PLATO MONITOR, Inline Analyser for °Plato Measurement in Beer and Cider Production, Centec

The PLATO MONITOR is a specialised inline measuring system from Centec for continuous determination of °Plato — extract content — directly in the beer and cider production process prior to fermentation. It is available in two measurement configurations: the RHOTEC version uses a vibrating U-tube to determine product density with very high precision, while the SONATEC version measures the speed of sound ultrasonically. The relationship between concentration and the measured physical parameter is described by a polynomial mathematical model, enabling accurate and reproducible °Plato readout directly in the process stream without offline laboratory analysis. Temperature drift is automatically compensated by an integrated Pt1000 sensor. The compact patented housing is designed for aseptic food-grade environments, is fully CIP-compatible, and connects via standard Varivent inline housings DN40–DN150. The PLATO MONITOR can be deployed as a standalone inline sensor or integrated with other Centec solutions including RHOTEC, SONATEC, and COMBITEC.

Key Features PLATO MONITOR

• Two measurement versions: RHOTEC (vibrating U-tube density, accuracy ±0.03 °Plato) or SONATEC (ultrasonic sound velocity, accuracy ±0.07 °Plato) — selectable per application.
• °Plato range 0–30 °Plato; product temperature range −3 to +25 °C for wort and unfermented beer measurement.
• Measurement prior to fermentation — critical control point for extract content and recipe consistency.
• Response time ≤1 s — real-time inline process feedback without offline sampling.
• Polynomial concentration model calibrated per product for product-specific °Plato correlation.
• Automatic temperature compensation via integrated Pt1000 sensor.
• Aseptic hygienic design; fully CIP-compatible; wetted materials 1.4404 / 1.4435 / AISI 316L, Hastelloy, Tantalum (others on request).
• Compatible with Varivent inline housings DN40–DN150; other connections on request.
• Transmitter version I/O: 6 digital inputs (24 V DC); 3 digital outputs (24 V DC); 2 analogue outputs (4–20 mA); Profibus DP optional. Sensor version (no display): Profibus DP standard.
• IP65; 24 V DC; compact patented design; optional local display. Patent EP 1 439 438 B1.

Applications

The PLATO MONITOR is suited to inline °Plato monitoring in beer production and cider manufacturing — specifically for determining wort extract content prior to fermentation, enabling precise recipe control, consistent batch-to-batch quality, and reduction of offline laboratory sampling in the brewhouse and conditioning process.

Installation and Safety Notes

Install inline using Varivent DN40–DN150 housings or alternative connections as specified. Power: 24 V DC. Fully CIP-compatible. Working pressure max. 16 bar; operating temperature −25 to +125 °C; product temperature range for °Plato measurement −3 to +25 °C. Configuration (RHOTEC or SONATEC version) is determined per project. Consult Centec for selection and integration support.

Technical Specifications