Fully Automated Brewing System Design

[Bandito]

It started out as a 2L coke bottle, then bandito got bored.

 

[Bandito]

Got a question: I am trying to figure out how to keep the cold break out of the fermenter, and now thinking of using one pump to recirculate the wort first through a stainless braid, then through the plate chiller and then back into the kettle so the cold break settles there. Then after it has cooled using another pump to suck the wort through stainless braid into the fermenter. Would that help leave the hops, hot and cold brake in the kettle?
I was going to let the cold break settle in the conical and dump a few L to get rid of it, but I dont think its optimal.

And anotherone: Since time wont be of concern, could I just pump air through the plate chiller instead of cooling water? I cant seem to find a stainless radiator, and dont want to use a copper radiator (which I already have) as it would cause corrosion (probably on the copper though).

Anyone tried using a 12V air matress pump to blow air through a platechiller to cool wort?

I am now at the point where I could order everything, but still deciding whether to move or not, so holding off spending too much. The dollar is back to a good value though B)

The biggest reason to stay where I am is to get this project finnished asap!

 

[Bandito]

During the week, I met a bloke that works for the local sheet metal fabricator. He said they are currently fabricating stainless stuff, and so can fabricate my vessels (probably from the scrap of their current work). So it looks like I now have a fabricator. Unless anyone here wants some work!!!! I asked before, but the offer still stands for the next few weeks, I dont need an expert, just someone willing to give it a shot! The margin should be enough to pay for the gear plus materials plus time.

Hey Yardy, care to name your price?

Just about to go offline and install a fresh system on a new 600GB velociraptor harddrive so I can run Solidworks to model the brewery in full 3D. The installation is screwing with the labview and autocad licences I have on the current system.

Got a card in the mail today for the automated tablet dispensers (hop dispensers), so sould be able to pick them up on monday. Cant wait to see if they have a stepper motor in them. I hate stepper motors! Stepper motors can lick my mother ******* balls!

Vessel designs including custom conical fermenter should be posted within the next few weeks.

 

[yardy]

Hey Yardy, care to name your price?

haha, thanks mate but I'm busy building a temporary wharf for an LNG plant.

 

[Bandito]

Got the atuomatic pill dispensers today. They have a motor and worm gears in em! Yea! No stepper motors. There are grooves cut in the underside of the rotating tray which the teeth of the gear catches.
There is an infra red sensor and light that forms the positioning sensor, little things on the underside of the tray break the light beam.

Should be a sinch to automate.

So these two will be for the hop additions, need another one for the mineral additions for the mash. Took 4 weeks to arrive from US via evilbay.

 

[windraider]

Subscribed.

How do you intend to measure Temperature?

 

[bum]

So the postcount there is for your entire internet experience, not just this forum, right?

How peculiar.

 

[Bandito]

How do you intend to measure Temperature?

Thats a hard one, still thinking bout it. Will have to draw up a process and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) soon. Also bout time to do the electrical diagram too.

 

[windraider]

Thats a hard one, still thinking bout it. Will have to draw up a process and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) soon. Also bout time to do the electrical diagram too.

If you decide to use Ds18B20 1-wire sensors you can experiment with our free ThermoSoft Mk1 Software


Regards


Andrew Reid -------www.sustainabilitymeasurement.com

 

[yardy]

Got the atuomatic pill dispensers today. They have a motor and worm gears in em! Yea! No stepper motors. There are grooves cut in the underside of the rotating tray which the teeth of the gear catches.
There is an infra red sensor and light that forms the positioning sensor, little things on the underside of the tray break the light beam.

Should be a sinch to automate.

So these two will be for the hop additions, need another one for the mineral additions for the mash. Took 4 weeks to arrive from US via evilbay.

how's this progressing ?

cheers

Dave

 

[paulwolf350]

how's this progressing ?

cheers

Dave

Think he is probably busy setting up his keg system Dave :unsure:

 

[yardy]

has the thread title changed ?

didn't think it had 'design' in there previously..

 

[absinthe]

hows the malting idea going? i have built a new auto malter that could be altered to steep, malt, dry, kiln, and then roast the grain if your handy... when my new camera arrives im going to make another video about it but is just a slow rotating drum with baffles to stir the grain, if ou made it from stainless steel and added a fan and some heating you could do the whole lot in it (although you would only get one type of malt) and crystal is easy to make as it munich

oh and i have "do it at home syndrome" bad, i think you may have "do it at home while your not at home syndrome"? even worse

 

[Bandito]

Im trying to find suitable relay board to control everything, but I cant find one with a pic in it to demultiplex the control signal and provide analogue and digital inputs and outputs. They are out there somewhere. I did get a $30 dick smith car fridge, and it does fit two of them, still to see if it works off a computer power supply.

Yea, kegs are taking priority atm. Trying to save for this but little bits and pieces for kegs add up. Its all part of the same system though, fridges, filter, sanitisers now procured.

Always had design in the title.

Sounds great absinthe, look forward to the vids :super: . Yea, for me its all about being really really lazy. I'll set that up towards the end when the setup is running.

 

[yardy]

Always had design in the title.

my bad..

c'mon mate. i want to see some pics of the brewery in action :icon_chickcheers:

Dave

 

[Bandito]

That's what time travel was invented for

 

[Bandito]

Well, I am now less than 2 weeks to the end of my rental lease and nothing is available that is suitable. So the funds I have saved up for moving are now available for the brewery! :super:

Things will start to progress soon.

I am looking to model the brewery in 3d as soon as my new hard drive arrives (hopefully tomorrow).

Then I will hopefully be able to produce unwrapped templates to have the stainless shapes plasma or water jet cut which I can then weld.

It's all about to go hardcore! Just need a TIG welder.

 

[yardy]

Well, I am now less than 2 weeks to the end of my rental lease and nothing is available that is suitable. So the funds I have saved up for moving are now available for the brewery! :super:

Things will start to progress soon.

I am looking to model the brewery in 3d as soon as my new hard drive arrives (hopefully tomorrow).

Then I will hopefully be able to produce unwrapped templates to have the stainless shapes plasma or water jet cut which I can then weld.

It's all about to go hardcore! Just need a TIG welder.

doing the work yourself ?

 

[matho]

i thought this link might help you out
and this about cip fittings

cheer's matho

 

[Bandito]

doing the work yourself ?

Yea, will weld it myself, but I know I cant cut very well, and all three vessels have a conical bottom so I will have the stainless sheet cut for me. Thinking 2mm thickness? Would that be alright?

Been tooking on ebay for a tig welder. Whats a good price? will just be running it off a standard power outlet, I hope thats enough.

i thought this link might help you out
and this about cip fittings

cheer's matho

Thanks! some nice info there.