Tall, massive steel tubes (for as little as 1200HL) make for silly osmotic pressures and forces. A supplier of mine has been working on yeast core temperature of cones in fermenters. The findings come thru that the measured temperature of the centre of the cone (due to pressure of said CCV's) was way above healthy limits for yeasties (>10 degress C from the prescribed tank temp), creating more than one pre-cursor for autolytic conditions and an increase in 'off' profiles.
Alot of CCV's were meant to be used as unitanks - ferment and condition in one tank. This is also in question as different yeast (and withing re-pitches) behave differently; some will compact neatly, some not so much. So, if 30% of your yeast forms a plug on the side of the cone how do you get it out?? You cant get in and give it a stir as it will go back in to suspension. What about rousing?? If you did that with 900,000 Hl of beer how would CO2 nucleate? When the beer erupts out the man way and causes a flood down the streets how do you tell the boss (or SWMBO) ... and yes this has happened...
Without proper cooling zones I would also be skeptical that you can manage the convection of the ferment/condition to achieve your desired aims on any size CCV. Convection is deliberately used in the ferment and conditioning cycles in CCV's to lift yeast or compress into the cone. So what do you want a CCV for? Yeast concentration?
Imagine a lovely dish bottomed fermenter. A 30l plastic drum has a sort-of dish. With a filter from someone like a sponsor (AKA Ross) you concentrate yeast in a much more manageable and organized fashion... aka you do it quicker and in a more beneficial way... with money left over to buy a mill ... or more kegs... or more kegs and malt and hops and a mill....
Scotty
)
