Pic Of My Whirlpool Immersion Chiller

[WildaYeast]

Hi All,

Just wanted to share a pic of my new whirlpool immersion chiller.



Got the 18m of 1/2" copper from Sammus who posted it for sale last week. Arrived in the post today and a mate at work helped me twist it up. Used the B3 Superchiller as the basic design (which should suit my converted 50 L kettle) and added JZ's immersion component per Mr Malty.

My coil diamater is a bit smaller than the B3 because that's what I had to wrap around, which makes it a bit higher, so I haven't left quite as much of a gap at the bottom. However, have left some as I figure it will help provide room for trub to settle in the middle.

Have put the whirlpool pipe on the outside, and at the bottom, versus Jamil's being high and on the inside. Not sure that either is better, but I have the room to go on the outside as my kettle opening is larger than my coil diameter and just figured I'd try it on the bottom, which makes it longer and I can always cut some off later. May have a harder time starting a good whirlpool towards the bottom, but we'll see.

I just need some fittings and a pump. Will try to get the former this arvo so I can give it a go this weekend. The latter is down the road, but I figure I can try it without the whirlpool first and time the temperature decrease, then compare later to see the effect of the whirlpool.

Cheers, Brian

 

[Sammus]

Awesome stuff mate, I wish I had one

 

[WildaYeast]

Awesome stuff mate, I wish I had one

Glad you caught the post. Couldn't believe I got it in the mail today and it is all but ready to use -- figured it would sit around for a while like most of my projects do! Thanks again.

 

[Jye]

Hey Brian,

I use one in my kettle and it makes cooling with an IM much more efficient.

But you want the whirlpool entry at the top, this way you are drawing wort from the bottom and returning to the top. This not only whirlpools the wort but moves it from top to bottom, you want as much agitation as possible.

And having it on the outside of the chiller is fine.

Cheers
Jye

 

[axl]

Excuse my ingnorance but, How exactly does the whirlpool component work?

 

[sqyre]

Looks great Mate!!!
I take it you just hook up a march pump to whirlpool the wort?
I like it... :super:

Sqyre...

 

[goatherder]

Excuse my ingnorance but, How exactly does the whirlpool component work?

You pump wort out of your kettle tap and back in through the whirlpool spout. The motion of the wort greatly increases the cooling efficiency of the coils by uniformly distributing the cooled wort through the kettle. Without this motion the cool wort tends to stay in layers close to the chiller. I cut my cooling time in half by doing this, shaving a good 20-30 mins off the brewday. I've also learned by bitter experience that you need to turn the pump on a good 10mins before flameout to adequately sanitise the pump and hoses.

 

[Screwtop]

Hi All,

Just wanted to share a pic of my new whirlpool immersion chiller.

View attachment 17224

Got the 18m of 1/2" copper from Sammus who posted it for sale last week. Arrived in the post today and a mate at work helped me twist it up. Used the B3 Superchiller as the basic design (which should suit my converted 50 L kettle) and added JZ's immersion component per Mr Malty.

My coil diamater is a bit smaller than the B3 because that's what I had to wrap around, which makes it a bit higher, so I haven't left quite as much of a gap at the bottom. However, have left some as I figure it will help provide room for trub to settle in the middle.

Have put the whirlpool pipe on the outside, and at the bottom, versus Jamil's being high and on the inside. Not sure that either is better, but I have the room to go on the outside as my kettle opening is larger than my coil diameter and just figured I'd try it on the bottom, which makes it longer and I can always cut some off later. May have a harder time starting a good whirlpool towards the bottom, but we'll see.

I just need some fittings and a pump. Will try to get the former this arvo so I can give it a go this weekend. The latter is down the road, but I figure I can try it without the whirlpool first and time the temperature decrease, then compare later to see the effect of the whirlpool.

Cheers, Brian

Hmm Noice Brian, but I'm with Jye, the input needs to be higher up, mine re-enters about 250mm up from the bottom.

