Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment for the rapid carbonation of beer

Abstract

Micro-breweries seeking greater environmental and economic sustainability must consider each stage of the brewing process for opportunities to improve. Intensifying beer carbonation may offer environmental and economic benefits in addition to process improvements. A bulk gas-to-atomized liquid (BGAL) approach to carbonation has been proposed as a method to provide a 40-fold increase in the rate of carbonation while maintaining the aromatic characteristics of the beer. The presented work examines the possible economic and environmental benefits of BGAL carbonation compared to traditional bright tank carbonation. The techno-economic analysis shows a 40% reduction in operating costs by utilizing the BGAL approach. Furthermore, the life cycle assessment shows a 99% reduction in cumulative energy demand and a 98% reduction in global warming potential. While the magnitude of these improvements is highly sensitive to the energy demand of the cooling system and the required residence time of the beer in the bright tanks, the results of this study indicate that using BGAL carbonation offers economic and environmental benefits to breweries in addition to the associated process intensification.