50000 Liter Conical Wine Fermenter

A 50,000 L conical fermenter is usually the point where a winery stops buying tanks one at a time and starts planning a tank farm. At this size the vessel stops being equipment and becomes part of the building: ceiling height, door clearance, floor loading, and glycol header routing are decided before the first sheet is rolled.

We build these as vertical cylindrical tanks with a 60-degree cone as standard. Shallower cones are possible when lees separation is not critical. Shell and cone are formed from SUS304 (2B mill) for routine red and white fermentation, or SUS316L when the must is high-acid or the cleaning chemistry contains chlorides. Shell thickness typically runs 4–6 mm. Tops are dished or conical, depending on whether you need top pressure or open access for punching down.

Product-contact welds are TIG with filler, ground flush, then pickled and passivated. Interior finish is Ra ≤ 0.8 µm for wine contact; exteriors stay mill finish if the tank sits indoors. Juice-contact seals are EPDM or silicone, with PTFE-lined seats on the racking arm where it moves.

Cooling is where large tanks are won or lost. A 50,000 L batch releases a lot of heat, so we size dimple or channel jackets from your target cooling rate in °C per hour, not from tank volume. Cone jacketing is available when you need to hold temperature during cold soak. Glycol flow rate and header diameter usually limit performance more than chiller capacity does.

CIP uses a rotating spray ball with separate supply and return lines. Each tank carries a racking arm, sample valve, thermowell, and manway. Relief valve and vacuum breaker are sized to the working pressure — 1.0–1.5 bar is normal, and anything higher means thicker plate and heavier fittings.

Specifications

Common Questions

Can one 50,000 L tank replace several smaller ones? Only if your fruit arrives in large, uniform lots. Blending flexibility usually argues for a mix of 20,000–50,000 L units.

Is a cone necessary? It helps with lees removal and racking, but a flat-bottom tank with a side racking arm is cheaper and adequate for some white programs.

What do you need before quoting? Batch size, must type, target cooling rate, available height, glycol supply temperature, and whether the tank sits indoors or outdoors.

Tell us your batch size, wine type, number of tanks and available floor space. We can recommend tank volume, jacket area, and fitting layout for your winery.