A process to stabilize wine prior to bottling and cut energy use by about 80% compared with traditional cold stabilization, which involves keeping wine in bulk cold storage for long periods of time.
The wine industry traditionally uses refrigerated bulk storage tanks for wine stabilization. After tartrate crystallization, precipitation, and settling, the clarified wine is decanted from the tank, filtered and bottled. Without this processing step, tartrate crystals develop and appear as hard white crystals in the wine.
Electrodialysis (ED) is an energy-efficient alternative to cold stabilization. With ED, the wine passes through an electrical field. Charged ions are then removed as the wine passes through anionic and cationic membranes. Wine is circulated from bulk storage tanks through the ED unit until desired conductivity levels are reached. ED systems use much less electrical energy than that required to keep large volumes of wine cold in insulated or uninsulated tanks for extended periods of time.
ED systems were developed in France and received FDA certification in 2004. As of 2008, 70 units were installed worldwide to process 128 million gallons of wine annually. Pilot programs at California wineries determined the benefits of ED as a substitute for cold stabilization. About 25% of the electrical energy use at wineries is spent for cold stabilization refrigeration requirements as wine is chilled and held at temperatures of 27°F for several weeks.
Energy intensity for cold stabilization in uninsulated tanks ranges between 1200 and 755 kWh/gallon, decreasing to 45 to 22 kWh/gallon in insulated tanks. ED results in an energy intensity of 7 to 8 kWh/gallon, reducing energy use by 66% to 99% with comparable electrical demand savings. ED also offers the benefits of reduced processing time and wine loss.
Status:
Baseline Description: Direct Exchange Tank Chilling Baseline Energy Use: 1200 kWh per year per gallon
The baseline is one gallon of wine stabilized using the conventional refrigerated bulk storage (http://www.etcc-ca.com/sites/default/files/OLD/images/stories/pdf/ETCC_Report_444.pdf, page 1).
"Typical" Savings: 75% Energy Savings Reliability: 3 - Limited Assessment
Energy Use of an Emerging Technology is based upon the following algorithm. Baseline Energy Use - (Baseline Energy Use * Best Estimate of Energy Savings (either Typical savings OR the high range of savings.))
Simple payback, new construction (years): N/A
Simple payback, retrofit (years): N/A
Cost Effectiveness is calculated using baseline energy use, best estimate of typical energy savings, and first cost. It does not account for factors such as impacts on O&M costs (which could be significant if product life is greatly extended) or savings of non-electric fuels such as natural gas. Actual overall cost effectiveness could be significantly different based on these other factors.
PIER, 2005. Electrodialysis System for Tartrate Stabilization of Wine Emerging Technologies Coordinating Council
Ricardo Sfeir, 10/01/2007. Wine Stabilization Through Electrodialysis Pacific Gas and Electric
Wine Secrets, 2013. Electrodialysis use in wine Winesecrets.com
Ameridia, 2013. Tartaric Stabilization of Wine Ameridia.com
Ameridia, 2013. Tartrate Stabilization of Wine by Electrodialysis Ameridia.com
Patsy Dugger, 12/01/2008. Emerging Green Trends for Wineries---Energy Management The Green Wine Summit