Counterflow Chiller

[Dan Pratt]

Just got a brand new CFC for the birthday!

Is there anything I should do be fore running wort through it....

 

[MastersBrewery]

PBW or similar then starsan, good to go! You could bling it out with thermo and ball valve at exit.
but not necessary for first use.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Make sure it is rinsed well after use.

If the inner tube is copper then soak (for an hr or 2) with a mild vinegar solution before use if left unused for a period of time.

 

[Wilkensone]

Make sure it is rinsed well after use.

If the inner tube is copper then soak (for an hr or 2) with a mild vinegar solution before use if left unused for a period of time.

Is this to remove any mineral concentrations that may have dried inside?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Is this to remove any mineral concentrations that may have dried inside?

and oxidisation.

 

[Wilkensone]

and oxidisation.

Thanks for that


Wilkens

 

[gava]

here is a good reference : http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter2-2-2.html which below has been taken from....

Cleaning Copper
For routine cleaning of copper and other metals, percarbonate-based cleaners like PBW are the best choice. For heavily oxidized conditions, acetic acid is very effective, especially when hot. Acetic acid is available in grocery stores as white distilled vinegar at a standard concentration of 5% acetic acid by volume. It is important to use only white distilled vinegar as opposed to cider or wine vinegar because these other types may contain live acetobacteria cultures, which are the last thing you want in your beer.
Brewers who use immersion wort chillers are always surprised how bright and shiny the chiller is the first time it comes out of the wort. If the chiller wasn't bright and shiny when it went into the wort, guess where the grime and oxides ended up? Yep, in your beer. The oxides of copper are more readily dissolved by the mildly acidic wort than is the copper itself. By cleaning copper tubing with acetic acid once before the first use and rinsing with water immediately after each use, the copper will remain clean with no oxide or wort deposits that could harbor bacteria. Cleaning copper with vinegar should only occasionally be necessary.
The best sanitizer for counterflow wort chillers is Star San'. It is acidic and can be used to clean copper as well as sanitize. Star San can be left in the chiller overnight to soak-clean the inside.
Cleaning and sanitizing copper with bleach solutions is not recommended. The chlorine and hypochlorites in bleach cause oxidation and blackening of copper and brass. If the oxides come in contact with the mildly acidic wort, the oxides will quickly dissolve, possibly exposing yeast to unhealthy levels of copper during fermentation.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Thanks Gava....White Distilled Vinegar with 5% acetic acid for the first clean and then rinse with water after each use.

Also clean with Starsan before use. I run my wort through a whirlpool retrun system to the kettle and will include the CFC in that loop to have boiling wort running through it 3-5mins prior to end of the boil.

MB - definatley getting a temp gauge and ball valve outlet, even thinking of including the O2 port for adding during transfer to FV

 

[JDW81]

I thought I'd add my questions to an on CFC thread as opposed to starting a new one.

I'm about to build a CFC, and am wondering what is the best inner size tube to use? I'm tossing up between 1/2" and 3/8" inner tube and an appropriately sized outer hose.

Also what lengths do people recommend? I can source 18m of copper pipe for $100 from the big green shed, and was thinking of making 2 x 9m chillers and for me and a mate.

Cheers Lads,

JD

 

[boybrewer]

If you use 3/8 you can slide it into a standard garden hose . If you go 1/2 which is what I have you need to buy the 20mm hose from the big green shed . The longer the copper the more contact with the wort and the water to cool it down more quickly . Check out youtube timeforanotherone he makes a very good video of building one .

 

[JDW81]

If you use 3/8 you can slide it into a standard garden hose . If you go 1/2 which is what I have you need to buy the 20mm hose from the big green shed . The longer the copper the more contact with the wort and the water to cool it down more quickly .

Cheers mate.

I'll probably go with the half inch as fittings are easier to source for that size. No worries having to get the bigger hose, just want to make sure it is as efficient as possible. 9 meters should get me to pitching temps with Melbourne ground water no probs at all.

I'll put up my design and step by step pictures when I get around to building it.

JD

 

[pk.sax]

Can you flow the wort in the outside tube?

Just thinking that with a 1/2" tube inside it will make for lots of surface area for the wort if it is on the outside. Can even dunk the whole CFC in cold water. Also, the wort hitting the CFC at a right angle will naturally slow it down and introduce turbulence. Should make for a very effective chiller.

 

[JDW81]

Can you flow the wort in the outside tube?

Just thinking that with a 1/2" tube inside it will make for lots of surface area for the wort if it is on the outside. Can even dunk the whole CFC in cold water. Also, the wort hitting the CFC at a right angle will naturally slow it down and introduce turbulence. Should make for a very effective chiller.

I'm sure you could, but sanitising a rubber hose would pose it's own challenges. I figure a 9m chiller should make up for the fact i'm suing a 1/2" inner tube. Ideally i'd use a convoluted inner tube, but that stuff is dearer than poison.

I'm still in the R&D phase at the moment, so I'll take all suggestions on board. The 3/8" fittings I need are also a bit harder to find, but if I do track them down I would probably head down that route.

JD

 

[pk.sax]

Oh, I thought you were going to coil 1/2" copper tube inside 3/4" copper tube.

 

[JDW81]

Oh, I thought you were going to coil 1/2" copper tube inside 3/4" copper tube.

Nope, 1/2" inside an appropriate sized hose.

I still haven't ruled out 3/8" copper pipe, but fittings wise 1/2" will be easier.

 

[boybrewer]

Wrap copper wire around the outside of the copper pipe and solder it to the pipe every few turns and then run it in the opposite direction and so on . This will create enough turbulance for the water flowing around the pipe .

 

[bazfletch3]

Wrap copper wire around the outside of the copper pipe and solder it to the pipe every few turns and then run it in the opposite direction and so on . This will create enough turbulance for the water flowing around the pipe .

+1 on this- this is what I did on 1/2" copper inside 19mm (I think) washing machine type hose. End result works well; but I think I got a bit excited with the size of the wire spiral and hose dimensions, I had a bitch of a time getting the end result through the outer tube... A fair bit of mcgver action was required...

Baz