Control Design of Chemical Processes with Raspberry Pi

Abstract

This thesis covers the research of design and implementation of a digital control for a chemical process used in an apparatus for dealcoholization of wine. The machine in question is designed to reduce the alcohol content of wine by 25%-30%. Old methods of reducing alcohol from wine ruins the taste of the end product by boiling it under atmospheric pressure at high temperatures. This fact has lead to the creation of new methods where alcohol is separated from the wine under deep vacuum and at a low temperature. In this way wine can maintain it's original taste intact. In the researched process the alcohol is collected into the cooling water of the system. The water-ethanol mix is also used to wash the machinery in a convenient way. No actual distilled alcohol is produced since the distill is diluted directly into the cooling water during the process. The core elements in this thesis research is the circuit design and development of the PCB and the research in connection with the software development in Python language. The main circuit includes sensors, pumps, valves and a cooling unit - which all are used for the different functions of the unit.