Husky's Full Stainless Automated(partial) BIAB RIMS Brewery

[husky]

So I needed a new project and I decided that I wanted to learn about PLC's and automation, I use the term automated lightly as this will be very basic use of a PLC and not automating the brewing process other than temp controls and a lot of indicators like temp transmitters etc. I deal with automation a lot for work and have found it interests me. It would also benefit my work if I had a better understanding of it. Like most people I learn best by doing, so I designed a brewery that I could use as my automation test pilot. I have a 3V brewery with an electric brewery type controller that I am quite happy with and did not want to change so I went for a new small batch 20-40L single vessel brewery that would be simpler in process but much more complex in design
.
The key design elements I selected in priority order:
1 - Needed to incorporate a PLC and as much instrumentation as I could
2 - Incorporate the vessel into the bench top to reduce the height and make clean up easy
3 - Have a built in cooling jacket. This is my favourite feature on my 3V brewery
4 - Minimise wort handling

With those key points in mind I came up with the following concept

• single vessel
• all electric(hated the gas on the 3V)
• much smaller and more manageable footprint
• BIAB will be via an inner mesh pot that I may even put a davit are to assist hoisting
• tangential suction/outlet
• tangential inlet for whirlpool
• inlet valve operation for top of pot return during the mash

Procedure will be:

• pre heat
• add grain
• mash using heating element and PID loop to step up temps. can return via both inlets during the mash to get good all around flow
• remove basket and grain
• boil using element. element is 5000w but will have ability to vary the power between 0-5000w to achieve desired boil off
• Install sealed cover to pot with air filter
• run cooling water through jacket to drop temp
• contemplating dropping break material as base is slightly conical and then fermenting in the same vessel

So far I have the brewery 50% made and trying to get my head around the PLC side of things. Have spent a good few months learning about PLCs so far. Yesterday I finally got a basic program up and running with an analogue temperature input and some digital outputs that will be used to turn the pump on and a few other things.
I was lucky enough to be given an Allen Bradley micro 830 PLC and panel view 400 HMI. These are perfect as they can be programmed using free software. The software is pretty basic but its a great way to learn, will be able to do everything I need for this project.
If anyone has any experience programming PID's with connected components workbench let me know, this is where I'm up to and its quite involved when you have to set the loop up and not rely on an off the shelf temperature controller!

If anyone has any CCW experience at all it would be great to hear from you, otherwise this will be a bit of a show and tell. I searched the net for a very long time to get some design pointers on a small scale semi automated brewery but had no luck. Maybe this will help some one down the track. I have applied all the same design principals to this as I would any project for my work, happy to justify whi I have done things a certain way if people want to know anything in particular.

Pics of where I'm currently at:

 

[husky]

And one last pic of the HMI screen I have come up with so far. Will create more screens with specific info to each part of the process I think.

 

[Camo6]

Hahaha! Is it possible to both love and hate someone at the same time?

Another awesome looking project Husky. Can't wait to see more pics and progress.

Innovators on AHB? I think we have a winner.

 

[booargy]

You have done it again, Good work.

 

[Mardoo]

Hahaha! Is it possible to both love and hate someone at the same time?

I believe that's called marriage...







And Husky, your work is just...extraordinary. Really, it just leaves me in awe.

How about building yourself a jacketed, temp-controlled self-contained fermentation system - perhaps with improvements to the conical fermenter - as your next project? I'd love to see what you'd do with that.

 

[SBOB]

>It would also benefit my work if I had a better understanding of it

sounds like a tax right off to me

 

[Judanero]

That is seriously impressive mate.

 

[breakbeer]

[emoji50][emoji50][emoji50][emoji50][emoji50][emoji50][emoji50][emoji50][emoji50][emoji50][emoji50]

 

[husky]

Hahaha! Is it possible to both love and hate someone at the same time?

Another awesome looking project Husky. Can't wait to see more pics and progress.

Innovators on AHB? I think we have a winner.

Progress will be slow I suspect as time is always an issue for me. It has taken about 12 months to get this far. I have passed the biggest hurdle now which is learning how to get the PLC up and running, now its just learning to program and it will be very simple programming for this project initially. The thing I love about the PLC is that once its running it can be used to brew while you're programming a new screen and code to try next time!
I really only posted it up here after reading the innovators thread, I'm sure more of this goes on but doesn't get posted. I looked long and hard on the net when I was designing this one but couldn't find anything helpful.

