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Diaphragm Pumps: A Gentler Way to Transfer Wine
06/01/2006 - For Graco Inc. it’s all about the grapes. And, like most wineries, Graco believes that grape processing should to be as gentle as possible. Grapes are the cornerstone of the winery business, making it critical to use the gentlest and most reliable pump available.
Diaphragm pumps have real potential in this market. “I wouldn’t say that diaphragm pumps are the perfect pump, nor are all diaphragm pumps created equal. However, diaphragm pumps are very useful in the wine industry because they have a number of positive attributes. They are easy to clean and maintain, they can run dry without damage and they operate using compressed air so there is no danger of electrocution. Most importantly they are gentle on the juice or wine,” says Brian Welborn, marketing manager for Graco’s sanitary process market.
For over 25 years, Graco has been manufacturing pumps for the sanitary food industry. Their stainless steel piston pumps have been the workhorses of the wine-producing industry for many of these years. The last decade has changed this somewhat, with the introduction of progressive cavity, lobe pumps, peristaltic, and centrifugal pumping technologies. While newer versions of piston pumps are still a viable option for must and wine treatment, air operated diaphragm pumps have more recently found a place in many of the world’s wineries.
Diaphragm pumps are generally well suited for barrel work, filtration, pumping over, and bottling. According to Welborn, diaphragm pumps are ideal for moving juice—Graco’s line of FDA-compliant pumps can move up to 9,000 gallons per hour. “Diaphragm pumps can also be placed on hand-carts, making them even more portable, saving the wineries time based on the many different needs and applications within a single winery.”
Because diaphragm pumps are air-operated, they require an additional investment of a suitable air-compressor. “However, with no mechanical seals to replace like other pumping technologies and with added portability and the ability to pump solids, diaphragm pumps should earn back their investment by the end of the first crush,” says Welborn.
“There are few unique aspects to the Graco pumps that sets them apart from the rest of the diaphragm pump manufacturers.” Graco’s FDA-compliant pumps are available in two types. Both have stainless steel fluid sections, but Graco also offers aluminum or stainless steel options for the air or center section to give their customers a price point that meets their needs and the needs of the application.
The second unique feature of the Graco diaphragm pumps is the air valve itself. “The Graco air valve features a patented slide-valve technology that truly is simple and easy to maintain. The repair kit only features nine parts and takes around 10 minutes to service. Other diaphragm pump manufacturers use what is called a spool valve design that features far more replacement parts, making it a more time consuming and expensive repair,” says Welborn.
“The air valve is the heart of the pump, if it’s sticking or icing up, then it’s not moving the wine or juice. That’s why reliability is one of the key buying criteria that our customers focus upon. The simple design of the Graco air valve doesn’t require the entire pump to be disassembled in order to service the air valve, nor does it require lubrication. It is a very clean design that is perfect for wine and juice applications.”
With wine consumption growing globally, it’s easy to get to the point where pumps have to work too hard to meet the winery’s production requirements. To resolve this issue, wineries have learned to oversize their pumps. If pumps are oversized for the application, they have to work much less, consuming less air which makes them more efficient, and they will be better suited to keep up with any changes in production needs or a growing demand.”
Whether driven by quality, quantity or efficiency, wineries are always looking for better ways to get the job done. And like so many other elements of this business, pumps continue to evolve based on both technology and demand–making it possible for diaphragm pumps to potentially be the new universal pumps at wineries.
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