A good beer belongs in a glass bottle, which is why many breweries have their own bottle designs. Beer is particularly sensitive to oxygen; if too much oxygen enters the bottle during filling, it can trigger chemical reactions that affect taste, color, and shelf life. To minimize residual oxygen, the bottling process is conducted under controlled vacuum conditions.

Leybold has introduced a sustainable Beer Bottling Vacuum System (BBVS) that replaces traditional liquid ring pumps. Liquid ring pumps create a vacuum by spinning a ring of liquid inside the pump, which remove air from the bottles before they are filled. This reduces the amount of oxygen that could affect the beer’s quality. However, they have issues like high water use, energy consumption, and wastewater contamination.

The new bottling system, the Beer Bottling Vacuum System (BBVS), works by using a DRYVAC dry screw vacuum pump to create a stable, deep vacuum during the bottling process. Unlike traditional liquid ring pumps, which use a spinning liquid to remove air, screw vacuum pumps use two rotating screws that mesh together without touching, compressing air as it moves along the screw channels. The system is dry, meaning it operates without oil or water, more efficient and environmentally friendly.

The DRYVAC pumps operate quietly and maintain low internal temperatures, reducing the risk of caramelization in sugary residues. The system is designed for large-scale breweries that process up to 60,000 bottles per hour. According to the company, it offers up to 80% water savings, 20% lower energy use, and prevents water contamination by separating the cooling water circuit, enabling water reuse for other processes.

• Leybold GmbH, Cologne, Germany