tank pressure and fermentation. “When these fail, they can release glycol or other fill materials, ultimately contaminating the wine.” he said.

The latest-generation pressure transmitters from ifm efector have been developed to resolve these challenges. These transmitters use ceramic diaphragms that don’t contain filler material that could contaminate the wine. In addition, they’re equipped with IO-link technology, which sends detailed ferment measurement data from the sensors to the winemaker’s dashboard. “Essentially, this enables the winemaker to monitor the Brix values and the fermentation process in real time, without the need for manual checks.”

To create an intelligent ferment monitoring system that meets the requirements of both small wineries as well as large operations, ifm has developed a mini ferment monitoring system. “This is a compact but complete monitoring solution that enables the winemaker to trial automated fermentation monitoring with minimal outlay and disruption to existing control systems.”

The system comprises pressure transmitters that can be easily mounted in pump-over lines instead of in the actual tanks. It operates as a standalone solution, but can be integrated with other systems or expanded to include additional monitoring.

“The data generated from an automated system like the mini ferment monitoring system is really useful in fine-tuning processes and operations, in turn supporting more efficient, cost-effective production,” Blackeby said.

ifm will be exhibiting at WineTech 2025 from 21 to 23 July at the Adelaide Convention Centre on stand 1318.

Images: Supplied.