BIAB liner for RIMS

I've been wondering if there is any reason not to use a BIAB type liner in a RIMS MLT. It would make cleaning the spent grain up a little quicker. (My rig is CIP and have to scoop all of the grain out.) My process wouldn't change much other than there would be less rouge husks and clean up a bit quicker.

The only downside I see is that the upper lip on the keggle would need to be ground flush to allow the bag to be extracted.

Most of the mash will be drained from it any how so it wouldn't be any heavier than regular wet grain. Some reinforcement seems would be nice just in case.

Good idea, bad idea, or is there something I haven't considered?

Thanks

I've been thinking of doing the same thing.....
If you make the bag out of nylon like a BIAB setup I think you'll be fine. If you go for a stainless steel mesh liner I think the keg lip may have to go completely.

Ive been thinking of just trying one out with some cheap aluminum screen.... one of these days

My ongoing and depressing take on grad school just started up again so my projects are probably on hold for a while...

CodeRage said:

I've been wondering if there is any reason not to use a BIAB type liner in a RIMS MLT.

Click to expand...

I've attempted an extra large coarse nylon bag with a 1.25 qt/lb mash using a RIMS heater. At ~0.5 gal/minute flow rate (according to my flow switch), the grain in the bag formed a very compact grain bed....which slowed the flow of liquid through the bag and led to air being sucked around the edges of the bag. Lots of small bubbles in the lines. You could lift a corner of the bag and actually hear a slight suction.

Long story short - epic fail!

Were you using a false bottom with this failed attempt? It would seem that with a false bottom underneath everything the screen wouldn't make that much of a difference?
Granted I'm still thinking in window screen terms....

leboeuf said:

Were you using a false bottom with this failed attempt?

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Manifold. FWIW, a false bottom should show similar behavior since the problem is due to recirculating through a bag which, in my experience, leads to grain bed compaction after a few minutes.

bakins, who posts here every now and again, uses BIAB with his RIMS system I believe. Maybe he will spot this thread and offer some advice; if not, it might be worth a PM.