Optimisation of an electroporation device for mash

Electroporation is a new way for the mash treatment in the course of the vinification process. To investigate the characteristics of this method in 2003 a mobile electroporation device for mash treatment has been built. In 2007 some improvements on this device have been performed in order to solve problems with blocking of the mash and tripping of the residual current protective device (RCD). A re-design of the piping system for the mash including the electroporation reactor and the method of pressure regulation became necessary. As a reason for tripping of the RCD pulse currents in the ground system caused by a switching process could be identified. A delayed switching of a group of devices reduced the energy of this pulse current below the sensitivity threshold of the RCD. The experiments performed during the wine campaign 2007 showed the success of the modifications. The paper describes the implementation of the mentioned measures into the electroporation device.