whirlpool/pump recirc in boilermaker

I'm building a brutus 10 type system with boilermaker kettles and have a question regarding recirculation in the boil kettle. I'll be using a plate chiller and would like to recirculate the boil towards the end to sanitize it, creating a whirlpool would be a plus too. I am wondering if the best way to do this is to simply cut a hole towards the bottom the the kettle and add a 90 deg elbow inside with a weldless fitting, or if I can use the hole already there for the thermometer and angle some stainless or copper tubing. I would like to minimize the amount of "damage" I have to do to the boilermakers, but I'm not sure if the thermometer hole is the right size for the weldless fittings. I've read on here somewhere that it's too large for the thermowell, so I already have to cut a hole in the lid for the HLT. Has anyone done anything like this? recommendations?

I've found a 1/2" NPT to 1/2" brass flare elbow to make a great whirlpool return on the inside of the kettle. I initially bent some 1/2" OD copper tube and tested with it removed and it worked great! I'd try it in the thermometer hole... not sure how the weldless fittings are on those though.

And don't put it too low in the kettle, defeats the purpose.

Fletch said:

And don't put it too low in the kettle, defeats the purpose.

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Thats what I would think. You would want your wort to go out at the bottom hot, then back in at the top. I am toying with the idea right now of adding a return in the MT and HLT lid. Then, like Lonnie does it, I can draw the wort out of the bottome of the BK, then back in at the top. I am going to use Loc-Line as others have used. Then I can bend it to wherever gives me the best "whirl". I will use the MT lid on top of the BK for that. Then, like Lonnie, I will use my HLT to hold my ice water. I will then pump (have to have 2 pumps for this setup, I bought a second one so i could do this) ice water from the HLT, thru the chiller and back to the top of the HLT (holding the ice water).

My ONLY challenge in all of this is keeping the hop crude out of my chiller. The only way I can see doing this is to run a whirlpool session at flameout omitting the HE. Then once I have that done I can use my Hop Blocker to help keep it out whilst I cool my wort as mentioned above.

Either that or....sell my new Therminator and add a HERMS copper coil to my HLT. This will allow me to pump wort from my MT during the mash to hold temps steady. Then after flameout, chill the wort by running the the HERMS coil which would now be sitting in in ice bath. I would then recirculate the ice bath by pumping from the bottom of the HLT, thru the pump and back into the aforementioned lid Loc-Line.

Yambor44 said:

I am going to use Loc-Line as others have used.

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FWIW, loc-line isn't designed to handle boiling wort - it's rated for 170F. I've seen pictures of cracked loc-line after running boiling wort through it a few times.

lamarguy said:

FWIW, loc-line isn't designed to handle boiling wort - it's rated for 170F. I've seen pictures of cracked loc-line after running boiling wort through it a few times.

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Thanks a lot. I was going to check there site before actually adding it to the BK. I forgot to mention that above. Glad you caught that.

+1 to Loc-line rated to 170º. I would not boil it.

The Thermo-hole is too small. You will either need to expand that hole or add a new one. If you don't have a Greenlee (or similar) punch, a step bit will be your next best bet for a nice round hole.

I suggest a simple 1/2" street elbow for the return.

Thanks. I thought that hole may be too small. I go this route and get the stainless elbow. It's gonna hurt to drill into a brand new boilermaker, but I'll make do. As far as recirculation goes, how do people set this up? Does wort flow from the kettle to the pump, then the chiller, and back to the kettle? Or chiller before pump? Or use 2 pumps?

kettle -> pump -> chiller -> return

March (and all centrifugal type) pumps "push" liquid. They are not positive displacement pumps. As such, you need to "push" liquid through any downstream components, not "pull" it through.

I hope that makes sense.

Measure twice (or three times) cut once.

Also, use a center punch so your bit doesn't wander, and drill a small pilot hole to get things started.

I use that blue painters tape for laying everything out because it comes off without leaving any residue.

I drilled my keggle with a step bit. I feel your pain on the drilling a brand new Blichmann!

http://www.drillspot.com/pimages/2521/252100_300.jpg

So I guess we should install them around the area where you are just under the wort at the end of the boil (which would be the 6 gallon mark on my kettle). So I am assuming I need another ball valve to keep this closed off. Is this what you used?

If by "you" you mean me, then:

1. I actually like the return to be at about the middle of the volume of finished wort. I find I get a MUCH better whirlpool this way and better turbulence leading to better heat transfer.

2. Yes you need a ball valve unless you have another solution for liquid management.

I have march pumps, and figured thats the way to do it. I just wanted to be sure.

I ordered a step bit from bargainfittings and planed on using a pilot. They have a decent tutorial for cutting into kegs that petty much describes what you mentioned above. I have 15 gallon kettles and will be doing both 5 and 10 gallon batches, so I was planning on cutting the hole around the 2-3 gallon mark to ensure that it's always submerged and to get a decent whirlpool going. I was thinking about the ball valve issue, and was thinking that a simple quick disconnect attached the the weldless coupler should do the trick. The ball valve on the pump will control the flow going into the kettle and the quick disconnect should prevent liquid from spilling out of the whirlpool intake when its not being used for recirculation. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that when the disconnects are disconnected, they are sealed. If this isn't the case, I can use a ball valve.

Most quick disconnects don't shut off flow when not connected.

interesting..guess I need another ball valve then.