Numerical simulations for the optimisation of ventilation system designed for wine cellars

Abstract

The wine-ageing process is one of the most important phases of the wine production and it can be considerably affected by the micro-climatic conditions inside the ageing rooms. Underground wine cellars in small-medium wineries are designed with natural ventilation systems, able to maintain optimal indoor condition. However, critical factors emerge, such as mold growth or wine evapo-transpiration, where ventilation proved to be poorly designed, insufficient in the first case or excessive in the second one. The zones around the wooden barrels proved to be the most sensitive and problematic. These areas are the most investigated in terms of temperature and humidity values but surprisingly not in terms of air velocity. In this paper, a ventilation system has been designed and optimised to support the lack of ventilation, by means of computational fluid dynamics modelling. Eight configurations have been performed and analysed, identifying the best two according to the air velocity range. Specific parameters have been defined to appreciate the application limits of each configuration. These parameters can be used as reference for system design in similar studies and applications and can help scholars and professionals to identify the optimal configurations for the implementation and proper placement of the system inside a cellar.