Title of Invention	APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BEER PREPARATION .
Abstract	The instant invention discloses an apparatus for beer preparation, in particular wort kettle (1) having a tank body (2) for receiving a wort stock (3), an internal boiler (4) which is disposed in the tank body and is provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guide screen (8), and a forced wort circulation (10) which is connected to a pump (12) and passes through the boiler (4) characterised in that the forced wort circulation (10) comprises a thin film distribution device (17) for the wort, which distribution device has a piping section (11b) which is connected to the pump (12) which piping section opens out into the tank body (2) above the guide screen (8), via an orifice (13) of reduced cross-sectional area, and which has, above the orifice (13), a flow-guiding baffle surface (15), which is impinged by flow from below and is for deflecting the liquid in the direction towards the wort stock (3). The instant invention also discloses a process for beer preparation, in particular wort boiling, characterized by the development of a first and a second wort circulation (9, 16), the first wort circulation (9) being a thermal flow circulation, and the second wort circulation (16) proceeding via a forced wort circulation (10) having a pump (12) and a thin film distribution device (17).

Title of Invention

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BEER PREPARATION .

Abstract

The instant invention discloses an apparatus for beer preparation, in particular wort kettle (1) having a tank body (2) for receiving a wort stock (3), an internal boiler (4) which is disposed in the tank body and is provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guide screen (8), and a forced wort circulation (10) which is connected to a pump (12) and passes through the boiler (4) characterised in that the forced wort circulation (10) comprises a thin film distribution device (17) for the wort, which distribution device has a piping section (11b) which is connected to the pump (12) which piping section opens out into the tank body (2) above the guide screen (8), via an orifice (13) of reduced cross-sectional area, and which has, above the orifice (13), a flow-guiding baffle surface (15), which is impinged by flow from below and is for deflecting the liquid in the direction towards the wort stock (3). The instant invention also discloses a process for beer preparation, in particular wort boiling, characterized by the development of a first and a second wort circulation (9, 16), the first wort circulation (9) being a thermal flow circulation, and the second wort circulation (16) proceeding via a forced wort circulation (10) having a pump (12) and a thin film distribution device (17).

