Steam powered RIMS tube?

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, but has anybody experimented with a steam powered RIMS tube? I saw that Yuri_Rage was mixing steam with water or wort stream to raise temperature. I'm starting to imagine a "unit" (maybe a pipe) that uses steam input instead of an electric element to raise temperature.

Seems like this would have all the advantages of a RIMS tube (instant temp control, no latency due to thermal mass) with no fears of scorching. Thoughts?

I have a steam into circulating wort system for step mashing that I have used for about 7 years now. Not a difficult method of wort heating, circulating wort flows over screen wire steam diffuser in tee and steam diffuses into and heats the wort by latent energy transfer. The steam generation method is different though, a once through water heater/ steam generator like GreenMonti's is adjusted to deliver steam to maintain mixed wort temperature desired. The upside is the ability to raise steam in 60 seconds and get 30 degree rise across mixer, down side is it is much more complicated to build and operate than pressure cooker steam sources used now.

Yes, I've seen your system, kladue - I guess I didn't put it together in my head that that's exactly what you're doing. My primary goal is to maintain mash temps very accurately. With an insulated MLT that would generally require only small amounts of heat input. Is it possible to use tiny amounts of steam to raise temperature only a degree or two, or is it only for big jumps in temp? Has anyone experimented with solenoid valves (or something similar) to automate steam input?

The old system used needle valves for water and fuel flow to the boiler, water flow was constant, fuel was turned up/down as needed to hold outlet temp. It takes about 11 minutes to raise mash temp from 130 -150 with recirculated wort and steam, nice part is wort temp is controllable and is held to step temp.

Thanks for your input Kevin. Having found RIMS for Dummies, I believe I'm going to go electric.

Much easier to do and easy to control, steam is for hardcore tinkerers.

HappyValley said:

Thanks for your input Kevin. Having found RIMS for Dummies, I believe I'm going to go electric.

Click to expand...

Ahh, C-mon.

Man, I thought you had him sold Kladue.

Kladue,
Your right about the steam. There are easier ways......but I love the steam.