At Sidel, a new control system for pasteurization processes has been recently developed: PRINCE - PRediction IN Control Equations – is an advanced software system able to improve the quality and lengthen the shelf life of pasteurized products, especially beer.

PRINCE provides extremely accurate control of the pasteurization units in any working conditions, i.e. with any sequence of machine starts and stops. In fact the whole product undergoing the pasteurization process accumulates at least the minimal number of PUs required ad reaches and maintains for a pre-set time the range of temperature required for pasteurization – the so-called “killing effect” (together with the minimal PUs, this guarantees the inhibition of yeasts and bacteria). Moreover, the system ensures the number of PUs accumulated never exceeds the allowed maximum.

The new approach to pasteurization control is based on the concept of prediction. The system analyses the current condition of the whole product, predicts possible developments and, when necessary, intervenes to obtain the best effect possible.

Compared to the previous control system, PRINCE has a proactive response: it acts by predicting what the future situation will be. Instead of lowering the temperature of the spray when the product in a given zone exceeds the set pasteurization threshold, PRINCE lowers the temperature as soon as the prediction indicates that the product will accumulate sufficient PUs and will respect the temperature limits. Moreover, PRINCE is 100 per cent reliable. In fact all of the product in the pasteurizer is taken into account and not only the product measured at fixed control points, as happened with the thermal cycle control system (TCC).

In addition to better performances, the new control system offers customers other important advantages:

• Reductions in consumption and consequent energy savings. The optimal use of the heating and cooling processes in the controlled zones within the pasteurizers considerably reduces consumption of water and steam. Thanks to PRINCE, needless variations in the spray temperature are avoided. The product is never heated more than necessary and undergoes a single phase of heating and a single phase of cooling.
• Extremely easy to use. Working in a completely automated independent way, the system adapts to any possible changes in the heat cycle. The operator has no need to set parameters to determine the behavior of the controller.

Prince is currently used by some of the biggest names of the beer industry worldwide.