Fully Automated Brewing System Design

[yardy]

finished the printer yet...

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Why are people so unkind ? Einstein was also considered a crack pot and see how he changed the world. Mind you his theory about totally automated brewing systems was fu.ked.
GB

 

[Bandito]

I think my power issues are solved. Just moved, and the shed has 3 power fuses that run 2 x 4 10A socket boards and 1 x 15A socket.



Also ordered an inline chemical doser called a Dosatron. It will be hooked up to a cold water tap that has a flow of about 27L per minute and injects and mixes between 1 and 5% of chemicals - Saniclean or PBW solution or plain water selectable with valves. The PBW will have to be dissolved, and the saniclean diluted also so the same dosing rate works for both. It uses pistons which are powered by the mains water inlet, and is designed for this exact purpose.
http://www.watersanitationhygiene.org/Refe...20Catalogue.pdf
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I've decided on the sprayball model to use. Its not actually a sprayball as they require about 80L per minute to work. This is a rotating head tank washer called a Torus 50. Its made by Breconcherry and sold by Tecpro in aus. It works at flows and pressures of 10L per minute at 0.5 bar to 40L per minute at 4 Bar. They are on special at the moment for just over $100. I'll use a stainless/teflon welded version with 360deg spray pattern for the fermenter and keg cleaner. And probably 3/8" BSP with 180deg pattern for the MLT and Kettle. Its the most low flow product I could find, everything else needs at least 80L per minute. It sure is going to chew through the pbw though.

http://www.tecpro.com.au/tank-cleaning-breconcherry.htm

I was thinking of using a Karchar to mix the chemicals and provide the flow as they output 5.5L of water and suck up 0.3L of chemical per minute, but the pressure is way too much and the flow not enough.

 

[ben_sa]

Welcome back Bandito!

 

[yardy]

gday burrito, made any beer yet mate ?

 

[ampy]

I think my power issues are solved. Just moved, and the shed has 3 power fuses that run 2 x 4 10A socket boards and 1 x 15A socket.

Thats also a three phase circuit breaker/main switch you may have 3 phase in the shed, unless who ever wired it up used leftovers in the sub board

 

[Bandito]

No beer made yet. After waiting for 2 months, the last part for the printer did arrive last week so can put it together when finnished moving.



And grain hopper design is finnished. Movie>

Yea, I figure its 3 x 15A circuits - thats why I moved here :icon_drool2:
It does seem strange that two of the circuits power standard 10A boards and one runs the single proper 15A Socket with the large earth.

 

[ampy]

No beer made yet. After waiting for 2 months, the last part for the printer did arrive last week so can put it together when finnished moving.



And grain hopper design is finnished. Movie>

Yea, I figure its 3 x 15A circuits - thats why I moved here :icon_drool2:
It does seem strange that two of the circuits power standard 10A boards and one runs the single proper 15A Socket with the large earth.

I'd get the wiring checked out Bandito, If those 2 10amp cb's are protecting those 4 gang power pionts they will constantly trip the breaker as soon as something like and element or somethinng is plugged in. 10amp power circuits should be run in 2.5mm tps and protected by a 16 -20amp breaker.
The 15 amp circuit should be run in 2.5mm and also protected by 16 - 20amp breaker, but only 1 per circuit.

 

[Bandito]

Oh yea, I was so focused on the small writing I didnt see the big C10! That is really strange! I didnt get time this week to have it checked, but will soon, and have the 10A CB'c replaced if possible. Thanks.

The main fuse for the shed in the house power box is 63A.

 

[InCider]

Good to hear from you Bandito.How long is your lease at this place?

InCider.

 

[Bandito]

12 months. I think I know what your getting at though - if I move again I may not have as much power. So while it is tempting to make use of it, I need to stick to a max of 2 x 10A circuits for the heating. Planning on 2 arc elements of the shape shown below so I can get two in just half of the kettle. This way it wont hit the low side of the butterfly as it opens. They may need to be seperated vertically to get them in. I'm thinking 2 x 1800W elements. If I move again, not too sure what I will do, but planning of buying/building next move anyway.

