Brewing Tanks & Fermenters Guide: Conical Designs, CIP Systems, Cuvée Definition

Table of Contents

• Brewing Terminology Decoded
• Fermentation Tank Technologies
• Mash Tun Design Innovations
• Brite Tanks & Carbonation Systems
• Pressure Vessel Certifications
• CIP Cleaning Systems
• Specialty Applications
• Chenma’s Custom Solutions

Brewing Terminology Decoded

What is Cuvée/Cuve?

Cuvée (French: cuve meaning “vat” or “tank”) refers to:

• A specially blended wine or champagne
• The contents of a single fermentation vessel
• In brewing, denotes premium batches from specific tanks

Chenma’s variable capacity tanks enable precise cuvée management through
adjustable headspace.

Understanding Delestage

Delestage (rack-and-return): A red wine technique involving:

1. Draining juice from fermentation tank
2. Separating from grape solids
3. Returning liquid to restart fermentation

This oxygenates must while extracting color. Requires tanks with
bottom-draining capabilities like Chenma’s conical fermenters.

Defining Beer Fundamentals

Beer: An alcoholic beverage created through:

• Mashing grains (typically barley)
• Boiling with hops
• Fermenting with yeast

Quality depends on proper temperature-controlled fermentation tanks.

Fermentation Tank Technologies

Conical Fermenters: The Industry Standard

Conical stainless steel fermenters feature:

Feature	Benefit
60° sloped bottom	Yeast/trub collection
Jacketed walls	Precise temperature control
Closed design	Oxygen exclusion

Chenma’s conical
fermenters for sale include 304/316L stainless options with 0.4µm Ra polish.

Fermenter Type Comparison

Major fermenter types:

• Open-top: Traditional, risk of contamination
• Closed tanks: Anaerobic fermentation, pressure-rated
• Conical: Yeast harvesting, CIP efficiency

For black birch wine production, Chenma recommends closed stainless steel tanks to preserve delicate botanical flavors.

Mash Tun Design Innovations

Bottom-Drain Mash Tuns

Bottom-drain mash tuns improve lautering through:

• False bottom filtration (1-2mm slots)
• Central drainage port
• 60° cone angle for complete grain evacuation

Prevents stuck mashes – critical for high-adjunct beers. Chenma’s custom designs feature raking arms
and steam jackets.

Mash Temperature Management

Optimal enzymatic activity requires:

• Protein rest: 45-55°C (113-131°F)
• Saccharification: 62-67°C (144-153°F)

Chenma integrates glycol
jacketing with ±0.5°C accuracy in all mashing vessels.

Brite Tanks & Carbonation Systems

Brite Beer Tank Functions

Brite tanks (bright beer tanks) serve dual purposes:

1. Conditioning: Yeast sedimentation (3-7 days)
2. Carbonation: CO₂ infusion at 10-15 PSI

Chenma’s stainless steel brite tanks
include carbonation stones and sample valves.

Carbonation Tank Mechanics

Carbonation tanks require:

• Pressure rating: 2x operating PSI
• In-line carbonation stones (0.5-2µm porosity)
• Temperature control (0-4°C)

Cap tanks (capture tanks) collect excess CO₂ during fermentation for reuse. Chenma’s integrated systems reduce gas waste by
40%.

Pressure Vessel Certifications

Understanding BPVC and ASME

BPVC (Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code): The ASME standard governing:

• Design calculations
• Material thickness
• Welding procedures
• Pressure testing protocols

Chenma’s ASME-certified
pressure vessels include U-stamp documentation for global compliance.

Certification Requirements

Vessels over 15 PSI typically require:

Region	Standard
USA/Canada	ASME BPVC Section VIII
Europe	PED 2014/68/EU
Australia	AS/NZS 1200

All Chenma pressure-rated tanks include
1.5x hydrostatic test certification.

CIP Cleaning Systems

CIP Tank Fundamentals

CIP (Clean-in-Place) systems comprise:

• CIP tank: Solution reservoir (NaOH, HNO₃)
• Cart: Mobile pump unit (3-7 HP)
• Spray balls: 360° coverage (GPM matched to tank)

Chenma’s CIP tanks feature conical
bottoms for complete drainage.

4-Stage Cleaning Protocol

Effective CIP tank cleaning sequence:

1. Pre-rinse: 5-10 minutes (40-50°C)
2. Caustic wash: 30-45 minutes (1-2% NaOH at 70-80°C)
3. Acid rinse: 20 minutes (0.8% HNO₃ at 50-60°C)
4. Final rinse: 10 minutes (sanitized water)

Chenma’s automated CIP carts
reduce cleaning time by 35%.

Specialty Applications

Black Birch Wine Production

Crafting black birch wine requires:

• Steam-jacketed kettles for sap concentration
• Closed fermenters to preserve volatile terpenes
• Stainless steel storage (prevents wood tannins)

Chenma’s specialty wine tanks include
dimpled cooling jackets for slow fermentation.

Cap Tank Management

Cap tanks handle CO₂ during fermentation:

• Pressure release valves (PRV)
• Gas capture systems
• Oxygen scrubbing

Integrated into Chenma’s closed
fermentation systems for red wine production.

Chenma’s Custom Brewing Solutions

Shandong Chenma Machinery delivers:

• Custom stainless steel tanks: 50L-50,000L capacities
• Turnkey brewhouses with ASME certification
• Automated CIP systems with recipe programming