As one of the suppliers of high-quality malt products, Viking Malt has studied the advantages of continuous humidity monitoring during malt processing at its factory in Halmstad, Sweden.Vaisala Indigo520The transmitter has been integrated with the control system of the factory, and after 3 months of trial operation, the technical manager Tony? Blom said, "Due to real-time access to humidity data, the malt processing process has been more strictly controlled, resulting in improved quality, energy savings, and increased profitability

background

Malt is a key ingredient in the production of beer, whiskey, and many baked goods. Viking Malt is headquartered in Finland and operates six malt factories in Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Lithuania, as well as two malt factories in Poland, with a total annual malt production of over 600000 tons.

Most of the grains used to make malt are barley, but wheat and rye, as well as rice and corn, can also be used. The malt factory located in Northern Europe gives Viking Malt many advantages. For example, the barley produced by its contracted farm has excellent quality and malt characteristics. In addition, the cold winter eliminates pests and diseases, and crops grow rapidly under the midnight sun, which means they have little demand for insecticides.

Malt processing process

Malt processing involves the initiation, management, and termination of germination. This is achieved by carefully and accurately controlling indoor humidity, temperature (sometimes controlling carbon dioxide).

The quality of beer may vary depending on individual taste, but the consistency of flavor and other characteristics depends on whether high-quality malt is used.TonySay, 'In...'Viking MaltWe strive for excellence to ensure the production of high-quality malt with consistent flavor. This is achieved through careful selection and management of raw materials, as well as monitoring and controlling production as carefully and accurately as possible. ”

According to the characteristics of the raw materials and the specifications of the malt produced, the malt processing process is divided into three main stages, which require a total of 7 to 10 days. These three stages are:

1.Soaking - After washing, the moisture content of grains increases in the soaking tank to stimulate germination. Soaking usually involves a combination of dry and wet periods of different durations.

2.Germination - Enzymes are produced during seed germination. For example, Dianfen enzyme converts starch in seeds into fermentable sugars, while protease breaks down proteins.

3.Baking - In the final part of the process, the "green malt" is dried and heated in the kiln to achieve the desired specifications.

At the beginning of malt processing, the temperature inside the kiln is60°Cto65°CThe humidity may reach100%And the final baking temperature may be80°Cto95°CBetween them, the target humidity is4%.

The Importance of Monitoring

As a producer of 65 different types of malt,Viking MaltClosely monitor its raw materials and production process to ensure consistency in characteristics such as moisture, color, flavor, protein, and enzyme content to meet specification requirements. Regularly extract samples from production and test them in on-site laboratories. Need toAbout 6 hoursOnly then can we obtain the resultsTonyExplaining, 'For certain parameters, this is acceptable, but in order to optimize process control, we need real-time data, so I conducted research to discover possible solutions and learned that my colleagues in Finland are testing them.'Vaisala Indigo520 transmitterAnd achieved success. ”

Continuous humidity data allows us to determine the exact moment when malt processing is completed. This not only ensures that we do not have insufficient or excessive drying, thereby helping to ensure product quality; but also helps us save money, as excessive drying not only wastes energy but also increases the cost of the final product

The 2019 Viking Malt CSR report states that "energy efficiency is the guiding principle for our factory's design, investment, production, logistics, and energy product and service planning,Indigo520 transmitterThe implementation of will help achieve this goal, as well as another goal aimed at "increasing the speed of innovation, especially in information and communication technology".

Indigo520 transmitterContinuous and reliable measurements also provide complete production records that will not be interrupted by calibration and maintenance activities.

monitoring technology

Indigo520 transmitterfromVaisala HMP7 humidity probeCollecting data, the probe adopts heating technology and is designed for high humidity applications. use in combinationTMP1 temperature probeThe system provides stable and reliable relative humidity measurement in the final kiln.

Indigo520Complete set with VaisalaIndigoCompatible with intelligent probes, it can measure humidity, temperature, dew point, carbon dioxide, vaporized hydrogen peroxide, and moisture in oil. It can accommodate two detachable measuring probes simultaneously to measure the same or different parameters. This transmitter has aIP66andNEMA 4A sturdy metal casing with protection level, and a touch screen display made of tempered glass. This local display screen enables on-site staff to quickly and conveniently access real-time data. By connecting the transmitter to the control system, Tony and his team can view readings as needed.

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