Full Text	APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BEER PREPARATION The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for beer preparation. A wort kettle is known for example from DE-C-43 04 383. The known wort kettle contains a tank body in which a so-called internal boiler is located to heat up the wort. The internal boiler is made as a steam-heated heat exchanger with vertically running passage ducts for the wort, so that the wort rises upwards from the base of the tank through the heating in the heat exchanger. Above the heat exchanger, the internal boiler contains an accumulation cone with a cylindrical outlet pipe through which the thermoflow of the wort is bundled and conveyed upwards above the liquid level of the wort in the tank body. Above the mouthpiece opening of the cylindrical outlet pipe, a guide screen is provided in the form of a conical baffle surface which picks up the wort emerging from the cylindrical outlet pipe and diverts it downwards again towards the liquid level. The known wort kettle contains moreover a pipe with a pump for a forced flow of the wort in the tank body, whereby the wort is drawn off out of the tank body outside the internal boiler and pumped back into the tank body directly underneath the internal boiler. The area underneath the internal boiler and around the mouth of the pipe is shut off from the rest of the tank body, so that it is ensured that the wort passed by forced flow through the pipe only enters the internal boiler and does not escape at the side into the tank body. However, it has been found that the known wort kettle can be improved yet further in terms of its efficiency. The object of the invention is therefore to provide an apparatus and process of this type with improved efficiency. Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus for beer preparation, in particular a wort kettle having a tank body for receiving a wort stock, an internal boiler which is disposed in the tank body and is provided with a heat exchanger and a guide screen, and a forced wort circulation which is connected to a pump and passes through the boiler characterised in that the forced wort circulation comprises a thin film distribution device for the wort, which distribution device has a piping section which is connected to the pump which piping section opens out into the tank body above the guide screen, via an orifice of reduced cross-sectional area, and which has, above the orifice, a flow-guiding baffle surface, which is impinged by flow from below and is for deflecting the liquid in the direction towards the wort stock. Because of the thin-film distribution device provided and arranged according to the invention with its reduced outlet cross-section and the baffle surface above it, the energy passed into the wort through the pump in addition to the heat flow is used advantageously to feed the wort, in addition to the normal wort cycle and the distribution by the internal boiler, into a second cycle with fine distribution through which, for example, the steaming out of undesired flavours is further improved. Admittedly, a thin-film distribution device is already known, for example, from WO 00/00583, but there it replaces the boiler. Moreover, it is known for example from EP-A-605 783 that an internal boiler for a wort kettle is provided with two wort guide screens lying vertically above each other, whereby the lower wort guide screen is provided with a central opening through which the thermoflow caused by the heat exchanger can enter upwards, so that two distribution bells for the wort are formed, which, however, because of the relatively low flow speed, are less effective. In contrast, the mouth cross-section, reduced according to the invention, of the pipe supplied by a pump ensures that a smaller volume of the wort emerges at the same time from the mouth opening, the speed of which, however, is much higher than a pure flow of heat. In this way, the baffle surface creates a wort bell with a considerably smaller layer thickness, which greatly improves in particular the steaming out of undesired flavours. Advantageous further developments of the invention are described hereinafter. An additional feed device is particularly advantageous, since this increases the flow rate through the thin-film distribution device and at the same time accelerates the flow through the internal boiler, which increases the throughput and reduces fouling. This applies in particular for an automatic suction since, in this way, the full throughput capacity is reached. The form of the baffle surface is particularly important in relation to the formation of the thinnest possible layer. Preferably, the baffle surface should be already provided in the mouth opening, and from there it runs, gently curved, at an angle upwards to the outside. Shaping the mouth opening as a circular gap which can if necessary be adjusted in size also promotes the formation of a thin layer. The invention also provides a process for beer preparation, in particular wort boiling, characterized by the development of a first and a second wort circulation the first wort circulation being a thermal flow circulation, and the second wort circulation proceeding via a forced wort circulation having a pump and a thin film distribution device. Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following using the accompanying drawings. The following are shown: Fig. 1 shows a wort kettle formed according to the invention in a highly diagrammatic illustration, and Fig. 2 shows detail "A" from Fig. 1 in a section, and Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 shows a device for brewing beer in the form of a wort kettle 1, especially a whirlpool pan, as used for the manufacture and preparation of wort in beer manufacture. The wort kettle 1 contains a normal tank body 2 with side walls 2a, a base 2b and a cover 2c which can be of the normal shape. In the embodiment illustrated, the tank body 2 has a circular cross-section and is erected with a vertical axis. The tank body 2 holds a sufficient quantity of the wort stock 3. In the axial middle of the tank body 2, an internal boiler 4 is positioned which, as is normal for these internal boilers, has a heat exchanger 5 and an accumulation cone 6. The heat exchanger 5 has a large number of pipes 5a, which are installed with vertical axes and open ends and are heated preferably by steam or hot water, whereby the devices for supplying steam and other devices necessary for the operation of the internal boiler 4 and the wort kettle 1 are known and are not shown here to give greater clarity. The pipes 5a are arranged with their open, lower ends at a sufficient distance above