Wine must temperature control apparatus

Abstract

Wine must in a standard primary fermentation tote may be heated or chilled by circulating fluid through a heat exchanger that is submersed in the must and supported by a frame. Quick connect couplings allow for rapid connection of the heat exchanger to a fluid source, and allow the unit to be quickly transferred from one tote to another. The temperature of the fluid may be controlled to quickly control the temperature of the must. An impeller shaft is contained within the coiled heat exchanger and is rotated by a motor. Rotation of the impellers causes continuous, gentle circulation of the must, increasing the rate of temperature change and disrupting the cap and preventing cap formation.

1 . Apparatus for modifying the temperature of wine must contained in a tote, comprising: 
 a support frame;    a heat exchanger defined by a continuous length of tubing formed into a coil, said coil defining a cylinder and said tubing having a first end defining a fluid inlet and a second end defining a fluid outlet, and said coil is defined by plural turns of said tubing wherein the tubing at any position in said coil is separated from said tubing in any adjacent position in said coil, and wherein said heat exchanger is connected to said frame such that said coil depends from said frame;    a motor mounted to said frame such that an output shaft of said motor is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis through said cylinder; and    a shaft mounted on said output shaft and having at least one impeller mounted thereon in the cylinder.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  including a fluid source connected to the fluid inlet.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the fluid source comprises a heated fluid.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the fluid source comprises a cooled fluid.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  including a U shaped bracket having first and second opposite downwardly extending arms, one end of the first arm connected to said support frame and one end of the second arm connected to said support frame, the opposite ends of said first and second arms interconnected with an interconnecting member, and wherein said U shaped bracket is connected to and supports said coil.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein an end of said shaft is journalled to said interconnecting member.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  including three impellers mounted on said shaft.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein at least two of said three impellers are of different sizes.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said motor rotates at a rotational speed of about 50 rpm.  
     
     
         10 . A wine must tote and wine must temperature controller combination, comprising: 
 a wine tote for holding a quantity of wine must;    a wine must temperature controller defined by a heat exchanger comprising a continuous length of tubing formed into a coil so that the coil defines a cylinder, said tubing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and said heat exchanger defined by plural spiraling rotations of said tubing wherein the tubing at any position in said coil is spaced apart from the tubing in any adjacent position in said coil,    a frame for supporting said heat exchanger such that the coil is at least partially immersed in the wine must;    a source of fluid connected to the inlet; and    a plumbing connection on said outlet defining a fluid outlet path from said outlet.    
     
     
         11 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 10  further including a motor mounted to the frame and having a shaft connected to an output drive of said motor such that said shaft extends axially in the cylinder, and wherein at least one impeller is mounted to said shaft in a position such that said impeller is at least partially immersed in the wine must.  
     
     
         12 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 10  including a U shaped bracket having first and second opposite downwardly extending arms, one end of the first arm connected to said support frame and one end of the second arm connected to said support frame, the opposite ends of said first and second arms interconnected with an interconnecting member, and wherein said U shaped bracket is connected to and supports said coil.  
     
     
         13 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 12  wherein an end of said shaft is journalled to said interconnecting member.  
     
     
         14 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 13  including three impellers mounted on said shaft.  
     
     
         15 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 14  wherein at least one of said three impellers is of a different size from the other two.  
     
     
         16 . A wine must tote and wine must temperature controller combination, comprising: 
 a wine tote for holding a quantity of wine must;    a wine must temperature controller defined by a heat exchanger coil comprising a length of tubing formed into a coiled cylinder, said tubing defining a inlet and an outlet, and said coiled cylinder having plural spiral rotations of said tubing where the tubing in said spiral is spaced apart such that there is an opening between the tubing in the spiral rotations thereof;    a frame for supporting said heat exchanger such that the coil is at least partially immersed in the wine must;    a motor mounted to the frame and having a shaft connected to an output drive of said motor such that said shaft extends into the cylinder, and wherein at least one impeller is mounted to said shaft;    a source of fluid connected to the inlet.    
     
     
         17 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 16  including heat exchanger coil support means for supporting and stabilizing said coil and for attaching said coil to said frame.  
     
     
         18 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 17  wherein said heat exchanger coil support means comprises a U shaped bracket having first and second opposite downwardly extending arms, one end of the first arm connected to said support frame and one end of the second arm connected to said support frame, the opposite ends of said first and second arms interconnected with an interconnecting member, and wherein said U shaped bracket is connected to and supports said coil.  
     
     
         19 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 18  in which said U shaped bracket prevents relative movement between said frame and said coil.  
     
     
         20 . The tote and temperature controller combination of  claim 16  including three impellers mounted on said shaft, two of said impellers being of a larger diameter than the third.