A low-cost IoT device to monitor in real-time wine alcoholic fermentation evolution through CO2 emissions

Abstract

The alcoholic fermentation is a critical step that should be controlled and monitored to avoid any risks and hazards through the complete winemaking process. Usually, the control of fermentation is afforded by means of physical or chemical analysis carried out in situ or in oenological laboratories. These procedures are very time and workforce consuming and also causes a delay in the decision making by the winemaker. Nevertheless, they can be optimized and automatized by using disruptive technologies solutions as are the Internet of Things (IoT), combined with mini-sensors to autonomous carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) monitoring. This system has been tested at laboratory scale and the obtained results show that their use provide a low-cost solution to follow in real-time the evolution of the alcoholic fermentation. The information provided by the combination of the CO 2 sensors and IoT technologies is very usefully to the winemakers, because it helps to detect the stopping or stuck of fermentation, allowing to react immediately, which is crucial to ensure the elaboration of a wine type with the expected quality.