Anyone use a plate chiller as Herms HEX?

I would really like to try using my shirron plate chiller as a herms heat exchanger. I know there are issues with clogging, but I think ive got a system that will work out. let me know what you think.

• • Recirculate the mash to remove as many husk chunks as possible.
  • Attach the hoses so that the mash liquor will be pumped through the WATER side of the chiller while the hot water will be pumped through the WORT side of the chiller.
  • Turn on both pumps and pump away, adjusting the temperature in the HLT as needed.

This way, the Liquor will have a larger set of holes to travel through, the husks that would clog it have been filtered out by the grainbed, and any sanitation issues with the husks getting caught in the chiller and harboring lacto and such is eliminated because the grain husks will not touch the wort side of the chiller.

What do you guys think?

I've thought about this before but after running my HERMS through a few batches, I don't think it's practical. Even if you were to recirculate before running through the plate chiller, any time the flow is disrupted, more gunk gets dislodged and it takes a bit for it to run clear again. That means any time you stop/restart the pump, raise the temperature or do an infusion you risk getting your plate chiller clogged.

I honestly do not see a benefit. You would be complicating the process, for no net gain. A simple 25' coil in the HLT, which you already have, would do the same as a plate chiller that could get clogged and two pumps.

Also, realize that the more plumbing you have outside of the HLT, the less efficient the whole process of maintaining temps will be.

This sounds like a serious case of overengineering what is a simple process.

My 25' coil in my HLT is plenty efficient enough to maintain mash temps within .5F during the entire mash.

The Pol said:

My 25' coil in my HLT is plenty efficient enough to maintain mash temps within .5F during the entire mash.

Click to expand...

Resurrecting an old thread. A few questions for you The Pol, in case you are still active on this board:

Copper or SS? And also what ID (and wall thickness if you have it)?

And lastly, .5F seems like your maintaining-mash-temps delta. Do you mashout and/or ever step mash, and if so what are the results you get with your 25' coil in that case (time to get the entire mash stepped to target temp)?

thanks,

fafrd