Fermentation temperature management

Abstract

A portable assembly for cooling the contents of a fermentation vessel is provided. In one embodiment, the assembly comprises an insulated, cylindrical enclosure having a fixed bottom and a removable lid. A flexible heat exchanger is cylindrically disposed within the enclosure and encircles the fermentation vessel. In one embodiment, the flexible heat exchanger is connected to a vessel containing thermally conductive fluid by flexible tubes that extend outside the enclosure. In one embodiment, a heating element is used to heat the fermentation vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable thermal management system to provide temperature management for a liquid within a container vessel, the portable thermal management system comprising:
 a flexible heat exchanger manufactured from a flexible polymer material, the flexible heat exchanger to removably couple with an external surface of the container vessel, wherein to removably couple with the external surface of the container vessel, the flexible heat exchanger is to wrap the external surface of the container vessel, the flexible heat exchanger including an inlet, an outlet, a thermally conductive layer, a thermally insulative layer, and a fastener section, wherein the thermally conductive layer includes a fluid channel for a thermally conductive fluid, the thermally insulative layer is to insulate the container vessel, and the fastener section is to enable the flexible heat exchanger to be removably secured with the external surface of the container vessel, wherein fastener section includes, at least in part, a hook and loop fastener; 
 a fluid pump having a fluid port coupled with the inlet or the outlet of the flexible heat exchanger, the fluid pump to cause a thermally conductive fluid to flow through the fluid channel of the thermally conductive layer; and 
 a fluid reservoir coupled with the fluid pump, the fluid reservoir to contain the thermally conductive fluid, wherein the thermally conductive fluid contained in the fluid reservoir is maintained below an ambient air temperature outside of the container vessel. 
 
     
     
       2. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive fluid is to cool the container vessel below the ambient air temperature outside of the container vessel. 
     
     
       3. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 2 , additionally comprising a temperature controller in electrical communication with a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor coupled with the container vessel to sense a temperature of a liquid within the container vessel, wherein a drive motor of the fluid pump is to couple with the temperature controller. 
     
     
       4. The portable thermal management system of  claim 3 , wherein the temperature controller is configured to energize a circuit to power the fluid pump, the fluid pump to cause the thermally conductive fluid to flow from the fluid reservoir into the flexible heat exchanger. 
     
     
       5. The portable thermal management system of  claim 3 , wherein the temperature controller includes a programmable two-stage temperature controller. 
     
     
       6. The portable thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the container vessel is a fermentation vessel suitable for beer and wine fermentation. 
     
     
       7. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 1 , additionally including multiple separate flexible heat exchangers to removably couple to the external surface of the container vessel. 
     
     
       8. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 7 , wherein the multiple separate flexible heat exchangers are to couple to the fluid reservoir via one or more thermal fluid feed manifolds, thermal fluid return manifolds, or thermal fluid feed and return manifolds. 
     
     
       9. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 7 , wherein the external surface of the container vessel is a vertically oriented surface. 
     
     
       10. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 7 , wherein the multiple separate flexible heat exchangers are to removably interconnect via the fastener sections of each of the multiple separate flexible heat exchangers. 
     
     
       11. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 10 , wherein the fastener section of each of the multiple separate flexible heat exchangers includes a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
       12. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 1 , wherein the inlet or outlet of the flexible heat exchanger includes flexible conduit. 
     
     
       13. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 12 , wherein the flexible conduit includes a quick disconnect coupler to enable rapid attachment or detachment of the flexible conduit from a fluid feed or fluid return. 
     
     
       14. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 1 , wherein the fluid pump is a submersible pump and the fluid reservoir includes the fluid pump. 
     
     
       15. A portable thermal management system to provide temperature management for a liquid within a portable container vessel, the portable thermal management system comprising:
 a flexible heat exchanger manufactured from a flexible polymer material, the flexible heat exchanger to removably couple with an external surface of the portable container vessel, wherein to removably couple with the external surface of the portable container vessel, the flexible heat exchanger is to wrap the external surface of the portable container vessel, the flexible heat exchanger including an inlet, an outlet, a thermally conductive layer, a thermally insulative layer, and a fastener section, wherein the thermally conductive layer includes a fluid channel for a thermally conductive fluid, the thermally insulative layer is to insulate the portable container vessel, and the fastener section is to enable the flexible heat exchanger to be removably secured with the external surface of the portable container vessel, wherein fastener section includes, at least in part, a hook and loop fastener; 
 a fluid pump having a fluid port coupled with the inlet or the outlet of the flexible heat exchanger, the fluid pump to cause a thermally conductive fluid to flow through the fluid channel of the thermally conductive layer; and 
 a fluid reservoir coupled with the fluid pump, the fluid reservoir to contain the thermally conductive fluid wherein the thermally conductive fluid contained in the fluid reservoir is maintained below an ambient air temperature outside of the portable container vessel. 
 
     
     
       16. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 15 , wherein the thermally conductive fluid is to cool the portable container vessel below the ambient air temperature outside of the portable container vessel. 
     
     
       17. The portable thermal management system as in  claim 16 , additionally comprising a temperature controller in electrical communication with a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor coupled with the portable container vessel to sense a temperature of a liquid within the portable container vessel, wherein a drive motor of the fluid pump is to couple with the temperature controller. 
     
     
       18. The portable thermal management system of  claim 17 , wherein the temperature controller includes a programmable two-stage temperature controller configured to energize a circuit to power the fluid pump, the fluid pump to cause the thermally conductive fluid to flow from the fluid reservoir into the flexible heat exchanger.