Revolutionizing brewing: Endress+Hauser unveils QWX43 fermentation monitor for real-time insights

Endress+Hauser’s QWX43 multi-sensor monitor for brewers has two characteristic sensor paddles, as well as a temperature probe, and is mounted directly on the fermentation tank and immersed in the beer.

The newest innovation from Endress+Hauser Canada Ltd. is the QWX43 fermentation monitor, a multi-sensor device designed to simplify brewery operations. This instrument conducts simple, seamless monitoring of fermentation processes with no sampling or laboratory analyses required: it takes measurements continuously, giving users real-time insights into the fermentation processes from anywhere, anytime.

To retrieve information on the fermentation process with just one click on a mobile phone, brewers can use Endress+Hauser’s own Netilion Value App with the QWX43 monitor.

Data directly transferred to PLC

During the fermentation process, brewers have to keep a close eye on numerous parameters. For example, reference measurements must be taken at every fermentation tank at least once a day, using samples that are analyzed in the laboratory, to determine the residual extract. These measurements can take as long as 20 minutes per tank, including the sample preparation, and they yield only intermittent results. The Endress+Hauser QWX43 fermentation monitor fills these information gaps by measuring these fermentation parameters in real time. The instrument directly transfers the data to the PLC, to be used in process control.

The user can easily connect the QWX43 to existing process fittings, and no recipe-based adjustments are necessary for the measurement of most beers. Calibrating of the sensor at the measuring point is not required either. The device connects quickly to wireless access points or Wi-Fi networks through an integrated web server and is instantly ready to use. The QWX43 also decreases the documentation and filing efforts while replacing manual batch tracking; it identifies when a new batch begins and can automatically save the data in the system.

The Netilion Value App allows the user to save the batch data in a history file. The possibility to define a reference batch enables more complex analyses, such as carrying out comparisons to previous fermentation processes or models, which allows brewers to optimize their processes further on a data-driven basis. Due to the fully hygienic sensor design, cleaning is also easy: the QWX43 monitor can remain in the tank, and users do not have to remove it for cleaning.

For more information, contact Endress+Hauser.

• Tweet