65819 - Viticulture Mechanization and Plants for Wine Processing

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has both a technical and operational understanding of the machines used in viticulture, enabling them to make informed technical and economic decisions regarding worksite planning. They are capable of managing the use of machinery in the field and training technical staff on their optimal use.

Furthermore, the student acquires basic knowledge of the main machines and equipment used in the winemaking industry and their modes of operation. They are able to independently make operational choices based on production needs and specifications, and can develop procedures for their use and maintenance.

Course contents

VINEYARD MECHANIZATION

Introduction to vineyard mechanization: assessment of the historical and modern importance of mechanization.

Basics of agricultural mechanics: technical features and use of tractors and other power units; safety aspects.

Machines for vineyard establishment: land preparation, drainage, and installation of posts.

Machines for canopy management: pruning, leaf removal, trimming, and trellising.

Machines for inter-row management: soil cultivation and grassing.

Plant protection machines: sprayers, sprayer calibration, and drift reduction.

Harvesting: grape harvesters and transport.

Precision viticulture: precision technologies for vineyard monitoring and management.

ENOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT

Machine components: machines and equipment: definitions, engines, transmissions, and actuators.

Reception and preliminary processing systems: weighing, sampling, loading, and grape transport (description and sizing of screw conveyors, belt conveyors, and bucket elevators).

Crushing, destemming, combined crushing-destemming, and draining systems.

Presses: discontinuous and continuous presses; plate presses; pneumatic membrane presses (lateral, central, vacuum); impulse screw presses.

Cell disruption/explosion systems.

Thermovinification systems.

Fermenters: forced and intensive pump-over with intact cap, forced and intensive pump-over with dispersed pomace, pomace recirculation in must, self-pump-over systems, horizontal rotary fermenters, and cryomacerators.

Flotation and settling systems: Stokes’ law, static and dynamic sedimentation, continuous and batch flotation systems, centrifugal separators.

Filtration systems: press filters, lees filters, vertical or horizontal plate filters, rotary vacuum filters, membrane filters, and crossflow filters.

Winemaking pumps: basic fluid physics concepts (flow rate, pressure, energy, power, head); volumetric pumps (reciprocating: piston, diaphragm; rotary: elliptical rotor, peristaltic, flexible impeller, moving pad, progressive cavity, lobe); centrifugal pumps.

Heat exchangers: heat transfer; co-current and counter-current exchange; types of exchangers: concentric tube or monotube, scraped-surface, tubular bundles; coil exchangers, spiral exchangers, stamped plate exchangers, and plate heat exchangers

 

Readings/Bibliography

G. Pellizzi, Meccanica e meccanizzazione agricola. Edagricole Bologna, 1996.

-R. Castaldi. Meccanizzazione del vigneto. Edizioni l'informatore agrario,Verona, 2018.

-G. Nardin, A. Gaudio, G. Antonel, P. Simeoni. Impiantistica enologica. Edagricole, Bologna, 2006.

-P. De Vita, G De vita, Manuale di meccanica Enologica. Hoepli Milano, 2011.

Teaching methods

Lectures are primarily based on the critical analysis of illustrations and technical diagrams of machines and equipment.

During the course, images of machines and systems from catalogs or websites of companies supplying machinery, equipment, and accessories are shown. Additionally, videos and animations of machines in operation are presented, allowing students to observe the equipment in working conditions within a real production setting.

To complement the lectures, visits to manufacturing companies, wineries, and trade fairs are organized.

Assessment methods

The assessment is oral and aims to verify the acquisition of the knowledge outlined in the course program. The exam generally consists of four questions: two focused on vineyard mechanization and two on enological equipment. The final grade, expressed in thirtieths, equally considers the evaluation of each of the two parts.

The evaluation is based on the student's level of preparation and abilities:30–30 with honors: very in-depth knowledge, excellent critical thinking, and fully appropriate technical language;27–29: good preparation, strong analytical skills, and correct use of terminology;23–26: adequate preparation, sufficient analysis, and correct language;18–22: minimal preparation and analysis, with barely acceptable language.

Teaching tools

Whiteboard; video projector; PC; internet connection; specialized seminars; visits to facilities; machine materials and components shown during lectures

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Cevoli