Cheers,

Screwy

 

[enoch]

I've also learned by bitter experience that you need to turn the pump on a good 10mins before flameout to adequately sanitise the pump and hoses.

But the flip side is you get to sanitise the entire cold side of the system by just turning on the pump - love it.
Are folks leaving the whirlpool return roud or trying to make it into more of a nozzle? I squished mine with some pliers to increase the velocity of flow but I am not convinced.

 

[WildaYeast]

Thanks guys.

Don't have a pump yet, but have sent a PM to SpecialK to get a quote on a March pump. Had thought of a peristaltic, but tot advice that flow rate is unlikely to be sufficient to induce a whirlpool.

Whirlpool tube is just on with ties, so figured I'd play with raising and lowering it to see what effect it has (maybe just with water at first... would be easier to see the effect.

Axl, check out the Mr Malty link in my post above. Jamil provides a nice explanation about how the quicker temp drop is beneficial from the hops aroma side of things.

Cheers, Brian

 

[Tony]

I have planned to hard plumb a system like thin into my kettle so i dont have to sit stand and stir the brew over the chiller for an hour. The pump can do that.

I was thinking of picking up from my usual pick up at the bottom but thet will just get break and hops and bust it all up into the brew.

Im thinking of picking up half way up the kettle and returning at the same place (at an angle) to create a wirlpool. Doesnt have to be much, just enough to stir it over the chiller.

As scott said, started 10 min before the end of the boil

HEy goaty........ does it take the brew ff the boil when you kick it up?

cheers

 

[Darren]

Hey Wilda,

Looks. Probab;y best to seperate the coils a little to stop the wort inside the coil becoming too cold and reducing your cooling efficiency.

Just a curiosity, how does this set-up work more efficiently than simply delivering the hot wort to the top of the boiler with a hose to establish a whirlpool?

cheers

Darren

 

[WildaYeast]

Hey Wilda,

Looks. Probab;y best to seperate the coils a little to stop the wort inside the coil becoming too cold and reducing your cooling efficiency.

Just a curiosity, how does this set-up work more efficiently than simply delivering the hot wort to the top of the boiler with a hose to establish a whirlpool?

cheers

Darren

Not sure if I understand you, but this is combining a standard immersion chiller with the whirlpool. It works better than just recirculating because it has 'cold' water running through the coils, 'extracting' heat.

 

[Darren]

Hey again Wilda,

Sorry for my ignorance, but I still dont understand the set-up. Can you post a pic of the inside coils?

cheers

Darren

 

[Trent]

Wilda
I tried to use the whirlpool side of things before, but no matter how I tried, or how much I crimped the ends of the outlet pipe, I couldn't get it to make a decent whirlpool. I have the 809 HS march pump, apparently capable of pumping something like 8L/min, but I have never managed to get more than about 2 or 3L per min. Best of luck with it, though, sounds like few others have had success with it, and it really looks nice. Mind you, I only gave it one "brewing" attempt with unsatisfactory results (after several hours/days worth of water runs) and gave up, so there is probably some simple answer - I just have no patience!
All the best
Trent

 

[goatherder]

I have planned to hard plumb a system like thin into my kettle so i dont have to sit stand and stir the brew over the chiller for an hour. The pump can do that.

I was thinking of picking up from my usual pick up at the bottom but thet will just get break and hops and bust it all up into the brew.

Im thinking of picking up half way up the kettle and returning at the same place (at an angle) to create a wirlpool. Doesnt have to be much, just enough to stir it over the chiller.

As scott said, started 10 min before the end of the boil

HEy goaty........ does it take the brew ff the boil when you kick it up?

cheers

Sorry Tony, missed this one. Yep, it does come off the boil but only for about a minute. After my beer has hit pitching temp I switch off the pump and do a bit of cleanup and whatnot to give the wort 20 mins or so to settle out.