Poor air quality and hazardous gases produced within the winemaking process can spoil wine and cause respiratory concerns in workers. To effectively and safely manage these various hazardous gases, protect workers and maintain product quality, adequate ventilation is required.
Are you doing enough to protect your workers and the quality of your wine?
Read on as we discuss the value of Vat Purging Fans for safe and high-quality winemaking processes.
Gas hazards in wineries
When producing wine, several gas hazards can occur, including:
- Sulphur dioxide – sulphur dioxide is used as a preservative in winemaking but can cause breathing difficulties and respiratory irritation in workers, resulting in asthma attacks in extreme cases.
- Ethanol – used as a fermentation agent in the winemaking process, ethanol can cause dizziness, headaches, and impaired coordination.
- Hydrogen sulphide – a byproduct of fermentation, hydrogen sulphide can cause headaches, nausea, respiratory issues, and even death in extreme cases.
- Carbon dioxide – a byproduct of the fermentation process, which can reduce air quality and create oxygen imbalance.
- Argon – a gas used to prevent oxidation during the wine-making process that can cause suffocation.
Factors that can lead to the emission of harmful gases in a wine manufacturing facility include:
- Open fermentation tanks – sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide can be emitted directly into the air from open fermentation tanks. If the gas produced when making wine is not properly monitored and controlled, it can exceed safe levels.
- Inadequate ventilation – without proper ventilation, the inert gases produced within the winemaking process can reach unsafe levels, leading to an increased risk of respiratory ailments for workers.
- Confined spaces – if the fermentation process occurs in storage vessels and fermentation tanks, gases can become trapped inside. If a worker were to enter this space, the concentration of hazardous gases could be fatal.
How to manage gas hazards in wineries
The best way to manage argon gas for winemaking is to ensure proper ventilation, allowing toxic gases to be exhausted from the environment and allowing a substantial supply of fresh air. To do this, you can use a Vat Purging Fan.
What is a Vat Purging Fan?
A Vat Purging Fan helps to mitigate harmful gases by increasing the pressure in a wine tank. This helps to remove gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen. By providing air circulation, the fan removes gases that can harm the wine’s quality, flavour, and stability.
Here are some of the features of Fanquip’s Vat Purging Fan:
- Compact and portable – the Vat Purging Fan is lightweight and easily maneuverable, allowing easy installation and movement between tanks.
- Speed controls – you can regulate the airflow generated within the tank using the fan’s adjustable speed controls.
- Filters – to ensure all air entering the tank is clean and to avoid contaminants, the fan has a series of filters for incoming air.
- Timers – you can automate the function of your Vat Purging Fan by using timers for prior planning.
By adopting a Vat Purging Fan for your winery, you can ensure the quality of the wine is stable. Purging Fans remove unwanted gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide that lead to off flavours in your wine, oxidation or spoilage. The fan can ensure consistent and high-quality wines in your winery.
Industry regulations and requirements
The regulations and requirements for winery ventilation can vary significantly depending on factors such as building codes and regions. To understand your ventilation requirements, you should look at the following factors:
- Air exchange rate – wineries require a specific air exchange rate, which is the number of times the air supply is replenished in one hour. Your air exchange rate should sit between 6 and 10. However, this figure varies depending on the size of your facility.
- Vapour and dust extraction – the amount of dust and vapours produced in your winery will vary depending on the number of tanks. So, you must consider the level of steam and dust produced by your operations when planning your ventilation strategy.
Understanding your ventilation requirements can be challenging, so it can be beneficial to consult a ventilation expert. At Fanquip, we have a team of highly-knowledgeable ventilation experts that can help you to meet food processing industry compliance and improve safety within your facility.
Choose Fanquip for Vat Purging Fans
Vat Purging Fans play an important role in managing the amount of harmful gases in the air, promoting a safer working environment. They can also help to regulate the presence of gases in your fermentation tanks to ensure your wine stays stable and quality-assured.
At Fanquip, we provide Vat Purging Fans and ventilation equipment across all industry sectors. Call us today to discuss your winery ventilation requirements, and learn how you can eliminate harmful gases.
