In-Line Carbonation

slimer · 06-16-2009, 04:22 PM

After getting my BYO yesterday, I read about the in-line O2 diffusion as well as the filtration article.

I was thinking, why not build something that would do both carbonation and filtering at the time of racking?

So the general layout would be:
Corny w/flat beer Out Post => Water Filtration Cartridge w/ 2 Micron Filter => Diffusion Stone (like the O2 one in BYO) =>Corny keg w/"carbed" beer Out Post

Now a few questions...
1. I understand that sanitation is of the utmost importance, would there be problems using quick disconnects and sanitizing them?

2. Would the "carbed" beer foam up in the corny keg too much? I know the colder the beer/kegs, the less of a chance of foaming.

Anyone else think this would work?

**Bobby_M** · 06-16-2009, 04:36 PM

Thinking...

It could work but getting the pressures right will be tough. You'll need pressure on the donor keg to push the beer through the filter (maybe 15psi). You'll also supply the inline stone with some level of CO2 and maybe the same pressure. To get the receiving keg to hold the foam at bay but still allow the beer to flow, you'd want to hold it at about 12psi (I'm just guessing something like a 3psi differential is Okay). To do that, you can rig an adjustable spunding valve. The low rent method would be to pull the pressure release occasionally. You'll want to get the beer cold before doing anything.

I guess I just don't see the extra work being worth it for inline carbonation.

slimer · 06-16-2009, 04:48 PM

I was just thinking about it too. That one brewpub thread said that they did in-line carbonation, so it got me thinking about it.

I think 15psi would be too high. What if you had a check valve at the end of the carbonation tee so there wouldn't be any backflow?

That way you could have one tee, not lose CO2 and have it be a fully closed system.

**Bobby_M** · 06-16-2009, 07:56 PM

Well the thing is, you def need pressure to push the beer and if you didn't vent the other end, the flow would eventually stop. Also, even if you get some (or all) CO2 absorbed inline, you need the donor keg to stay pressurized or you'll lose it.