Page 19 - Beverage Master_JuneJuly 2021

Brewery & Distillery
Craft Brewery
and includes all-new, two-part poly-foam insula- without waiting for a supplier’s delivery or wasting
tion, paint, pipes and safety valves. gas. It may also be a way to reduce the company’s
carbon footprint since nitrogen releases fewer
“Typical cost savings on a refurbished tank over a greenhouse gas emissions.
new tank is between 20% and 30%,” said Hoffman.
“If purchasing a new, refurbished or used vacuum Some beverage producers are using CO2 and
jacketed tank, it is extremely important that the nitrogen blends to meet their needs. However, no
vacuum is sound and the tank is complete with other substitutes have proven effective for these
refrigeration coils that afford the opportunity to purposes at a cost-effective rate.
add refrigeration if the vacuum becomes compro-
mised. The coils are necessary to allow pressure Safety Considerations for CO2 and Nitrogen
control and avoid the possibility of high pressure
and venting of CO2.” Working with CO2 or nitrogen in any capacity can
be dangerous without the proper training and safe-
Both the foam insulated and vacuum jacketed ty protocols in place. Gas can collect at the bottom
tanks are offered by Allcryo and work well under of tanks and spill out onto the floor to create haz-
most conditions, with the significant differences ards. Production facilities should have a gas detec-
being cost, application and the installation site. tion system to alert workers to dangers or auto-
matically activate ventilation systems. Preventative
“A vacuum jacketed tank does not require electric- maintenance should include testing tanks for resi-
ity, but the ability to control pressure in the tank is due buildup and ensuring that gas supply lines do
limited without an inner coil,” Hoffman said. “With not have condensation or standing liquid inside.
a foam insulted tank, the refrigeration loop main- In-line filtration can be used to scrub away unde-
tains the liquid CO2 in a constant pressure range. sirable chemicals and moisture that collects during
The system is set to automatically kick on when the production process.
necessary, and the balance of the time is not run-
ning.” “Most people understand liquid nitrogen is cold
enough to cause frostbite and cold burns if it direct-
Concerning installation, Hoffman said that most ly contacts the skin,” Muse said. “Cryogenic gloves
vacuum jacketed tanks are vertical and require a and face shields should be used anytime there is a
substantial foundation. However, a horizontal tank risk of direct exposure to the liquid nitrogen.”
might be more affordable if there is enough space
available. Liquid nitrogen should only be used in a well-ven-
tilated area, where it may be necessary to install
Pros & Cons of CO2 and Nitrogen oxygen monitors. Also, nitrogen expands to 700
times its original volume when it changes from a
CO2 is the industry standard, which means that liquid to a gas.
it is readily available and well-tested for craft bev-
erage purposes. However, CO2 can be challenging “We use this expansion to pressurize or purge out
and expensive to transport. Also, recent shortages oxygen from containers, but if there is a nitrogen
of CO2 have slowed production for some beverage leak, it could eventually push all the air and oxygen
producers. out of an entire room,” Muse said. “If someone
enters an area without enough oxygen, it can cause
Nitrogen offers a unique mouthfeel and smooth- asphyxiation and death. Proper ventilation and oxy-
ness because it is less soluble than CO2. Yet, it is gen monitors help minimize this risk.”
not beneficial for hop-forward beers that are meant
to have a bite to them rather than a creamy con- Vacuum Barrier provides pressure relief valves at
sistency. Nitrogen can be used for various applica- critical locations to eliminate the risk of over-pres-
tions, including cleaning, pressurizing and inerting. surizing and prevent explosions. If too much liquid
These applications make it a practical choice and nitrogen becomes trapped inside a sealed volume,
cost-efficient since it is often cheaper than CO2, the expansion from liquid to gas could create
especially with onsite nitrogen generation. With enough pressure to explode. Relief valves must be
onsite generation, a producer can be more efficient set at the correct pressure, so if they must open,

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