How about building yourself a jacketed, temp-controlled self-contained fermentation system - perhaps with improvements to the conical fermenter - as your next project? I'd love to see what you'd do with that.

Maybe one day, chucking a fermenter in the fridge is just so convenient currently. Perhaps for large batch brewing a jacketed conical on wheels with a water recirc system would be handy. Ill put it on the very long term project list. Will be finalising my 3V and this brewery before any more projects however.

 

[adamh]

Nice work so far Husky.

I work for an automation safety company and have been working on my plans for something like this (a 3V system) using a PLC and HMI from work. We have a PID function block in the software so I don't need to learn how to write that stuff.

Will be following your progress.

 

[husky]

More playing around with the PLC and programming tonight. Have got both the wort the temperatures coming in now and performing some calculations. I will measure the wort temp in two locations and then average them for the PID loop CV.
I have a trend running on wort temp so at the end of a brew I can save the temp profile which might come in handy if I try replicate a mash profile one day.
Will also trend the cooling water in and out temps to easily pick the point where no more cooling is occurring, then use a solenoid valve to shut the cooling water supply off.

 

[husky]

Finally some progress. Have 95% completed the mechanicals, just waiting for the conduits to be modified.
Have written the PLC program to run it however this will be a continual work in progress as I am really enjoying the PLC coding side of this project. The program has a PID function and about 10 screens so far to show various things. I am focussing on temperature and have a total of 5 temperature transmitters running(3 x mash 2 x cooling water) as I want really good control of the mash temperature.
Electrical wiring drawings are done and just waiting for electrical engineer to review. Still playing around with panel layout drawings trying to get everything to fit. Next will be to collect all the electrical equipment to build the panel which I will do over the next couple of months hopefully.
Heater element has been ordered and installed and is 5kw, it will be set up to run on PID loop during the mash and have the ability to vary between 0 and 100% power during the boil to achieve what ever boil off rate I require. I have also found a small motor and VSD which I will set up to run the mill at some stage as well.
Here's some pics of the skid to date:

 

[woodwormm]

hands down the sexiest thing I've seen on the internet for years

 

[husky]

Started wiring the instruments, still waiting for a couple more temperature transmitters though. I will be starting to build the gear tray for the cabinet tonight and should also get time to cut the touch screen panel view into the cabinet door. Tidied up the last of the mechanical works and added a sleeve on the top that I may use for a portable davit to lift grain basket out. Starting to look more like a brewery now! Might even be up and running in a few months, still have to source a few electrical components.

 

[Adr_0]

Holy flippin shitballs, I need to change my undies...

 

[Benn]

That's Fucken Crazy!

 

[TheWiggman]

1/50 ghetto points (1 point for having a manually operated valve). Shagadelic baby. I like threads like this because I can show my wife what other people are doing and it doesn't make my hobby look as costly.

 

[H0U5ECAT]

Husky, who did all the pipe bending and welding for you?
So far that's the hardest thing for me to find. A good stainless welder, in my circles, is as rare as hens teeth.

 

[droid]

wow, just wow! Supercool man I love all the piping!! bit of morning glory on a sunday

Ed) could you explain the tangential inlet and outlet for me?

 

[husky]

1/50 ghetto points (1 point for having a manually operated valve). Shagadelic baby. I like threads like this because I can show my wife what other people are doing and it doesn't make my hobby look as costly.

The cooling water supply will eventually be run by a solenoid valve however the butterfly's when automated require compressed air and the actuators are quite large so manual for me!

Husky, who did all the pipe bending and welding for you?
So far that's the hardest thing for me to find. A good stainless welder, in my circles, is as rare as hens teeth.

There is no bending required, all 90 degree elbows are sourced from stainless steel suppliers(check out geordi's website) and are welded together by friends of mine who work in the food and beverage industry. Where you located? Shouldn't be too difficult to find someone local to you who works in the food industry, the main thing is that all lines are purged with argon prior to welding and the joins are fused only with no filler wire. I have done some of the welding myself however the guys who do it for a living achieve a much nicer finish so I have had them do any welds with product contact.

wow, just wow! Supercool man I love all the piping!! bit of morning glory on a sunday

Ed) could you explain the tangential inlet and outlet for me?

The plan is to aid the whirlpool as much as possible. It can be achieved with out the tangential outlet however my other brewery has suction line in the base of the pot so this time I thought I would try tangential. Having suction and discharge tangential and in opposing directions should benefit a good whirlpool. I have tested it with food dye in water and seemed good, wont know for sure for a few months when I give it a brew run.