Developed in the 1870s, pasteurization is one of the most significant advancements in food preservation. This process involves heating food or beverages, such as beer, milk, or water, to a specific temperature for a set duration to eliminate microorganisms that can cause disease or spoilage.

To meet the high production demands of modern breweries, many rely on tunnel pasteurization machines that operate continuously, optimizing time and energy efficiency.

During the process, hundreds of bottles or cans are transported through chambers with multiple temperature stages. However, it’s common for some bottles to break or open, spilling their contents into the hot water. This creates a nutrient-rich environment for bacteria and other microorganisms to grow, leading to unpleasant odors and potential flavor contamination in the beer.

To prevent bacterial growth, the breweries add biocides to sanitize the water stream. Many of those chemicals are aggressive in high concentrations so it is necessary to control the dosing at a level specific to each stage of the pasteurizer. This requires frequent monitoring and operator intervention. Poor biocide control can leave residual chemicals that may alter the taste, aroma, and overall quality of the beer. High biocide concentrations can also corrode metal components within the pasteurizer and associated systems, increasing maintenance costs and downtime.

Brewery customers can automate the biocide process by installing an Intuition-6 controller with an amperometric disinfection sensor. Commonly used sensors include peracetic acid (PAA) and chlorine dioxide (CLO2). Multiple sensors can monitor individual tunnel zones at different set points using the same controller.The sensors monitor biocide concentration in the pasteurization water, while the Intuition-6 controller automates dosing through a Walchem dosing pump.

Many breweries also rely on clean-in-place (CIP) systems for offline cleaning during scheduled maintenance. With the integration of electrodeless conductivity sensors, the Intuition-6 controller can fully automate the CIP process, precisely dosing cleaning agents like caustics and acids based on predefined conductivity setpoints.

Finally, the Intuition-6 provides the datalogging and communication capability that breweries require. Operators are alerted in real-time to any out-of-specification result, keeping consumers safe. This means breweries save money on chemistry and equipment maintenance, while achieving their ultimate goal, perfect beer!

Walchem and our distributors can provide plug-and-play systems that incorporate the Walchem controls, sensors and metering pumps for your application. Contact us or your local distributor to learn more.