The benefits of automating pumpovers are obvious in regard to labour savings and wine quality. There are however challenges with pumps running dry, isolators turned off and restricted flow. These damage equipment and cause essential pumpovers to be missed. The common answer to these challenges is to install a conductivity switch or flow sensor which add to the cost and complexity.

VinWizard has been interfacing to vfd drives supplied by others for many years. This allows winemakers to create and run pumpover schedules from wherever they may be. Without feedback from the pump there is however a risk the pumpover is not actually happening as expected.

Working with a world leading VFD manufacturer VinWizard now offers the control software and VFD panel as an integrated solution to overcome the above issues. By polling the motor of the pump we can tell if it is free-wheeling in which case an alarm is raised and we stop the pump. If the pump does not start you are notified immediately.

VFD panels come complete with an isolator on the front and a touch-pad screen where you can set the speed and perform manual pumpovers. 2-way coms between software and VFD panel                                            2-way coms between VFD panel and motor

Commissioning and support is simplified with a single company responsible for all except pump selection.

OTHER PUMPOVER FUNCTIONS

• Pumpover when cooling: An option for a pumpover to automatically run if the cooling valve opens. With a single temperature sensor located higher in a tank the temperature is likely to be warmer than wine at the bottom. Continued use of expensive refrigeration resources can result in an overly chilled bottom section of the tank as chilled wine in proximity to the jacket continues to fall. By automating a pumpover when the temperature exceeds setpoint we use the cold wine you have already paid for to create a more homogenous ferment which no longer requires cooling.  
• Pumpover by stratification: For wineries with the Multi-Level-Probe a pumpover can be automated when the temperature difference between the highest and lowest temperature reading exceeds a predetermined level.
• Pumpover by volume: For wineries wanting to pumpover by a known volume VinWizard can use readings from a flow meter.
• Air injection control: Control the operation of venturi valves or sparge stones during pumpovers.