Flash boiler

[kladue]

Valving the boiler outlet is not the best idea, the flash boiler lets you superheat the steam to 300+ degrees if desired so the coil temperature can be raised by increasing the burner flame. The cheapest approach to water measurement has been to fill an unheated container with either all water for batch, or refill after strike water. The HLT becomes redundant as the boiler will deliver any temperature water on demand, no need to store hot water. Saving the condensate is good from a energy conservation aspect but is not necessary for operation as boiler capacity should be sufficient for low flow sparge heating from 50 degree inlet water. Normal boiler/water system operation is all water for 6 gallon batch is placed in water tank and then a pump moves water through boiler in strike heating mode until all strike water is in MLT. Left over water is used for steam stepping and then sparge water. A float and rod arraingement was used on the old system and pressure sensor level measurement was used on the new systemThe "Park" model sureflo pump works if a return line and needle valve are installed on the pump discharge line to keep pump running continously. With the lower back pressure the pump motor has not overheated even when run 45 minutes for sparge water heating.

 

[beerthirty]

WPS, I'm not the expert. I believe what you are suggesting is superheating. This requires pressure, pressure can be dangerous. Monti has built a low pressure system that accomplishes his goal without being dangerous to life or limb. While I'm, sure some one will try it, I hope it is someone that has a professional background in steam generation. Most of us are just experimenting.

Edit: thanks K, I'm glad you replied, I would hate to see someone hurt trying to improve the concept without knowing the consequences.

 

[kladue]

The pressure cooker method requires pressure to increase steam temperatures, the flash boiler does not need back pressure for higher temperatures. In the flash boiler only lower 30-50% of the boiler is actually boiling the water, as the steam travels up the remaining tubing it absorbs more heat (Superheating) before it leaves the boiler tubing. The outlet temperature is a function of steam flow and hot gas temperature in the boiler. If you want hotter steam you maintain steaming water flow and increase burner fire, up to 500 degrees is very easy, normally you increase water/steam flow to hold steam at 220 - 250 degrees while at beginning of step mashing. The flash boiler responds to water and burner changes within seconds making it a bit challenging to manually control as you have to pay constant attention during steps. Time to steam is usually only 45-80 seconds, to hit strike and sparge water temp is about 50-60 seconds, making this method the quickest way to start from cold water to dough in.

 

[GreenMonti]

The pressure cooker method requires pressure to increase steam temperatures, the flash boiler does not need back pressure for higher temperatures. In the flash boiler only lower 30-50% of the boiler is actually boiling the water, as the steam travels up the remaining tubing it absorbs more heat (Superheating) before it leaves the boiler tubing. The outlet temperature is a function of steam flow and hot gas temperature in the boiler. If you want hotter steam you maintain steaming water flow and increase burner fire, up to 500 degrees is very easy, normally you increase water/steam flow to hold steam at 220 - 250 degrees while at beginning of step mashing. The flash boiler responds to water and burner changes within seconds making it a bit challenging to manually control as you have to pay constant attention during steps. Time to steam is usually only 45-80 seconds, to hit strike and sparge water temp is about 50-60 seconds, making this method the quickest way to start from cold water to dough in.

I-I, I can attest to that. I setup the boiler again today just to see it run again. I watched the temp creep for the first couple of seconds and once the line was clear it hit full run temp in no time. I don't think a bi metal gauge could move any more fast to read the temp. Boom I was at 212* until the temp in the kettle started to approach the same temp as the steam. Then the pressure will build a bit and allow the temp to rise to 225-230*.

As mentioned by Beerthirty, the safety of this unit is unreal. Today I watched the pressure closely as I turned off the burner, and as fast as I could turn off the gas flow and got the burp pop from the burner I had zero pressure in the system. I don't know how a steam system could be any more safe. If a leak in the steam line were to happen, I don't think higher temps would be possible. The system would resort back to 212 and the amount of steam would be no worse then a pot of boiling water on the stove top. It most certainly would not suck up all the O2 in the room and kill you.

I so far have found the instant response of the boiler to be very comforting. All the testing I have done, I have seen the differences in the changes pretty much right away and if left alone they will stay constant. NOW, with the condensate return setup that will be different. As the incoming water is presented to the boiler at an increased temp things can/will get out of hand real fast. Careful attention to the system will be needed as things heat up, that's for sure.

 

[GreenMonti]

Well, because I ferment under pressure and I haven't seen a conical that can stand up to what I need it to do pressure-wise. But... If I were doing normal fermentation, I would definitely think that way for sure. I'm thinking mainly just a way to enlarge my kettle, and a way to go to steam boiling with a insulated kettle to match my other two vessels.