the base 2b and end with their open, upper ends underneath the liquid level 3a of the wort stock 3 in tank body 2. In the present description, the terms "top" and "bottom" are defined with reference to the direction of gravity in the installation position of the respective device in operation. The accumulation cone 6 has, in the present embodiment, a cylindrical area 6a, the lower edge of which has a larger diameter than the heat exchanger 5, so that there is, between the heat exchanger 5 and the cylindrical area 6a of the accumulation cone 6, an opening 7, through which wort can pass. The cylindrical area 6a is continued upwards through a conical area 6b, which reaches to above the liquid level 3a and then leads into a second cylindrical area 6c which reaches from the conical area 6b far enough upwards to bundle and even out the thermoflow of the wort from the heat exchanger 5. The cylindrical area 6c has the same cross- section between the conical area 6b and its mouth opening 6d. Above the mouth opening 6d of the accumulation cone 6 and at a distance from it, one of the normal flow guide screens 8 is provided which is bent like a spherical calotte, i.e. near the axial centre, has its highest point above the mouth opening 6d and falls down on all sides with increasing radial distance. The internal boiler 4, as it has been described so far, also functions like a normal internal boiler, i.e. the heating in the heat exchanger 5 sets up a heat cycle, i.e. the wort rises within pipes 5a upwards into the accumulation cone 6, is bundled there into a laminar flow and aligned and pressed through the mouth opening 6d upwards against the guide screen 8, which passes the heated wort in an outlet bell back into the wort stock 3, as is designated by the heat flow 9. Furthermore, a small proportion of the flow can leave the accumulation cone 6, also indicated by a heat flow 9, through the opening 7, which creates additional turbulence in the wort stock 3. The flow along the heat flow 9 forms the main flow inside the wort kettle 1. At the wort kettle 1, a forced wort circulation 10 is furthermore provided, which comprises at least a pipe 11 and a preferably frequency-controlled pump 12. The pipe 11 emerges in the lower third in the area of the wort stock 3 from the side wall 2a of the tank body 2, runs via pump 12 and if necessary via a control valve 12a (if the pump 12 is not frequency-controlled) and is passed back in the axial centre regarding the internal boiler 4 through the base 2b of the tank body 2. The pipe 11 continues vertically upwards in the inside of the tank body 2 as a riser. If the forced wort circulation 10 contains several pipes 11, these are taken via a common pump and if necessary a common control valve into a common riser. The riser contains a first pipe subsection 11a, which runs vertically upwards from the intake of the pipe 11 into the tank body 2 through the heat exchanger 5, and a second pipe subsection 11b connected to it, which projects beyond the heat exchanger 5 and goes through the remaining internal boiler 4, i.e. the accumulation cone 6 and the guide screen 8 and projects beyond the guide screen 8. Here, the second pipe subsection 11b is open on the end to form an orifice 13 which is essentially horizontal. Above the orifice 13, a guide device 14 is located with a baffle surface 15 facing downwards. The baffle surface 15 dips into the orifice 13 or begins there, near the axial centre of the orifice 13 and rises from there, gently curved at an angle upwards and outwards, whereby the curve of the baffle surface 15 is formed in-such away that near to the orifice 13 the axial parts of the curve predominate, but that these decrease in the further course of the curve, until the radial parts of the curve predominate. In the outer edge region of the guide device 14 at its greatest radial distance from the centre line, the curve can show axial parts again, i.e. the outer edge of the baffle surface 15 can be slightly curved downwards again. Preferably, the baffle surface 15 can be formed as a rotation surface of a hyperbola- or parabola-type curve section. The part of the baffle surface 15 dipping into the pipe subsection 11b gives the orifice 13 directly at the upper edge of the pipe subsection 11 b a considerably decreased outlet cross- section, whereby the orifice 13 becomes ring-shaped. The outlet cross-section of the orifice 13 can, if there is a corresponding curve in the baffle surface 15, be adjusted in its size through an axial displacement of the guide device 14. Through the pump 12, wort is sucked from the wort stock 3 via the pipe 11 and pushed into the riser, and, accelerated due to the reducing outlet cross-section of the orifice 13 directly at the end of the pipe subsection 11b, but reduced in terms of volume, is conveyed with a high level of energy against the baffle surface 15 so that the wort is distributed there in the form of a thin- layer bell along arrows 16 and passes again into the wort stock 3. The pump, the orifice 13 with reduced cross-section and the baffle surface 15 thus form a thin-film distribution device 17. The thin-film distribution device 17 contains furthermore an additional feed device 18 which is also shown in Fig. 2. The feed device 18 comprises an area 19 of the pipe subsection 11b with a reduced cross-section which is located below the liquid level 3a in the wort stock 3 and within the accumulation cone 6. The area 19 with reduced cross-section forms a suction opening 20, which is covered towards the top by a conical apron 21, so that the suction opening 20 is only accessible from underneath at an angle, i.e. from the direction of the outlet pipes 5a of the heat exchanger 5. In the embodiment shown, the pipe subsection 11b is divided into two to form the feed device 18 and contains a lower pipe piece 22, which forms the connection to the lower pipe subsection 11a and passes into the area 19 with reduced cross-section, and an upper pipe piece 23, which is arranged coaxially to the area 19 and runs as far as the orifice 13, whereby the pipe piece 23 essentially has the same internal diameter as the riser in the first pipe subsection 11a. The area 19 with reduced cross-section creates, according to the water jet pump principle, a flow which sucks additional wort from the area above the heat exchanger 5 and conveys it into the inside of the pipe subsection 11b. In this way, on the one hand, the flow quantity 16 is increased and, on the other hand, the through flow of the heat exchanger 5 is improved, so that the transfer of heat can be improved and fouling in the boiler reduced. During the operation of the wort kettle 1 according to the invention, the internal boiler 4 of the wort stock 3 is heated, whereby the heating in the heat exchanger 5 ensures a first cycle of the wort 3 along the heat flow 9. At the same time, through pump 12 and one or preferably several pipes 11 leading out of the tank body 2, wort is sucked for a second cycle along the arrows 16 and pushed into the riser. Because the pipe subsection 11a runs through the heat exchanger 5, the flow caused by the pump is overlaid by a flow of heat, so that the wort is pushed with increasing energy through the feed device 18, where in addition wort is sucked in above the heat exchanger 5. Subsequently, the pumped and sucked in wort is passed through the orifice 13 with reduced cross-section against the baffle surface 15 and taken from there back into the wort stock 3 distributed in a bell with a low layer thickness. Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of a wort kettle 1' formed according to the invention, which corresponds to the wort kettle 1 in Figs. 1 and 2 apart from the details described in the following, so that these do not need to be explained again. The embodiment according to Fig. 3 is particularly intended for the retrofitting of existing beer brewing devices. For this purpose, the pipe 11 of the forced wort circulation 10 leading into the base 2b of the tank body 2 is connected via a connector piece 24 with one or more ducts or pipes 5a of the heat exchanger 5 in such a way that two heat exchanger areas 5.1 and 5.2 essentially separated from each other are formed in the heat exchanger 5. The heat exchanger area 5.1 is connected as normal with the wort stock 3 in the tank body 2, whilst the heat exchanger area 5.2 is supplied by the forced wort circulation 10. At the upper outlet of the heat exchanger 5, a further connector piece 25 is provided which passes from the heat exchanger area 5.2 into the pipe subsection 11b. Here, the connector piece 25 can be formed at the same time as the lower pipe piece of the infeed device 18 (see Fig. 2). The two wort cycles 9 and 16 are also formed with this embodiment according to Fig. 3. As a modification of the described and drawn embodiment, the invention can be used with wort kettles of any structural design, working unpressurised or under pressure and with any known construction of an internal boiler but also, for example, with heated forward flow containers or similar. WE CLAIM : 1. Apparatus for beer preparation, in particular wort kettle (1) having a tank body (2) for receiving a wort stock (3), an internal boiler (4) which is disposed in the tank body and is provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guide screen (8), and a forced wort circulation (10) which is connected to a pump (12) and passes through the boiler (4) characterised in that the forced wort circulation (10) comprises a thin film distribution device (17) for the wort, which distribution device has a piping section (11b) which is connected to the pump (12) which piping section opens out into the tank body (2) above the guide screen (8), via an orifice (13) of reduced cross-sectional area, and which has, above the orifice (13), a flow-guiding baffle surface (15), which is impinged by flow from below and is for deflecting the liquid in the direction towards the wort stock (3). 2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the thin-film distribution device (17) is connected with the pump (12) via the piping section (11a) extending through the heat exchanger (5). 3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger (5) comprises a first heat exchanger region (5.1) for a heat flow (9) within the tank body (2) and a second heat exchange region (5.2) assigned to the forced wort circulation (10), and the thin-film distribution (17) is connected to the pump (12) via the second heat exchange region (5.2). 4. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein a feed device (18) for feeding additional wort into the piping section (11b) is provided below the orifice (13) and above the heat exchanger (5). 5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the feed device (18) comprises at least one intake opening (20) in the piping section (11 b) for the self-acting intake of the additional wort by the flow in the piping section (11 b). 6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a reduced cross-sectional area region (19) of the piping section (11b) is assigned to the intake opening (20). 7. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the baffle surface (15) is provided in the orifice (13) and from there first climbs in a gently curved manner in an axial direction and then proceeds increasingly outwards in a radial direction. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the orifice (13) is constructed in the manner of an annulus. 9. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the reduced outlet cross- sectional area is formed by the baffle surface (15) dipping into the orifice (13). 10. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the size of the outlet cross- sectional area is adjustable. 11. Process for beer preparation, in particular wort boiling, characterized by the development of a first and a second wort circulation (9, 16), the first wort circulation (9) being a thermal flow circulation, and the second wort circulation (16) proceeding via a forced wort circulation (10) having a pump (12) and a thin film distribution device (17). The instant invention discloses an apparatus for beer preparation, in particular wort kettle (1) having a tank body (2) for receiving a wort stock (3), an internal boiler (4) which is disposed in the tank body and is provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guide screen (8), and a forced wort circulation (10) which is connected to a pump (12) and passes through the boiler (4) characterised in that the forced wort circulation (10) comprises a thin film distribution device (17) for the wort, which distribution device has a piping section (11b) which is connected to the pump (12) which piping section opens out into the tank body (2) above the guide screen (8), via an orifice (13) of reduced cross-sectional area, and which has, above the orifice (13), a flow-guiding baffle surface (15), which is impinged by flow from below and is for deflecting the liquid in the direction towards the wort stock (3). The instant invention also discloses a process for beer preparation, in particular wort boiling, characterized by the development of a first and a second wort circulation (9, 16), the first wort circulation (9) being a thermal flow circulation, and the second wort circulation (16) proceeding via a forced wort circulation (10) having a pump (12) and a thin film distribution device (17).

