Dry ice during harvest

Why use dry ice during harvest

Dry ice and carbonic snow to protect grapes from the vineyard to crushing

rom transport to the winery and receiving hoppers through to destemming and crushing, every contact with air exposes crushed grapes to rapid oxidative processes that require sulphur dioxide-based corrective measures. Carbon dioxide in solid form, as dry ice pellets or carbonic snow, creates low-oxygen protective atmospheres at every critical point in the process, reducing the use of SO₂ in the winery.

Protection at every critical point of the harvest

Manual pellets or automated carbonic snow

Harvesting with less sulphur dioxide

Vigneti a filare con viti verdi nella nebbia mattutina e alla luce del sole

Pellets or carbonic snow

Two solid CO₂ formats for two ways of working. 3 mm pellets are distributed manually on trailers, receiving tanks and destemmer-crushers. Carbonic snow is produced in the winery with SIAD snow generators and dispensed automatically, with yields of up to 400 kg/h.

Biogenic CO₂

Most SIAD food-grade CO₂ is biogenic: it is recovered from organic sources, purified and liquefied. Net of transformation processes, it can be considered neutral in terms of carbon footprint.

Gas in Viticulture and Oenology Award

For years, SIAD has promoted an international research award dedicated to gas applications in the wine production chain. It is an initiative involving researchers, technicians, companies and consortia, and it fuels shared innovation in the sector.

Products and services for dry ice during harvest

SIAD supplies solid CO₂ in pellets, liquid CO₂ for producing carbonic snow in the winery, and logistics services dedicated to the tight timing of the harvest campaign, with delivery within 48 hours of the order and delivery planning.

Dry ice pellets for protective atmospheres in the winery

Solid carbon dioxide pellets are produced at the plant and delivered to the winery in 15 kg boxes or 100 kg insulated containers, ready to use. They are distributed manually over the grapes in transport trailers, receiving tanks and during destemming-crushing: as they sublime, they form a low-oxygen protective atmosphere with a consumption of 0.5–1.0 kg per quintal of processed crushed grapes. The 3 mm particle size is preferred because it minimises the risk of cold burns on the skins.

Carbonic snow for automated applications

For wineries with large-scale continuous production, carbonic snow is produced directly on site with SIAD snow generators using liquid CO₂ from a cryogenic tank, with yields of up to 400 kg/h. Dispensing is controlled by solenoid valves connected to the operation of the destemmer-crusher or transfer pumps, ensuring continuous protection.

Liquid carbon dioxide from cryogenic tank

To produce carbonic snow efficiently, it is essential to draw liquid CO₂ from a cryogenic tank: approximately 2.5 kg of liquid CO₂ are needed for 1 kg of snow, compared with the 4–5 kg required when starting from cylinders. SIAD cryogenic supply is sized according to the flow rates required by the winery and managed on an ongoing basis.

Gas always available with Flexigas

Flexigas is SIAD’s highly flexible service that guarantees the continuous availability of liquid gas, with constant delivery characteristics that can adapt to harvest consumption peaks. The winery works without interruptions even on days of maximum demand.

Are you planning the harvest?

Our experts choose the solid CO₂ format best suited to your plant, size consumption and logistics, and support you in handling gas safely at every stage of your winemaking process.

Request a consultation

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