"Kristalstop" Continuous tartaric stabilization plant "kristalstop" The potassium bitartrate contained in wines and in grape juices is an important unstability factor, because, normally in solution at ambient temperature, it crystallizes as the temperature lowers. Wines and juices are stabilized before bottling by means of refrigeration, forming of crystals and separation by filtration. Cooling down rapidly the wine until spontaneous crystallization area, many microcrystals form which very slowly grow. The growing speed depends on the probability that the bitartrate molecule in solution has to meet the crystal, and therefore on the concentration of crystals and on the diffusion speed of bitartrate molecule. In the traditional system, wine is brought to a temperature next to freezing point and held in refrigerated tanks. The crystals at the beginning are very small and are dispersed into the wine mass. A long time, averagely from 4 to 6 days, is required before the crystals reach a sufficient size for separation by filtration. Using the rapid KRISTALSTOP system short processing times are requested, approximately 90 minutes. The cooled wine flows in an agitated area, where crystals of different size and at high concentration are in suspension. The crystals grow in size and in weight until they decant while new crystals form maintaining the equilibrium in crystal concentration and sizing. Most of the bitartrate continuously deposits inside the crystallizer. Features: Models are available having capacities of 1600 and 10.000 l/h of wine to stabilize at -3/-5°C. The core of the plant is the reactor completely in stainless steel, thermically insulated, internally containing; - rotating feeding device; - overflow device for product discharge. External elements to reactor. - Energy recovery Section. The entering wine is pre-cooled in a plate heat-exchanger. The wine processed to be sent to bottling is heated to a temperature at which no condensation occurs on bottle. - Refrigerating Section. Composed by a condensing unit operating with R22 with air • Automatic control on by-pass of the exchanger. • Automatic control of scraper's outlet temperature. • Minimum output control in case of missing product. • Automatic control for overflow level. • Filter pressure control. Automation of all sequences (loading, discharge and plant washing). Condenser (no water consumption), plus scraped evaporator. - Crystal dosing tank. - Crystal separation section. - Filtration Section. Normally composed by a Diatomaceous Earth filter. - Control Section: • Automatic recycle control of non-stabilized product.