Home Video Dry Vapor Steam Provides Superior Water Saving, Eco-Friendly Sanitation for Wine Industry

Dry Vapor Steam Provides Superior Water Saving, Eco-Friendly Sanitation for Wine Industry

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Begun as a janitorial pressure washer supplier in East Asia 26 years ago, SJE Corporation (US Subsidiary: Steamericas) has evolved into the industry leader specializing in vapor steam machines for a wide rage of business applications around the globe.

Yujin Yoo Anderson, Steamericas owner and general manager, credits her father, a marine boiler engineer, with recognizing the value of dry steam long ago when his South Korean customers were grappling with frozen waste-water generated by pressure washers during the country’s icy winter months.

He developed and later patented one of the boiler designs for the Optima Steamer™, a revolutionary machine that increases water temperature beyond the 212 degrees Fahrenheit boiling point to create saturated and super-heated steam. The result is a highly effective cleaning methodology that destroys harmful microorganisms and reduces water usage from an average of three to four gallons a minute to .08 gallons.

Anderson points out that this water-saving, eco-friendly sanitation technology is especially beneficial to the wine industry.

“Researchers are recognizing steam as a remarkable tool,” Anderson reports. “You don’t have to worry about waste water disposal or changing an oak barrel taste. Steam penetrates into the pores to kill pathogens, like Brettanomyces, Zygosaccharomyces and other microorganisms, even those that can survive water heated to 160 degrees.”

Although many wineries recognize the superiority of steam for barrel, tank and bottling line sanitation, Anderson notes that the Optima Steamer™ is highly effective for other surface areas as well.

“You can clean floors, counters, harvest equipment – anything, really,” Anderson attests. “Winemakers are starting to see steam as a holistic tool that saves them lots of money and lots of time.”

Anderson explains that there are three levels of steam; dry (saturated) steam, wet steam and super-heated steam which is at a higher temperature than its boiling point.  The Optima Steamer™ has the capability of moving between any of these levels at any time through a unique, moisture control valve.

“Steam is great, but sometimes you may want more pressure and that requires more moisture,” Anderson clarifies. “To achieve that, you can just adjust the moisture control valve. I have yet to find a competitor that can deliver all three levels. That’s what’s so special about our machine.”

“In addition to electric models that are fully compliant with ASME, we also offer diesel/kerosene steamers for smaller facilities without sufficient 3 phase power.”

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For more information about the Optima Steamer™ and to place orders, go to http://www.steamericas.com.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Steam is a great sanitizer, no doubt about it. When you have finished steaming barrels you still have to rinse them with clean water to get the debris and residual water out of the barrel. The perfect rinse agent is Ozonated water. Many custom crush houses are using this protocol to prevent microbial infection and spread.

    When steaming tanks, bottling lines, all the rubber components have to be steam rated. You can weaken and destroy valve seats, O rings, Triclamp gaskets, Filler valve O rings if they are not rated for the temperature of the steam.

    Hoses. Winery crews must make sure they do not steam Food grade PVC hose. It will weaken it and also relax the hose to the point where the barbs will fall out or move in making the TC ferrule useless. Again check the ratings for temperature and pressure on your hoses before using steam.

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