FERMENTERS

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MODERN VINEGAR FERMENTERS
For more than a century the name of HEINRICH FRINGS GmbH & Co. KG has been synonymous with directive developments and innovative process technology in the field of vinegar production. During this long period of time, FRINGS has decisively contributed to the achievement that the thousands of years old condiment and preserving agent vinegar is now produced with a degree of efficiency and productivity so far unknown.

This high technological level has been attained by the process of submerged fermentation in the ACETATOR® developed by FRINGS. Compared with the previously used shavings generator, special carrier material may be omitted altogether. The acetic acid bacteria (acetobacter) which are responsible for the conversion of alcohol into acetic acid are kept in a floating state inside the alcoholic mash by the effect of a specially designed aeration turbine also developed by FRINGS.

All over the world, in about 40 countries, nearly 900 of these ACETATORS are operating at present. Altogether, FRINGS can look back on the installation of over 2000 vinegar plants. This tradition and the international, unique know-how make FRINGS your most important partner in the vinegar business.

THE FRINGS PROCESSES
Modern vinegar plants work with FRINGS technology, which ensures top quality products with a minimum of work and energy involved. The focus of this technology is the ACETATOR®. In all process variations it is filled with the prepared mash and the programmed quantity of nutrients. During fermentation a cooling circuit takes care of the maintenance of an ideal temperature, foam which eventually develops in the course of fermentation is mechanically destroyed by a defoamer, the exhaust air is purified and useful substances are recycled to the ACETATOR® through a condenser and a scrubber.

In the continuous process, ACETOCONTROL® guarantees constant alcohol and acid concentrations in the ACETATOR® by a permanent addition of mash and simultaneous withdrawal of vinegar.

In the batch processes, the alcohol probe ALKOSENS® indicates the programmed end of a fermentation phase, and ACETOCONTROL® initiates the discharge of the finished vinegar. In addition, in high-strength processes the substrate is permanently concentrated with alcohol by means of ALKOSENS® control measurements. In the dual stage process, the discharged vinegar is processed further in a second ACETATOR® until fermentation stops and the maximum acidity has been reached.

In the final production phase the vinegar thus produced undergoes filtration in the FRINGS cross-flow filter and is collected in the storage tank.