Ace Venturi

[Borret]

I have been doing some research and experimentation with wort (and water) aeration. I do own a stainless airstone and filter and havent had any issues yet but dont like the fact that these things are a porous bacteria trap if not cleaned properly and I dont own a pressure cooker to properly sterilise it.

So I have been toying with an inline venturi aerator (particularly now that I am running AG wort out of a kettle). I have made a few prototypes with varying degrees of success with other peoples efforts in mind. But last night I tried another and it works really well and very simple to make.

Its efficiency is derived from the fact that it necks down from a curved crimp that I made and expanding back out at the point of injection. This creates more of a low pressure zone to draw in the air, more so than a straight tube with holes, and hence draws in more.

Due to the toughness of the unannealed SS tubing I have, small holes werent possible (broken TiN drills :angry: ) so I cut slits at the appropriate position which gives a fine injection point longitudally but a good cross section for draw. You can actually hear it sucking really well when hooked up to a tap on low flow (ala kettle drain speed).

So here are some photos of the latest piece. I will fine tune slot position and make a housing for it yet that I can feed filtered air into to supply it and stop the airborne gremlins getting in. Im fairly happy so far.

Cheers

Borret :blink:

The photos




Bubble flow with flash (appears bubbles are still)


and in the best light I could get last night for an action shot (and I photoshopd the colour levels to make it easier to see the stream of bubbles)

 

[Doc]

Looks good Borret. That solves the aeration part.
Have you thought of doing something similar to the Wort Wizard and using water to also act like a syphon ? Food for thought.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Borret]

Hi Doc,

Thats a novel idea but don't see the real need if your kettle has a drain. It may speed up the flow I surpose and I would think it could be beneficial with a CFC but as you are finished with tap water after you use an IM it would be wasting water IMO.

Perhaps a method of tranfering out of glass carboys to at least start the syphon I surpose.

Cheers

Borret

 

[ausdb]

I have been doing some research and experimentation with wort (and water) aeration. I do own a stainless airstone and filter and havent had any issues yet but dont like the fact that these things are a porous bacteria trap if not cleaned properly and I dont own a pressure cooker to properly sterilise it.

So here are some photos of the latest piece. I will fine tune slot position and make a housing for it yet that I can feed filtered air into to supply it and stop the airborne gremlins getting in. Im fairly happy so far.

Cheers

Borret :blink:

[post="76589"][/post]​

Borret

Check out this post for ideas on injecting air/ O2 into your wort
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...ort%20aeration#

This batch attenuated really well but I'm not sure it was the low mash temp 63C or the oxygenation that did the trick or both

Ausdb

 

[timmy]

Another possibilty with the wort wizard could be to use O2 from a cylinder to drive it. You don't necessarily need water.

And using a reg goes without say.

 

[Borret]

Another possibilty with the wort wizard could be to use O2 from a cylinder to drive it. You don't necessarily need water.

And using a reg goes without say.

[post="76652"][/post]​

I am not sure why you would waste even CO2 let alone O2 on this system. Sorry if I am stating the obvious here but this Wort Wizard has absolutely nothing to do with wort aeration so it would be a waste of gas. It is simply a device to lower the pressure in the vessel you are transfering to which in turn sucks whatever you are transfering into it. So unless you are transfering wort to a vessel that is at the same level as the one it is coming from then this device is a waste of money. A syphon once started is basicall going to give you similar flow to this thing and if the drain on your kettle is above the fermentor you are dropping it into then it would do next to nothing. If you feel the need to use one stuff paying 24 bucks for it as you can probably make one from fittings from bunnings for under 10 bucks. h34r:

Ausbd,

thanks for the link mate. I had actually seen that when you posted it and liked the simple idea :beerbang: but I don't have O2 on tap. The first experiments were actually similar to your tyre spike but weren't at all effectice at drawing the air itself. After I few more complex tries this simple design came up trumps. Basically what I am trying to achieve is something bog simple, easy to clean and keep clean and not another gadget that needs to be set up and sanitised festideously on brewday. Also I wanted to try and design something easy to make so if anyone else wants to have a go at giving their wort some more air on transfer by squashing and cutting some slots in a spare piece of copper pipe then they can. I know this thing doesn't have the wow factor of a thousand tubes with wistles and fittings but it is fool proof and effective.

Cheers

Borret

 

[ausdb]

thanks for the link mate. I had actually seen that when you posted it and liked the simple idea :beerbang: but I don't have O2 on tap. The first experiments were actually similar to your tyre spike but weren't at all effectice at drawing the air itself. After I few more complex tries this simple design came up trumps. Basically what I am trying to achieve is something bog simple, easy to clean and keep clean and not another gadget that needs to be set up and sanitised festideously on brewday

[post="76666"][/post]​

No worries Borret

I was thinking more of aquarium pump/air compressor and a filter with the needle. After seeing how well it worked and how easy it is to sanitise I am not so worried about getting another airstone. I didn't mean you needed O2 it just if you have it then all the better!!

Ausdb

 

[warrenlw63]

Can recommend the patented "Brother Borrettski kebabus Venturi ". Just gave one of these a go myself with a slight modification or two.

Considering all you need is a couple bits of tubing and about 10 minutes of your time they work "extremely" well. :beerbang:

Here's a shot of some iodophor getting run into glass carboys as a test. The amount of turbulence and air bubbles is remarkable.

I've made the modification of adding a plastic pill bottle with a 12mm hole drilled each end to cover the venturi holes. I've peppered the lid with several 2mm holes. Inside the bottle I've shoved some cotton wool to filter the air. Worked not too bad at all.

Also drilled the 2nd tube which goes into the carboy with several 3mm holes to further diffuse the wort.

Thanks Borrett for the idea. Itching to give this a brewday burl. B)

Warren -

 

[Borret]

:beerbang:

Poetry in motion my friend.

The proof will be in the pudding. Will be interesting to see the difference difference on brewday. Here's also hoping but the preliminary testing looks promising.

You being a double batcher and glass carboy user a good test would be one filled as per the old method and one via the new with all other variables the same. Then the race of the carboys will be on. You could see the difference.

Keep us posted

Borret

 

[warrenlw63]

Good idea oh Middle Eastern foodophile and purveyor of silly walks. :beer:

Shall do once I make a dent in my 100 odd litres of stored beer. Any excuse for another brewday. :beerbang: :lol:

I'd be interested in checking the FGs on both beers. Would be totally amped if the venturi version has a lower terminal gravity. Never know. :unsure:

Warren -

 

[Gough]

Looks the goods there Borret and Warren. I've got some leftover ss tube that will fit the bill nicely. I might go pill bottle free though I'd be interested to hear the results of the experiment as well.

Shawn.

 

[warrenlw63]

Hey, don't worry Shawn the pills keep me sane! :lol:

Actually they were SWMBO's Jezil tablets (genetic elevated Cholesterol). That said she thought I had lost the plot when I asked for a pill bottle to drill holes in. :lol:

Here's a better close-up showing the agitation of the wort exiting the tube. I slightly crimped the end to increase the diffusion out of the smaller holes.

Warren -