Press Athena 18 HL

Benefits of Central Inflating Membranes vs Traditional Bladder Presses

• Higher Quality Yields
• Higher Yields
• Less Heavy Tannins
• Faster Pressing Cycles
• Less Oxidation, Less Browning on Whites
• No Load Minimums

Functioning Principle

Having a Thinner Cake Leads to Several Advantages

New Technology Membrane Presses

• Higher Yields at Much Lower Pressures
• Higher Quality Yields
• Less Heavy Tannins
• Faster Pressing Cycles
• Less Oxidation, Less Browning on Whites
• Inert Gas Injection into the Drum
• No Load Minimums
• Bladder can reach the entire circumference of the Drum 
• Even Pressures throughout the Press
• 10 to 20 years Lifespan on the Bladder (5/16" Thick)
• Lower Energy Consumption
• Ability to Press Crushed Apples and Deshelled Pomegrantes

Old Technology Bladder Presses

• Lower Yields at Higher Pressures
• Indroduction of Heavy Tannins from the skins due to high pressures needed to achieve yields 
• Longer Pressing Cycles
• More Lees and Fining due to having to break the Cake Multiple Times
• More Oxidation, More Browning on Whites due to longer Pressing Cycles
• Minimum Load Capacities for Press use and Press Efficiency
• Thin Nylon Bladder, easier to tear and needs to be replaced more frequently (less than 1/16" thick 

Technical Features:

• Tank capacity: 18 hl
• Tubular elastic membrane approved for food applications, supported by inner clevises; thickness: 7.5 mm
• Wholly-pierced stainless-steel tank
• Air compressor for air inlet and outlet
• Self-braking motor reducer for tank rotation
• Power supply: 230 V – 3 phases – 60 Hz; maximum requested power: 2.6 kW
• Rotation transmission by crown, pinion and chain
• Double door for tank loading and marcs discharge
• Axial loading with stainless-steel 150-mm ball valve with 4" clamp fitting
• Fixed hanging must-collecting hopper; hopper fitting: 2" clamp
• Central sliding skid for marcs discharge
• Automatic device for must-hopper level control and pump drive
• Side doors on the chassis can be opened
• Inside conveyors for marcs discharge
• Porthole for inspection and washing
• Wheels for press movement (Optional) Not Included
• Washing pipe with nozzles, 1” ball-valve connection
• Electrical board, IP66 protection
• Electromechanical manual commands on a pushbutton control board with cable, actionable while moving around the press; manual command are electromechanical and not managed by the electronical devices
• Automatic pressing cycle controlled by PLC and colour touch-screen operating panel by Omron. Simple, flexible and robust program, allows, amongst else:
  • to visualize cycle parameters and state of the process
  • to add customized programs
  • to execute special programs like Cremant
  • to have options like skipping phases, repeating phases etc.
  • to manage automatically marcs discharge
  • to shift among different languages (including English and Spanish)
• Main sizes: length: 3900 mm, width: 1520 mm; height: 2330 mm (including 500 mm extended legs); weight: 1000 kg
• Entirely built in first-rate AISI 304 stainless steel

Pressing Times:

• fermented grapes: 40 to 50 minutes
• non difficult-to-break white grapes: 1 h – 1 h 15’;
• difficult-to-break white grapes (like muscat): 1 h 30' - 2 h
• apples (chopped): 2 h 30' – 4 h, depending on requested yield and apples quality
• pomegranates: 1 h 30’ - 2h