Full Text

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BEER PREPARATION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for beer preparation.
A wort kettle is known for example from DE-C-43 04 383. The known wort kettle contains a
tank body in which a so-called internal boiler is located to heat up the wort. The internal boiler is
made as a steam-heated heat exchanger with vertically running passage ducts for the wort, so
that the wort rises upwards from the base of the tank through the heating in the heat
exchanger. Above the heat exchanger, the internal boiler contains an accumulation cone with a
cylindrical outlet pipe through which the thermoflow of the wort is bundled and conveyed
upwards above the liquid level of the wort in the tank body. Above the mouthpiece opening of
the cylindrical outlet pipe, a guide screen is provided in the form of a conical baffle surface
which picks up the wort emerging from the cylindrical outlet pipe and diverts it downwards again
towards the liquid level. The known wort kettle contains moreover a pipe with a pump for a
forced flow of the wort in the tank body, whereby the wort is drawn off out of the tank body
outside the internal boiler and pumped back into the tank body directly underneath the internal
boiler. The area underneath the internal boiler and around the mouth of the pipe is shut off from
the rest of the tank body, so that it is ensured that the wort passed by forced flow through the
pipe only enters the internal boiler and does not escape at the side into the tank body.
However, it has been found that the known wort kettle can be improved yet further in terms of
its efficiency.
The object of the invention is therefore to provide an apparatus and process of this type with
improved efficiency.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus for beer preparation, in particular a
wort kettle having a tank body for receiving a wort stock, an internal boiler which is disposed
in the tank body and is provided with a heat exchanger and a guide screen, and a forced wort
circulation which is connected to a pump and passes through the boiler characterised in that
the forced wort circulation comprises a thin film distribution device for the wort, which
distribution device has a piping section which is connected to the pump which piping section
opens out into the tank body above the guide screen, via an orifice of reduced cross-sectional
area, and which has, above the orifice, a flow-guiding baffle surface, which is impinged by flow
from below and is for deflecting the liquid in the direction towards the wort stock.

Because of the thin-film distribution device provided and arranged according to the invention
with its reduced outlet cross-section and the baffle surface above it, the energy passed into the
wort through the pump in addition to the heat flow is used advantageously to feed the wort, in
addition to the normal wort cycle and the distribution by the internal boiler, into a second cycle
with fine distribution through which, for example, the steaming out of undesired flavours is
further improved.
Admittedly, a thin-film distribution device is already known, for example, from WO 00/00583,
but there it replaces the boiler.
Moreover, it is known for example from EP-A-605 783 that an internal boiler for a wort kettle is
provided with two wort guide screens lying vertically above each other, whereby the lower wort
guide screen is provided with a central opening through which the thermoflow caused by the
heat exchanger can enter upwards, so that two distribution bells for the wort are formed, which,
however, because of the relatively low flow speed, are less effective.
In contrast, the mouth cross-section, reduced according to the invention, of the pipe supplied by
a pump ensures that a smaller volume of the wort emerges at the same time from the mouth
opening, the speed of which, however, is much higher than a pure flow of heat. In this way, the
baffle surface creates a wort bell with a considerably smaller layer thickness, which greatly
improves in particular the steaming out of undesired flavours.
Advantageous further developments of the invention are described hereinafter.
An additional feed device is particularly advantageous, since this increases the flow rate
through the thin-film distribution device and at the same time accelerates the flow through the
internal boiler, which increases the throughput and reduces fouling. This applies in particular for
an automatic suction since, in this way, the full throughput capacity is reached.
The form of the baffle surface is particularly important in relation to the formation of the thinnest
possible layer. Preferably, the baffle surface should be already provided in the mouth opening,
and from there it runs, gently curved, at an angle upwards to the outside.
Shaping the mouth opening as a circular gap which can if necessary be adjusted in size also
promotes the formation of a thin layer.

