How to heat a steam kettle?

[Zorco]

It would be a difficult mash tun.....dig out every time

I love great opportunities...but be aware of great risks. A BestGore steam burns search can provide some introductory materials for the uninitiated.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

It would be a difficult mash tun.....dig out every time

I love great opportunities...but be aware of great risks. A BestGore steam burns search can provide some introductory materials for the uninitiated.

False bottom with a rod attached so you just lift it out.

It might be a bit heavy.

Would also make for an awesome BIAB setup

 

[Killer Brew]

There are a number of these 100L steam kettles currently available in SA after a BOP closed down and its plant auctioned off last month. I was there and as I recall six were sold at around the $700 - $800 mark.

 

[tugger]

I use a 500l steam pot at work to cip fillers and stuff.
I often look at and think it would be a perfect 500L recurculating biab rig.
It even has a solonoid on the steam input hooked to a pid for mashing.

 

[Matplat]

I think that provided you use appropriate fittings and pipework with necessary pressure relief valves etc plumbing steam shouldn't be that hard.

At a previous employer, we plumbed prototype hydrogen storage vessels heated to 380deg at 10bar pressure. Doesn't get much more dangerous than that!

Getting the right components would be imperative, and probably end up being reasonably costly. Would be an awesome setup once complete though!

You could also then use your steam generator for sanitising bottles and kegs

 

[AntonW]

Yeah, be careful. But check this: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=27070

 

[klangers]

Right up my alley. :beerbang:

Steam is used industrially for a few reasons:

• More energy efficient heat transfer at consumer
• Far greater turndown ratio (the ratio of the smallest effective "throttle" to "full throttle" - there is significant stored energy (which is what makes it dangerous) and therefore when only 1 tiny little thing is running the boiler can be not firing but there remains sufficient pressure in the system
• Can easily control the temperature of saturated steam by simply modulating the pressure - simple control compared to electric (on a large scale where the electronics and current involved become untenable) or gas (flame control and oxygen mix become complex at large turndown ratios)
• Steam isn't flammable so leaks are not as critical; can be easily discharged to properly designed vent

I would avoid steam unless you plan to heat multiple things with it. The complexity on a small scale is just not worth it - instead of one thing to control, you'll have at least two! The kettle and the boiler.

The best solution will probably be a direct oil system - insert elements into the jacket, seal off the jacket, fit a pressure relief valve, and fill the jacket with oil.

That said, it would not really have much advantage, if any, to direct fire gas or electric.

 

[MHB]

Yeah, be careful. But check this: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=27070

That's just great, I particularly like the bare terminals on the element.
M