Ways of boiling the boil?

Hello! im new to this forum and i though ill give it a try.

I am currently building my first home brewery. and i work as an automations engineer at a diary so getting used automation stuff and stainless pipes is not a problem for me. so i though ill put it all to use and make something! :rockin:

i am thinking of building a sortoff RIMS brewery. and im stuck at the boil. i want to use as little of valves as posible(dont have to many sanitary-valves and dont want to use air-pressure actuated valves) have quite alot of valves that are not sanitary so this is what im wondering.

1. i have 2x 2500w heating elements. i am going to use one of them in a HLT
for the MASH running a coil in the HLT, circulating the MASH in the HLT and back to the MLT. Was wondering if i put the other element in the BLT, will this risk making bad taste to my beer? and rust?

2. what if i put both 2500W in the HLT and i run another coil in the BLT, Sending the boiling water in the HLT through the BLT, this can be easier done since i already have a pump on the HLT and running a pipe to the BLT for Washing purposes(yes im automating that to).

I dont know how boiling beer using a coil with boiling water going through works. so would like input on that, how big coil/ how much flow, all my tanks are about 50l give or take.

Would really love any tips on this or other ways to boil a boil!

heres a sketch (not complete).

I'm not sure of the details but you may want to look into setting up a modest pressure steam system instead if the plumbing isn't a cost killer. Like radiant heat from boilers to heat homes, steam can get above 212F pretty easily. Some of the brew-on-premises and micro-brews I've been to run a single boiler and then steam jacketed kettles. There's no reason you couldn't run steam through your immersion coil as long as it's rated for the pressure. *

* Any and all claims in this post should be discussed with a qualified boiler engineer. Any damage or injury, up to and including death, are the sole responsibility of the reader.

BLT? I always though that was a samich.

Now I'm hungry!

The problem you'll run into is that there has to be a temperature difference to cause the wort in the boil kettle to boil. If you aren't putting the water through the coil in the boil kettle at a temperature higher than 212F then you will never get a solid boil going in the boil kettle. You would have to pressurize the setup to get the temperature up high enough in the boil kettle using a coil. A steam jacketed kettle would be best for this endeavor.

Why not just put another heater element in the boil kettle? Seems like it would use the same number or fewer valves if that is what you are concerned about. BTW your picture isn't coming up for me.

Travestian said:

The problem you'll run into is that there has to be a temperature difference to cause the wort in the boil kettle to boil. If you aren't putting the water through the coil in the boil kettle at a temperature higher than 212F then you will never get a solid boil going in the boil kettle. You would have to pressurize the setup to get the temperature up high enough in the boil kettle using a coil. A steam jacketed kettle would be best for this endeavor.

Why not just put another heater element in the boil kettle? Seems like it would use the same number or fewer valves if that is what you are concerned about. BTW your picture isn't coming up for me.

Click to expand...

Yes. that was what i was thinking.
I have something like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicon-Water-Boiler-Heating-Element-U-Shape-Heater-Heat-Tool-230V-2500W-/261561310955?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce644deeb but will this leave any burnt taste? or will the boil "stir" itself as bubbles come and avoid this?

Strange, my picture worked on my phone. http://i.imgur.com/J2rUS8E.png?1

well lets say that ill just put a element in the boil tank. Then this will be more or less how it would look like.


http://postimg.org/image/z4zfpkj99/full/

Does this look like something that could work? or am i way off?
Any tips will be much appreciated.

ZALOULTRA said:

but will this leave any burnt taste? or will the boil "stir" itself as bubbles come and avoid this?

Click to expand...

If you go with an ulwd density element in the BK you will be fine. Take a look at the electric brewing forum. Lots of people are doing this. I've been all electric for 3 years and am yet to taste anything burnt. I've even scorched my element in my rims tube a few times and couldn't tell when it came time to drink those batches.

crane said:

If you go with an ulwd density element in the BK you will be fine. Take a look at the electric brewing forum. Lots of people are doing this. I've been all electric for 3 years and am yet to taste anything burnt. I've even scorched my element in my rims tube a few times and couldn't tell when it came time to drink those batches.

Click to expand...

Good to know!