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dantodd · 11-02-2006, 02:17 AM

Any significant disadvantage to using aluminum for an immersion chiller? It is about 1/3 the cost of copper tubing at OSH.

**Yuri_Rage** · 11-02-2006, 02:28 AM

Nope. Just don't tell the Aluminazis. ...and always sanitize with bleach! (maybe not the aluminum, though...)

dantodd · 11-02-2006, 02:30 AM

That's sort of what I was thinking. Since my kettle is aluminum too I'm sure you can guess where the aluminazis stand on my list...

EvilTOJ · 11-03-2006, 01:22 AM

You won't get as good of a heat transfer with aluminium than you would with copper, but if I were in your situation, I'd go for the aluminium tubing too.

**Yuri_Rage** · 11-03-2006, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltwinofjoni

You won't get as good of a heat transfer with aluminium than you would with copper, but if I were in your situation, I'd go for the aluminium tubing too.

INCORRECT! Stainless would be less efficient as a heat conductor, but aluminum is at least as good a heat conductor as copper, if not better.

dantodd · 11-03-2006, 01:44 AM

Man I love google!

Aluminum, 136 BTU/(hr - ft - dF)
Copper 231 BTU/(hr - ft - dF)

I can easily put twice the aluminum for less than copper. I'm not sure if I really want 2X the tubing for the same cooling though. I also don't know exactly how much faster copper of the same length would cool the wort or how much more aluminum it takes to get similar results.

lots to think about....

**Yuri_Rage** · 11-03-2006, 01:49 AM

Nice find! I guess I was slightly incorrect about aluminum being as efficient as copper. Even so, there's a reason they make aluminum radiators... The heat transfer potential also depends on the thickness of the tubing.

Beer Snob · 11-03-2006, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri_Rage

INCORRECT! Stainless would be less efficient as a heat conductor, but aluminum is at least as good a heat conductor as copper, if not better.

Not sure if I'd say that... if that was the case wouldn't we see aluminum bottoms on expensive pots instead of copper? Not saying that I know this... just trying to follow the thought of the bottom of expensive pots thats all

**Yuri_Rage** · 11-03-2006, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beer Snob

Not sure if I'd say that... if that was the case wouldn't we see aluminum bottoms on expensive pots instead of copper? Not saying that I know this... just trying to follow the thought of the bottom of expensive pots thats all

I already acknowledged my mistake, but a lot of expensive stainless pots have a sandwiched aluminum core for exactly the same reason.

Beer Snob · 11-03-2006, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri_Rage

I already acknowledged my mistake, but a lot of expensive stainless pots have a sandwiched aluminum core for exactly the same reason.

Oh sorry. My bad. Did not read far enough down