New gas instantaneous heat exchange brew rig

[Burt de Ernie]

G`day guys and girls!

Thought I would show you all my new 120 litre brew rig which I have been working on for the last few months and has the following features:

- Commercial LPG instantaneous boiler
- Stand made from 50mm galvanised fencing posts
- closed system heat exchange coil running on a flow and return system for the mash tun
- Instantaneous sparging mechanism
- Automatic gas bottle changeover valve
- Chugger pump and counter flow chiller
- 130000 BTU gas burner for the boil

I still need to tweek the system however preliminary testing seems very positive.

I am looking for a product to thermally insulate the mash tun...any ideas would be appreciated.

Youtube links below

 

[Grainer]

Looks great if you can maintain the correct temps

 

[kcurnow]

looks pretty cool. Do you circulate the mash in any way to prevent heat stratification from around the heat exchange coils to the middle of the mash?

 

[Burt de Ernie]

Looks great if you can maintain the correct temps

Pretty simple really....set the mash temp thermostat controller to 66 to 68 what ever suits. The thermostat controller has 0.5 degree differential set.

The thermostat then controls the flow and return pump...the rinnai senses the flow and maintains the water within the flow and return loop at 75 degrees.

The kWs that the heat exchange transfers into the mash is greater than the kWs being lost off the mash tun surface.

The Rinnai is capable of circulating at 85 degrees if needed it however based on the test run I don't think the additional energy is required.

 

[Burt de Ernie]

looks pretty cool. Do you circulate the mash in any way to prevent heat stratification from around the heat exchange coils to the middle of the mash?

Short answer No! But I did speak to the Rinnai hot water technical guy about this exact issue.

He told me the stratification itself creates movement within a vessel similar to a convection effect however, when we talked about the grain being in the water he said that this was outside of his expertise.

You do raise a great point and I think that it may be worth getting temperature gauge down low in the middle of the mash to see what the difference is.

 

[Burt de Ernie]

Looks great if you can maintain the correct temps

*update* after further testing today, I can confirm the temperature in the mash is maintained with a 4 degree variance .i.e when set at say 67 degrees, the heat exchange will cut in when the temp drops to 66.8 then cuts out at 67 again. The mash continues to rise to 67.2 due to the residual kW`s in the heat exchange.

 

[nathan_madness]

Jesus, I was thinking about using one of these units Rinnai, but faark they are $2350!

 

[idzy]

Talk about a good way to shorten your brew day preheating water, haha. Ramp times would be quick too

 

[Burt de Ernie]

Jesus, I was thinking about using one of these units Rinnai, but faark they are $2350!

Fortunately I am a Hydraulic consultant who is about to specify 450 Rinnai heaters on an apartment block project at work.

After I mentioned the word "Rheem", the Rinnai rep was more than happy to help me out.....LOL

 

[nathan_madness]

Damn you! Can you say Noritz to him for me?

 

[Burt de Ernie]

Talk about a good way to shorten your brew day preheating water, haha. Ramp times would be quick too

Insta 75 degree sparge water too!

 

[Burt de Ernie]

Alrighty....I have recently incorporated a HERMs system into my brew rig and because of this I have had to build a new mash tun in which I have included a discharge at the base of the tun instead of the side, 3 thermowells and $5.00 Woolies false bottom.

Below is the link.