Counterflow vs plate chiller efficiency?

[twobears]

I have done a lot of searching on this subject, not only here, but throughout the web as well about which chiller is better, counterflow vs plate chiller. I understand the plate chiller requires a few extra steps to cleaning it properly. That does not concern me. I want the one that uses the least amount of tap water. I want the most efficient one. Least amount of water with the fastest chill time. A 10 gallon batch that takes 5 minutes to cool at 5 gpm takes 25 gallons of water. This is acceptable. However, with the counterflow chiller I am using, it takes more like 15 minutes, which is 75 gallons of tap water!! This is NOT acceptable. What I need to know is....is a 5 minute cool-down time a real world figure? Or a sales pitch? Sure I can run the hose from my garage, into the house, down to the basement, and into the washing machine and reclaim some of that water but my washer only holds 20 gallons. In the summer time, I can water my garden with the water coming out of the chiller. In the winter, its pretty much a waste. The system Im putting together now will have an overhead reservoir tank that holds about 13.5 gallons of the luke warm water coming out of the chiller to reuse during clean up and even use gravitational head pressure to back flush my entire system but that still leaves quite a bit of wasted water. So, again....counterflow or plate chiller? Maybe 2 plate chillers? Like I said, if it only took 25 gallons of water to cool down 10 gallons of wort, I would be perfectly happy with that. Can I expect that sort of efficiency from a plate chiller?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Neither will give stellar results if you are using warm summer tap water. It really comes down to personal preference and the specific type and design of the plate or CF chiller.

With any chiller type, coolant temp is extremely critical. Any performance claims typically represent using rather cool water through the chiller.

 

[Frostbrewer]

If you are concerned about water waste then you also need to consider the amount of water needed for back flushing and cleaning those devices.

Some people probably collect the waste water and pump it through to flush but in reality you're probably going to use your hose water because of the increased pressure to blast all the crap out of either choice.

The more I think about it the more I want to get rid of my plate chiller and go with a jaded IC.

 

[SavoryChef]

I have the longest 40 plate duda diesel and can chill 18 gallons of boiling wort to 60 degrees in 5 minutes at about 7 gallons a minute of cooling water. $222 on amazon. I couldn't be more happier

 

[augiedoggy]

I use the long duda 20 plate model and can chill 5 gallons down to 60 degrees in 3 minutes in the winter... one pass directly into the fermenter. I recirculate a pbw solution through my chiller,rims and tubing for cleanup.

 

[twobears]

I think I found the answer to my question. I went to the Duda Diesel website, they have a chart showing the efficiency of each of their chiller models. I found the one I want. Its a 60 plate chiller, only uses 16 gallons of water to cool 10 gallons of wort and the water coming out is nearly 155 degrees!! I can save all of that in an overhead reservoir...AND water that hot would be great for cleanup and back flushing. Even if it is just gravity flow. Thanks guys!!

 

[pvtschultz]

I understand that the OP is probably looking for a self-contained chiller, but I have to throw this out there as an efficiency marker.

I have a 100' 3/8" copper coil immersion chiller. My well water is around 55 degrees. I can chill 6 gallons of wort to 65 degrees with about 20 gallons of water (collected for cleaning my BK and misc equipment). The key to efficiency is throttling the cooling water so that the discharge temperature is the same as the incoming wort temperature. I use a recirculating pump to whirlpool during and after chilling which helps. Cleaning the coil is just a rinse with the garden hose. Cost me <$75.

While I was on city water (no septic system), I would just crank it open and let it go down the drain. I could cool my wort much faster and Water is very cheap in Milwaukee County.

Don't mean to flame, just throwing it out there.

 

[SavoryChef]

Just make sure and get the longest chiller for the best efficiency