The invention also provides a process for beer preparation, in particular wort boiling,
characterized by the development of a first and a second wort circulation the first wort
circulation being a thermal flow circulation, and the second wort circulation proceeding via a
forced wort circulation having a pump and a thin film distribution device.
Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following using the
accompanying drawings. The following are shown:
Fig. 1 shows a wort kettle formed according to the invention in a highly diagrammatic
illustration, and
Fig. 2 shows detail "A" from Fig. 1 in a section, and
Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 1 shows a device for brewing beer in the form of a wort kettle 1, especially a whirlpool pan,
as used for the manufacture and preparation of wort in beer manufacture. The wort kettle 1
contains a normal tank body 2 with side walls 2a, a base 2b and a cover 2c which can be of the
normal shape. In the embodiment illustrated, the tank body 2 has a circular cross-section and is
erected with a vertical axis. The tank body 2 holds a sufficient quantity of the wort stock 3.
In the axial middle of the tank body 2, an internal boiler 4 is positioned which, as is normal for
these internal boilers, has a heat exchanger 5 and an accumulation cone 6. The heat
exchanger 5 has a large number of pipes 5a, which are installed with vertical axes and open
ends and are heated preferably by steam or hot water, whereby the devices for supplying
steam and other devices necessary for the operation of the internal boiler 4 and the wort kettle
1 are known and are not shown here to give greater clarity. The pipes 5a are arranged with
their open, lower ends at a sufficient distance above the base 2b and end with their open, upper
ends underneath the liquid level 3a of the wort stock 3 in tank body 2.
In the present description, the terms "top" and "bottom" are defined with reference to the
direction of gravity in the installation position of the respective device in operation.
The accumulation cone 6 has, in the present embodiment, a cylindrical area 6a, the lower edge
of which has a larger diameter than the heat exchanger 5, so that there is, between the heat
exchanger 5 and the cylindrical area 6a of the accumulation cone 6, an opening 7, through

which wort can pass. The cylindrical area 6a is continued upwards through a conical area 6b,
which reaches to above the liquid level 3a and then leads into a second cylindrical area 6c
which reaches from the conical area 6b far enough upwards to bundle and even out the
thermoflow of the wort from the heat exchanger 5. The cylindrical area 6c has the same cross-
section between the conical area 6b and its mouth opening 6d. Above the mouth opening 6d of
the accumulation cone 6 and at a distance from it, one of the normal flow guide screens 8 is
provided which is bent like a spherical calotte, i.e. near the axial centre, has its highest point
above the mouth opening 6d and falls down on all sides with increasing radial distance.
The internal boiler 4, as it has been described so far, also functions like a normal internal boiler,
i.e. the heating in the heat exchanger 5 sets up a heat cycle, i.e. the wort rises within pipes 5a
upwards into the accumulation cone 6, is bundled there into a laminar flow and aligned and
pressed through the mouth opening 6d upwards against the guide screen 8, which passes the
heated wort in an outlet bell back into the wort stock 3, as is designated by the heat flow 9.
Furthermore, a small proportion of the flow can leave the accumulation cone 6, also indicated
by a heat flow 9, through the opening 7, which creates additional turbulence in the wort stock 3.
The flow along the heat flow 9 forms the main flow inside the wort kettle 1.
At the wort kettle 1, a forced wort circulation 10 is furthermore provided, which comprises at
least a pipe 11 and a preferably frequency-controlled pump 12. The pipe 11 emerges in the
lower third in the area of the wort stock 3 from the side wall 2a of the tank body 2, runs via
pump 12 and if necessary via a control valve 12a (if the pump 12 is not frequency-controlled)
and is passed back in the axial centre regarding the internal boiler 4 through the base 2b of the
tank body 2. The pipe 11 continues vertically upwards in the inside of the tank body 2 as a riser.
If the forced wort circulation 10 contains several pipes 11, these are taken via a common pump
and if necessary a common control valve into a common riser. The riser contains a first pipe
subsection 11a, which runs vertically upwards from the intake of the pipe 11 into the tank body
2 through the heat exchanger 5, and a second pipe subsection 11b connected to it, which
projects beyond the heat exchanger 5 and goes through the remaining internal boiler 4, i.e. the
accumulation cone 6 and the guide screen 8 and projects beyond the guide screen 8. Here, the
second pipe subsection 11b is open on the end to form an orifice 13 which is essentially
horizontal.
Above the orifice 13, a guide device 14 is located with a baffle surface 15 facing downwards.
The baffle surface 15 dips into the orifice 13 or begins there, near the axial centre of the orifice
13 and rises from there, gently curved at an angle upwards and outwards, whereby the curve of

