Page 14 - Grapevine MayJune 2021_REV

In The Winery

Battersby offered a few “dos” and don’ts” about and preferences, such as non-marking wheels,
using different types of pumps in a winery: remote control for off-site operation, pressure and
flow sensors, automatic valves, flow meters and
• Lenticular filters and air pumps are not good different types of connectors. Even with the highest
together. quality pumps on the market, you might need to
repair them after heavy use. Therefore, it’s a good
• Small hoses use a small pump. If you don’t have idea to work with companies with readily available
one, slow the big pump way down. replacement parts just in case the original parts
wear down over time.
• Every bend and valve and rise in elevation will
cause line loss. Don’t make your pump work Battersby said that the criteria for choosing a
hard by pumping too far or through too many pump are what you are pumping, what size hoses
obstacles. you are using, how far you are pumping, the type
of pump you like and how much you’re able to
• Pumps are the core of a winery and winemak- spend. In small wineries, pumps must be able to
ing. Gravity works to a degree, but to be effi- do many tasks, but it’s advisable to always have at
cient, you have to use a pump. least two pumps so there’s a backup.

• Rarely does a pump affect a wine. Poor pump “Some small wineries that pump must have two
operation or maintenance will definitely contrib- identical pumps in case one fails, Battersby said.
ute to poor performance and affect your wine. “Not a bad idea if you are handling machine-har-
vested fruit, which will have metal from the vine-
• Barreling down, an air pump is usually best. yard in it. In larger wineries, you want a pump that
You can shut off against it. It doesn’t have to be satisfies the attributes for just one task, such as
super large as you fill 60-gallon vessels, so run- must pumping, transfers or bottling.”
ning 20 gallons per minute is a fine speed.
Battersby also said that all pumps are not equal
• When transferring huge volumes of wine, use a and that while quality pumps cost more money,
centrifugal pump and large lines. Put the horse- they are more likely to run for decades with basic
power to use and get the job done. and ongoing maintenance. So, while cheap pumps
are more affordable to buy, they usually do not
• For must pumping, use a positive displacement have the same levels of service, parts or perfor-
pump, progressive cavity pump or peristaltic mance, which will end up costing you more than
pump. These pumps will handle the solids of the high-quality pump in the long run.
must with little-to-no damage (exemption for
whole berries with progressive cavity pumps) “In cellar operations, you want robust, reliable,
and be able to move the must long distances dependable pumps with a service crew that can
on overhead lines. The Waukesha positive dis- supply advice, technical support, spare parts and
placement pumps can also be used for wine training,” Battersby said. “This is what we specialize
movements for the rest of the year. Commonly, in at Carlsen and Associates.”
peristaltic and progressive cavity pumps are put
away after harvest.

Choosing the Right Pumps for Your Winery

For safety and sanitation, winery pumps should
be made using food-grade stainless steel with food-
safe seals and lubricants. You can also find pumps
with special options to suit the winemaker’s needs

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