Here are a couple of videos to show how the butterfly moves. The movement of the false bottom is still pissing me orf. It seems I need springs to make contact with the butterfly disk because with a fixed pivot point in the wall of the vessel for the false bottom, as the disk rotates the distance between the disk and false bottom changes - so I need springs to allow for this change whilst maintaining contact to rotate the false bottom.

 

[schooey]

If I move again, not too sure what I will do, but planning of buying/building next move...

:blink:

Hope you're not planning on building it yerself.... h34r:

 

[thelastspud]

Good to see ya back on here. some nice little vids there

 

[Bandito]

Thanks Bradley and others :icon_chickcheers:

In terms of the size and shape of both the MLT and Kettle, I'm thinking about this size, which is 60cm tall, 30cm diameter and a volume of 42 litres. The top will have the cleaning sprayer in it, so taking 10cm off for that and its 50cm and 35 litres. Sure does look tall and skinny.

 

[thelastspud]

Why do you have 4 computer monitors there? seems like a few too many is it something to do with CAD or the like?

 

[argon]

Why do you have 4 computer monitors there? seems like a few too many is it something to do with CAD or the like?

:icon_offtopic: when doing parametric CAD (or in my case BIM) can never have too many monitors

 

[kelbygreen]

:icon_offtopic: Because he can I only have 2 monitors but have seen up to 8 lol but the 8 I see was hooked up to look like 1 monitor dunno why they didnt just buy a big widescreen for it. I got 23" for my general computing and a 48" for movies and games but most games are played on 23" as windows decides it wont send 6.1 surround sound threw s/pdif but some how linux can do it :S go figure

 

[unrealeous]

Good to see you back Bandito - thought we might have lost you inside some converted farm machinery.

Impressive MLT.

 

[Punkal]

At my old job the more monitory and the number of 24 inch monitors you had determined how important you were...

 

[Bandito]

I tried not to make this about the monitors, but I wanted to be forced to stare at the mock up, so I put it right in front of the couch, and the butterfly is frekin heavy so just left it where it was.

So first off the right two monitors are connected to the internet pc where I can watch legally downloaded movies and browse the web and do research for the brewery. That pc has 8GB of ram but over the last few days I have opened so many browser windows researching dosing pumps, sprayballs and today elements that it actually ran out of ram!

The left two monitors are connected to Jessica - the brew pc, it has 2gb of ram and runs solidworks for modeling the brewery, and labview for programming the brewery, and watching tv using a usb tv stick.

I have used dual monitor pc's at work for the last 10 years so using one monitor at home feels like using a nokia for browsing the web.

The monitors are bargain basement $270 models (even the two 3d samsungs on the right), so its not as if I have forked out thousands for a widescreen TV - infact I dont even have a TV - thats what the pc's are for. Only trouble is that I cant get the usb tv tuner to pick up a signal at this new place I have moved into last week. Luckily I have beer or I might go crazy!

The short answer is technology is so cheap these days there is no reason not to.

This is the MLT and Kettle shortened to 50cm high and is 35 litres total volume or 28 litres with the top 10cm taken off for the washer. It looks more in proportion, but I think the volume for the kettle is a bit small, so will probably stick with the 60cm high one posted above. The next step is to make a mockup of the spray washer and design the shape of the lids. The lids is where the hard work is - so much going into them - grain, hops, washing inlet, sparging inlet, steam coming out etc.

And the 3 parts for the printer that set the whole project back 2 months while I waited for them to arrive: A roll of Kapton sticky tape for insulation that can be used upto about 240 degC, an unmachined block of PEEK plastic for insulation that can hold its shape upto about 260 degC and a machined aluminium heater block. Pissed orf it took so long! But that has happened all through this project so I shouldnt be supprised.

The element I said I decided to use is called a sickle. Will call the company mentioned in this thread to find out which material is reccomended: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=42495