the baffle surface 15 is formed in-such away that near to the orifice 13 the axial parts of the
curve predominate, but that these decrease in the further course of the curve, until the radial
parts of the curve predominate. In the outer edge region of the guide device 14 at its greatest
radial distance from the centre line, the curve can show axial parts again, i.e. the outer edge of
the baffle surface 15 can be slightly curved downwards again. Preferably, the baffle surface 15
can be formed as a rotation surface of a hyperbola- or parabola-type curve section.
The part of the baffle surface 15 dipping into the pipe subsection 11b gives the orifice 13
directly at the upper edge of the pipe subsection 11 b a considerably decreased outlet cross-
section, whereby the orifice 13 becomes ring-shaped. The outlet cross-section of the orifice 13
can, if there is a corresponding curve in the baffle surface 15, be adjusted in its size through an
axial displacement of the guide device 14.
Through the pump 12, wort is sucked from the wort stock 3 via the pipe 11 and pushed into the
riser, and, accelerated due to the reducing outlet cross-section of the orifice 13 directly at the
end of the pipe subsection 11b, but reduced in terms of volume, is conveyed with a high level of
energy against the baffle surface 15 so that the wort is distributed there in the form of a thin-
layer bell along arrows 16 and passes again into the wort stock 3. The pump, the orifice 13
with reduced cross-section and the baffle surface 15 thus form a thin-film distribution device 17.
The thin-film distribution device 17 contains furthermore an additional feed device 18 which is
also shown in Fig. 2. The feed device 18 comprises an area 19 of the pipe subsection 11b with
a reduced cross-section which is located below the liquid level 3a in the wort stock 3 and within
the accumulation cone 6. The area 19 with reduced cross-section forms a suction opening 20,
which is covered towards the top by a conical apron 21, so that the suction opening 20 is only
accessible from underneath at an angle, i.e. from the direction of the outlet pipes 5a of the heat
exchanger 5. In the embodiment shown, the pipe subsection 11b is divided into two to form the
feed device 18 and contains a lower pipe piece 22, which forms the connection to the lower
pipe subsection 11a and passes into the area 19 with reduced cross-section, and an upper pipe
piece 23, which is arranged coaxially to the area 19 and runs as far as the orifice 13, whereby
the pipe piece 23 essentially has the same internal diameter as the riser in the first pipe
subsection 11a.
The area 19 with reduced cross-section creates, according to the water jet pump principle, a
flow which sucks additional wort from the area above the heat exchanger 5 and conveys it into
the inside of the pipe subsection 11b. In this way, on the one hand, the flow quantity 16 is

increased and, on the other hand, the through flow of the heat exchanger 5 is improved, so that
the transfer of heat can be improved and fouling in the boiler reduced.
During the operation of the wort kettle 1 according to the invention, the internal boiler 4 of the
wort stock 3 is heated, whereby the heating in the heat exchanger 5 ensures a first cycle of the
wort 3 along the heat flow 9. At the same time, through pump 12 and one or preferably several
pipes 11 leading out of the tank body 2, wort is sucked for a second cycle along the arrows 16
and pushed into the riser. Because the pipe subsection 11a runs through the heat exchanger 5,
the flow caused by the pump is overlaid by a flow of heat, so that the wort is pushed with
increasing energy through the feed device 18, where in addition wort is sucked in above the
heat exchanger 5. Subsequently, the pumped and sucked in wort is passed through the orifice
13 with reduced cross-section against the baffle surface 15 and taken from there back into the
wort stock 3 distributed in a bell with a low layer thickness.
Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of a wort kettle 1' formed according to the invention, which
corresponds to the wort kettle 1 in Figs. 1 and 2 apart from the details described in the
following, so that these do not need to be explained again.
The embodiment according to Fig. 3 is particularly intended for the retrofitting of existing beer
brewing devices. For this purpose, the pipe 11 of the forced wort circulation 10 leading into the
base 2b of the tank body 2 is connected via a connector piece 24 with one or more ducts or
pipes 5a of the heat exchanger 5 in such a way that two heat exchanger areas 5.1 and 5.2
essentially separated from each other are formed in the heat exchanger 5. The heat exchanger
area 5.1 is connected as normal with the wort stock 3 in the tank body 2, whilst the heat
exchanger area 5.2 is supplied by the forced wort circulation 10. At the upper outlet of the heat
exchanger 5, a further connector piece 25 is provided which passes from the heat exchanger
area 5.2 into the pipe subsection 11b. Here, the connector piece 25 can be formed at the same
time as the lower pipe piece of the infeed device 18 (see Fig. 2).
The two wort cycles 9 and 16 are also formed with this embodiment according to Fig. 3.
As a modification of the described and drawn embodiment, the invention can be used with wort
kettles of any structural design, working unpressurised or under pressure and with any known
construction of an internal boiler but also, for example, with heated forward flow containers or
similar.

