Wort Chiller Idea

[atomicfr33x]

So I had an idea a couple of days ago.. I'm unaware if it is original..

I am looking to upgrade to an all-grain setup (38Ltr/10gal batches) and was browsing online AU & USA for a suitable Wort Chiller..

My own idea began with an esky (rectangular) that only gets used once a month for a gamerLAN I attend.. as a mere esky! such a waste..

Anyway.. I want to add a Ball Valve to the bung on the side-bottom of the esky and another to the opposite side-top, the topside Ball Valve will be connected to my boil kettle, and the bottomside Ball Valve will be syphoned to a fermenter, inside the esky the two Ball Valves will be connected via 10-20metres of heavy (the best possible grade) food grade plastic tubing (or copper tubing?) (or stainless tubing?).. the esky will be filled on the day with bottles of frozen water + cold water..

Q: If I "sparge/syphon" the boiled wort thru the "Esky Chiller" through to the fermentor at a VERY slow rate will this likely cool the wort to an acceptable temp.. I think so..

Q: Is there something I am not thinking about ?? Something really obvious prob..

I have thought this up because it's a good way to save water and seems easier to clean.

 

[jayse]

how big is the esky?

 

[T.D.]

It possibly will work, but I think what will happen is the water/ice in the esky will warm up to greater than the pitching temp before you get all the wort through. So the last lot of wort will be too warm and your overall wort temp won't be low enough as a result. That's kind of the problem a counter-flow chiller aims to address - it keeps replenishing the cold water so it continues to cool (in theory) at the same efficiency for the last litre as the first. I have a feeling you would need A LOT of ice and water to get your idea to work.

Where ideas like yours can be useful is as a pre-chiller before a plate or CF chiller, which will get the water down lower in temp which will help to get the wort temp down lower as a result.

 

[Sammus]

Yeah, it's been tried by a few. You'll melt all the bottles very quickly. You'd be surprised how much heat is in 25L of boiling wort

 

[Adamt]

It's possible... the first runnings of your batch through the esky will cool very quickly, as the temperature difference will be great (temperature difference is proportional to rate of heat transfer), however as the water in the esky warms up, and the wort partway through the line cools a little, your heat transfer will greatly suffer. Other problems include plastic tubing being a bad conductor (more on copper/stainless later), and having enough pressure to achieve any flow through 10-20m of tubing without a pump.

Roughly... if you were to immerse a 38L container of 100C wort in say 80L of 0C water, given time, the water and wort will reach equilibrium temperature around 35C. To get it done in acceptable time, you'd need a good heat transfer surface, copper/stainless tubing is good for this, and we hit the downfall of this plan! If you were buying copper/stainless tubing, just build an immersion chiller.

 

[atomicfr33x]

DanG!!

The esky is a 20Ltr job.. I seen the problem with the melting issue.. if I use my Rubbermaid adapted 10gal HLT maybe there will be enough ice to do the job..?

Anyhoo.. the esky idea would be AU$50 cheaper than a "Chillus economus - Counterflow chiller" from Grape & Grain so I guess they have sunk my boat yet again... DOH!

 

[Adamt]

Hahaha... 20L will do nothing. 20L frozen solid will probably get 38L of 100C wort down to about 65-70C.

 

[atomicfr33x]

OMG Adamt.. u type fast or my wee heavy Scotch Ale in my glass here is slowing down the time space continuum..

 

[Yorg]

The other issue, is that chilling rather than just allowing it to cool, is about getting a cold break.
Chilling slowly will not do.

 

[Sammus]

The other issue, is that chilling rather than just allowing it to cool, is about getting a cold break.
Chilling slowly will not do.

Yeah, it can also grow botulism in your beer h34r:

 

[haysie]

Yeah, it can also grow botulism in your beer h34r:

What does that taste like? I couldnt find it in Palmer (freo kid) book.

 

[BoilerBoy]

I have described this several times before, but this is the method I have only ever used since starting AG.
.
I use 9m of coiled copper that sits inside a plastic storage container that is filled with water until the coil is covered.

I freeze up 25 one Litre blocks of ice prior to brew day and hook up the coil to the kettle tap. The hot wort leaves the kettle goes through the coil and I just stir the water and keep adding ice and with a thermometer probe stuck inside a platic tube attatched to the bottom end of the copper tube I can regulate the temp as it leaves the coil by adjusting the flow at the kettle tap.

I can get 28-30 L of wort down to 18C in about 20min or even lower with 30-blocks of ice at a slower flow rate if I'm doing a lager.

The down side is freezer space for 25-30 Blocks of ice and having to prepare it in advance, but then I'd be preparing yeast in advance anyway.
The upside is wort being imediately at pitching temp and all water remains collected inside the storage container.

Cheers,
BB

 

[atomicfr33x]

I've decided to run with the "Chillus Economus" Counterflow chiller from Grain & Grape + 2125 Series FlowJet/FloPump rated at 12.5 L/Min..

I want the Counterflow system to save water, in Melbourne I think this is a real concern..

Anyone have any recommendations about the suitable pump?

 

[Sammus]

What does that taste like? I couldnt find it in Palmer (freo kid) book.

:lol: I hope I never taste it.

 

[BennyBrewster]

I've decided to run with the "Chillus Economus" Counterflow chiller from Grain & Grape + 2125 Series FlowJet/FloPump rated at 12.5 L/Min..

I want the Counterflow system to save water, in Melbourne I think this is a real concern..

Anyone have any recommendations about the suitable pump?

Im my humble opinion a Chillus economus is cumbersome and awkward with connections going all different directions etc

These are cheaper and "better" h34r:

http://www.mashmaster.com/p/365438/chillout-mkiii.html

 

[atomicfr33x]

Im my humble opinion a Chillus economus is cumbersome and awkward with connections going all different directions etc

These are cheaper and "better" h34r:

http://www.mashmaster.com/p/365438/chillout-mkiii.html

a Brazed plate chiller

yep that looks great.. I've seen it at the brewshop and online.. but by all reports it's a complete bitch to clean and a real risk to every next batch with infection.. I wish that wasn't the case as I luv gadgets and they look so sweet..