Last Version: Combined Pre/Counterflow Chiller

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jetgorilla

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Sorry, cant figure out how to delete other thread.

Well here it is, the final iteration of my combined pre chiller/counterflow chiller.

I wanted something compact, allowed me to purge air into the pump, recirc the wort back to the kettle till the outflow temp is right then send it on its way to the fermenter.

image-3086440584.jpg


image-1491702906.jpg
 
Do you have some sort of flow diagram, I am a little confused on how this works.
no but I'll describe it.

PRE CHILLER

Inside the aluminum pot sits the pre chiller. the aluminum pot is filled with ice water. The water from the water supply enters the pre-chiller sitting in the pot with ice water then continues into the counter flow chiller (the bottom fitting just before the temperature gauge) and exits at the top fitting on the end of the counter flow chiller and proceeds into a 1500 gallon holding tank which stores waste water. (that water is is used to water my jalapeno and habanero garden auto irrigation system).

WORT PATH

The wort leaves the keggle and heads to the march pump secured to the aluminum pot. Just before the pot is a purge valve to prime the pump. The wort passes through the pump and out to the counter flow chiller. After passing through the counter flow chiller, the wort exits to the temperature gauge housing and diverts ( the divert valve is 90 degrees to the temperature gauge) back to the keggle until the wort has been cooled to the desired temperature (In tests I can go from boiling to 70 degrees in one minute or less). Once that temperature is reached, I close the divert valve and open the valve in line with the temperature gauge housing and send it on to the fermenter. Their is some residual wort left in the recirculation circuit but once the valve is closed at the keggle, it is pulled out of the line by the wort passing to the fermenter leaving very little wort trapped in the line.

I have a fitting on the fermenter that bottom fills the carboy which is pre-loade dwith CO2 so once the wort leaves the keggle, it's pretty much a closed circuit. I have tri-clamp fitting coming and those will replace all the hose barbs when they come.
 
jetgorilla said:
no but I'll describe it. PRE CHILLER Inside the aluminum pot sits the pre chiller. the aluminum pot is filled with ice water. The water from the water supply enters the pre-chiller sitting in the pot with ice water then continues into the counter flow chiller (the bottom fitting just before the temperature gauge) and exits at the top fitting on the end of the counter flow chiller and proceeds into a 1500 gallon holding tank which stores waste water. (that water is is used to water my jalapeno and habanero garden auto irrigation system). WORT PATH The wort leaves the keggle and heads to the march pump secured to the aluminum pot. Just before the pot is a purge valve to prime the pump. The wort passes through the pump and out to the counter flow chiller. After passing through the counter flow chiller, the wort exits to the temperature gauge housing and diverts ( the divert valve is 90 degrees to the temperature gauge) back to the keggle until the wort has been cooled to the desired temperature (In tests I can go from boiling to 70 degrees in one minute or less). Once that temperature is reached, I close the divert valve and open the valve in line with the temperature gauge housing and send it on to the fermenter. Their is some residual wort left in the recirculation circuit but once the valve is closed at the keggle, it is pulled out of the line by the wort passing to the fermenter leaving very little wort trapped in the line. I have a fitting on the fermenter that bottom fills the carboy which is pre-loade dwith CO2 so once the wort leaves the keggle, it's pretty much a closed circuit. I have tri-clamp fitting coming and those will replace all the hose barbs when they come.
Any new pictures of this in action? I'm considering building this as I was already planning in building a cf chiller soon any way. Living in FL I will need the prechiller to get to pitching temps.
 
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