WE CLAIM :
1. Apparatus for beer preparation, in particular wort kettle (1) having a tank body (2) for
receiving a wort stock (3), an internal boiler (4) which is disposed in the tank body and is
provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guide screen (8), and a forced wort circulation (10)
which is connected to a pump (12) and passes through the boiler (4) characterised in that the
forced wort circulation (10) comprises a thin film distribution device (17) for the wort, which
distribution device has a piping section (11b) which is connected to the pump (12) which piping
section opens out into the tank body (2) above the guide screen (8), via an orifice (13) of
reduced cross-sectional area, and which has, above the orifice (13), a flow-guiding baffle
surface (15), which is impinged by flow from below and is for deflecting the liquid in the
direction towards the wort stock (3).
2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the thin-film distribution device (17) is
connected with the pump (12) via the piping section (11a) extending through the heat
exchanger (5).
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger (5) comprises a first
heat exchanger region (5.1) for a heat flow (9) within the tank body (2) and a second heat
exchange region (5.2) assigned to the forced wort circulation (10), and the thin-film distribution
(17) is connected to the pump (12) via the second heat exchange region (5.2).
4. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein a feed device (18) for feeding
additional wort into the piping section (11b) is provided below the orifice (13) and above the
heat exchanger (5).
5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the feed device (18) comprises at least one
intake opening (20) in the piping section (11 b) for the self-acting intake of the additional wort
by the flow in the piping section (11 b).
6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a reduced cross-sectional area region (19) of
the piping section (11b) is assigned to the intake opening (20).
7. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the baffle surface (15) is
provided in the orifice (13) and from there first climbs in a gently curved manner in an axial
direction and then proceeds increasingly outwards in a radial direction.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the orifice (13) is constructed in
the manner of an annulus.
9. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the reduced outlet cross-
sectional area is formed by the baffle surface (15) dipping into the orifice (13).
10. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the size of the outlet cross-
sectional area is adjustable.
11. Process for beer preparation, in particular wort boiling, characterized by the
development of a first and a second wort circulation (9, 16), the first wort circulation (9) being
a thermal flow circulation, and the second wort circulation (16) proceeding via a forced wort
circulation (10) having a pump (12) and a thin film distribution device (17).

The instant invention discloses an apparatus for beer preparation, in particular wort
kettle (1) having a tank body (2) for receiving a wort stock (3), an internal boiler (4) which is
disposed in the tank body and is provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guide screen (8),
and a forced wort circulation (10) which is connected to a pump (12) and passes through the
boiler (4) characterised in that the forced wort circulation (10) comprises a thin film distribution
device (17) for the wort, which distribution device has a piping section (11b) which is connected
to the pump (12) which piping section opens out into the tank body (2) above the guide screen
(8), via an orifice (13) of reduced cross-sectional area, and which has, above the orifice (13), a
flow-guiding baffle surface (15), which is impinged by flow from below and is for deflecting the
liquid in the direction towards the wort stock (3).
The instant invention also discloses a process for beer preparation, in particular wort
boiling, characterized by the development of a first and a second wort circulation (9, 16), the
first wort circulation (9) being a thermal flow circulation, and the second wort circulation (16)
proceeding via a forced wort circulation (10) having a pump (12) and a thin film distribution
device (17).

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Patent Number

226154

Indian Patent Application Number

2021/KOLNP/2005

PG Journal Number

50/2008

Publication Date

12-Dec-2008

Grant Date

08-Dec-2008

Date of Filing

14-Oct-2005

Name of Patentee

KRONES AG

Applicant Address

BOHMERWALDSTR. 5, 93073 NEUTRAUBLING

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	WASMUHT, KLAUS-KARL	MATHIAS-BINDER-STRASSE 15, 91792 ELLINGEN
2	STIPPLER, KURT	LAUBERG 1, 85417 MARZLING

PCT International Classification Number

C12C 13/02

PCT International Application Number

PCT/EP2004/002286

PCT International Filing date

2004-03-05

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	03008100.4	2003-04-15	EUROPEAN UNION