Temperature driven air flow through wine corks

Abstract

Temperature changes during transport can cause significant air pressure increases within a wine bottle and subsequent loss of air through the cork. With simple modelling this gives rise to a time dependent logistic equation for the air mass. Various solution methods are shown and compared, giving rise to a surprisingly rich mathematical problem which is suitable for university undergraduate courses as an example of an unusual logistic equation. The solutions indicate the importance of the head space in the wine bottle, and give upper bounds on the air flow due to diurnal temperature changes. References

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