Portable Temprite

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Filby

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Over the last few months Ive been putting together a portable temprite system. Fridge mechanic by trade so getting the parts and stuff together wasnt a real drama though my carpentry skills are a bit lacking :)
For people who dont know what a temprite is, basically its a big can of refrigerant with a coil of stainless steel in it that the beer passes through. As the warm beer transfers its heat to the refrigerant it boils of (beer becomes cold) and the vapour pressure (bascially the temp you want the beer to be at) is maintained by a regulator (750 valve). When the valve reaches its desired pressure it lets the refrigerant vapour pass through to the compressor that then compresses it and turns it back into a liquid (via a condensor) and put its back into the temprite can. Highly efficient system and can pull any temp liquid down to 0deg C or lower if need be. My system runs a 1.5kw compressor with R134a and can pour about a litre a minute of 25deg C beer down to 2deg C. These temprites used to be in bars everywhere under the counters but are now moving to glycol system due to the cost of refrigerant.


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Cheers mate. Just on the look out for a drip tray to suit.
 
Over the last few months Ive been putting together a portable temprite system. Fridge mechanic by trade so getting the parts and stuff together wasnt a real drama though my carpentry skills are a bit lacking :)
For people who dont know what a temprite is, basically its a big can of refrigerant with a coil of stainless steel in it that the beer passes through. As the warm beer transfers its heat to the refrigerant it boils of (beer becomes cold) and the vapour pressure (bascially the temp you want the beer to be at) is maintained by a regulator (750 valve). When the valve reaches its desired pressure it lets the refrigerant vapour pass through to the compressor that then compresses it and turns it back into a liquid (via a condensor) and put its back into the temprite can. Highly efficient system and can pull any temp liquid down to 0deg C or lower if need be. My system runs a 1.5kw compressor with R134a and can pour about a litre a minute of 25deg C beer down to 2deg C. These temprites used to be in bars everywhere under the counters but are now moving to glycol system due to the cost of refrigerant.


Bloody nice piece of work mate! Out of curiosity, how much did the unit set you back??
 
Hrmm I got the Temprite for nothing from a decommission at a pub and the condensing unit was around $400 from supplier...refrigerant from a mate who owed me (unit takes around 8kg). If you were to do one yourself it would probably cost around a grand for the refrigeration side of things.

Fil
 
Very nicely done. How would such a device go for wort chilling duty? i.e: near boiling liquid in, 12-24c out
 
Ive thought about that as well but the extremely high heat would cause a very high suction pressure and the system wouldnt be able to cope with getting rid of that kind of heat. A more plausible system would be to use a typical plate chiller and water to quickly bring the wort down to 30deg then use a temprite to drop it to 15deg or whatever you want.
Another idea ive been throwing around would be to just have the refrigeration system pull down a large tub of water/glycol to -5deg and then use that with a plate chiller.

Fil
 
I've got a spare drip tray
PM me if you're interested.
 
Over the last few months Ive been putting together a portable temprite system. Fridge mechanic by trade so getting the parts and stuff together wasnt a real drama though my carpentry skills are a bit lacking :)
For people who dont know what a temprite is, basically its a big can of refrigerant with a coil of stainless steel in it that the beer passes through. As the warm beer transfers its heat to the refrigerant it boils of (beer becomes cold) and the vapour pressure (bascially the temp you want the beer to be at) is maintained by a regulator (750 valve). When the valve reaches its desired pressure it lets the refrigerant vapour pass through to the compressor that then compresses it and turns it back into a liquid (via a condensor) and put its back into the temprite can. Highly efficient system and can pull any temp liquid down to 0deg C or lower if need be. My system runs a 1.5kw compressor with R134a and can pour about a litre a minute of 25deg C beer down to 2deg C. These temprites used to be in bars everywhere under the counters but are now moving to glycol system due to the cost of refrigerant.


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Hi Filby, nice work mate.
Whats the extra compressor for, suction connected only, are you using it to increase the suction volume
Cheers Rob
 
Hi Filby, nice work mate.
Whats the extra compressor for, suction connected only, are you using it to increase the suction volume
Cheers Rob

Hey Rob

Yer they call it a surge tank and its there just so you dont cycle on LP every time you pull the tap handle. I cut the compressor case open and took the guts out. It was just meant to be a proof of concept but it ended up staying. My welds were looking sweet until I ran out of argon without realising and the weld went porous..a lot of swearing and welds later it was sealed but looks like a dogs breakfast :) Probably replace it with a liquid receiver or suction accumulator when I find the right sized one being junked.

Fil
 
Hey Filby,

Drip tray if you're interested

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Cheers

NDH
 
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