Whirlpool Return Pipe

[thefrothologist]

Hi, I'm trying to build a return pipe out of stainless steel that will allow me to recirculate the wort through a pump to do my whirlpool. I'm running a 90˚ elbow at the top of a 20G Blichmann G2 kettle so will need a decent length of mandrel bent 1/2" SS tubing but am having no luck finding anything for a reasonable price. I've already got the 1/2" compression fitting connected to the elbow.

Can anyone recommend someone who manufactures pieces like this or can supply the tubing? I'm based in Sydney.

This is a similar concept though not so sure I would go for such an acute angle at the bottom. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Daniel

 

[NewtownClown]

You may want to research the best position for whirlpool returns; from memory, the consensus is bottom third of your smallest batch and at a 30 degree tangent. It doesn't have to be stainless, copper is just as good

 

[takai]

You can get 1/2" tubing relatively easily from automotive speed shops. They tend to use it for fuel supply pipes.

Dont bother with mandrel bending though, 5x or 10x radius bends will be just as effective.

 

[thefrothologist]

yeah, a 30° angle is ideal if coming in from the side though with a drop down pipe I might have to use a bit of guess work for the angle, going off different batch size it's tricky for the height as well, would love to have it adjustable, or have different lengths on hand...

thanks for the idea of speed shops, will make some calls, got everything in ss already so keen to keep it all consistent...

 

[MastersBrewery]

I have a half roll of annealed SS tube ( about 5m ) left over from making my CFC and whirl pool thingy will post some pics when I get the chance. I'll be at ISB meeting Wednesday happy to discuss then if your going.

MB



ED: happy to bring in whirlpool thing to ISB if you want to have a closer look too

 

[thefrothologist]

that could be perfect, had to look up annealed! is that better for bending? I'll be at the ISB meeting so that would be perfect, can chat and organise it then...

 

[MastersBrewery]

will see you there!

 

[MastersBrewery]

Lads be sure to do a good cleaning run after install and all should be good. Great to meet you guys. Post some pics when you're all done.

 

[thefrothologist]

Will do mate. Hopefully will get it done this weekend ready to brew on Sunday. Hope you like smokey beers as that's what will be the first brew to be done with the new attachment! Photos will follow soon.

Thanks again!

 

[Fat Bastard]

Just a thought, your return looks like it's very low in the vessel and might create a fair bit of turbulence, upsetting the trub cone. I did a fair bit of development work in mine and came to te conclusion that the best spot for it was about 1/3 of the way to the bottom, measured from te post boil wort level. Your's doesn't look like it'll be too hard to modify if you decide it doesn't work where it is, but it's something to bear in mind.

 

[thefrothologist]

Thanks Fat *******! Totally agree. The photo was just one I found on the internet to best describe the idea I wanted to replicate. You're totally right that the inlet should be roughly a 1/3 from the bottom and ideally at a 30˚ tangent to the kettle wall. I'll post photos once mine is up and running as an example if anyone else wants to modify their kettle the same way. Hopefully I can get a photo of the trub pile post transfer to show the effectiveness of it...

 

[Fat Bastard]

Sorry, my post might have been a bit confusing, I have mine 1/3 of the way from the top. or 2/3 of the way to the bottom from the post boil wort level. High enough to avoid turbulence kicking up more trub from the bottom, low enough to push the wort column around efficiently. Bit hard to tell in the pic below, but the return is the one on the right. I also found a very slight upward angle works better than a horizontal inlet.

 

[thefrothologist]

Good to know about the upwards angle brig beneficial, I'll take that into account for the first brew...

from what I remember I think having a wider whirlpool tank is better and have the inlet a 1/3 from the bottom is also good, possibly as if you are using a separate tank you would want to minimise splashing at the start of transfer so having it closer to the bottom would work better, possibly very different in the sense of recirculating within the same vessel, perhaps looking at commercial combination kettle/whirlpool tanks might help?

 

[thefrothologist]

btw, that's a very tidy kettle you have there, what system are you running?

 

[thefrothologist]

So, thanks MastersBrewery, the pipe works perfectly, I was completely out with my estimation of how tall out kettle was as well! Considering running the whirlpool without the hop blocker as that's the only thing stopping flow now and I have a feeling it's disrupting the whirlpool?

 

[takai]

I quite like the minimal trub blocker design that SS Brewtech use on their kettles. Not sure how effective it is though, but ill be doing something similar on my new kettle.