By the way, had another question for you guys. If I went the flash boiler route, I wouldn't need my HLT for anything other than to measure my additions to the MT. I was thinking to keep my HLT, fill it with instantly heated water (via Flash boiling), keep it at temperature with my electrically controlled element until needed, and then (here's the question) use it as a gravity fed supply for the flash boiler. Would this work? Would the steam/hot waste water go up and into the HLT under just temperature from being flash boiled? "Or" Is a pump or water pressure from a tap needed? Just curious and hope it would be possible, but this ain't my thing if you know what I mean.

"IF" you had/kept a HLT and filled it with instantly hot water. Then you kept the temp up by a electric element, Why would the flash boiler come back into the equation? IMO there is no need for the boiler after that. Just gravity feed the MLT from the HLT.

Depending on the head pressure from the HLT the pressure in the boiler might make it hard to control the flow. When I say "pressure" and "boiler" I am also referring to resistance from the amount of tubing you have to go through. Maybe I am not thinking right due to some adult beverages, but I think if the HLT is at temp it would be more easy to bypass the boiler for the sparge water delivery. Of course this is assuming you have more then 1 tier.

 

[Farside]

How about making a "Witches Hat" conical screen with center outlet for the flat bottom boil kettles, the trub would settle along outside after whirlpool and clear wort would run through screen to pickup tube.

Have you tried this? Does it actually work or does the trub just break up and pass through the screen.

I've been reading about whirlpooling and the big concern is keeping the hot break intact. A pump tends to break it up and so manual stirring is preferred.

Has anyone thought of building a BIG stirplate instead?

 

[WPStrassburg]

The flash boiler concept relies on the system surface area created by the 10'-25' of coil to first boil and saturate the steam then super heat it to the 300-500 degrees. The final the top portions of your heated coil that is still in contact with your flame is what is doing the superheating of the steam by taking it from saturation to superheated. If you were to spring a leak in the exposed part of the system from the boiler to coil inlet the superheated steam would be a heck of a lot more dangerous then a saturated leak. Also if the entire coil was pressurized you would get more heating ability with a lower inlet temp. The superheated steam is basically at a few pounds above or equal to atmospheric pressure which means as soon as it condenses in the heating coil it is at 212 and not helping do any boiling.

For safety everyone really should have a relief valve at the discharge of the boiler before it goes to the coil. If the boiler builds any scale inside it then the scale breaks loose, plugging the coil, you will have a rapidly pressurized, superheated bomb. you've seen how fast it takes to go from 212 to 3-500, so never get comfortable and complacent with one of these unless you've got relief valves in place.

Also I'm far from an expert, I'm only taking from my limited real life experiences with a few installs and some additional reading to link our stuff to the big boilers out there. I would however be out in the garage right now tweaking with one of these if I didn't have replacement windows and sheetrock to finish

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superheated_steam


http://www.ogdenmfg.com/pdf/tech21.pdf

Keep up the good work fellas!!!!

 

[WortMonger]

"IF" you had/kept a HLT and filled it with instantly hot water. Then you kept the temp up by a electric element, Why would the flash boiler come back into the equation? IMO there is no need for the boiler after that. Just gravity feed the MLT from the HLT.

Depending on the head pressure from the HLT the pressure in the boiler might make it hard to control the flow. When I say "pressure" and "boiler" I am also referring to resistance from the amount of tubing you have to go through. Maybe I am not thinking right due to some adult beverages, but I think if the HLT is at temp it would be more easy to bypass the boiler for the sparge water delivery. Of course this is assuming you have more then 1 tier.

For strike you are correct, sorry I didn't specify more. After you have used the boiler to heat the HLT water for the strike, it would be pointless to run that same water through the boiler again. I am talking about using hot water in the HLT that was in excess of your strike for pre-heated flash boiler water for temperature steps in the mash, and then later for feeding the boiler during boiling in the kettle.

The question I had posed about gravity feeding the boiler, comes from the stand point I have a 3-tier with my HLT on the very top. I was just curious if that would be enough pressure falling from the HLT to not "back-up" into the HLT during the flash boiling process (I have no working knowledge of how these things work other than basics). I was also curious about "used" steam and condensate being able to move upwards under pressure created during the flash boiling process and into the top of the HLT for re-use (like during a step or during kettle boiling). In my system, after spending the time and money to make it the way it is, I won't go to a flow control or etc as I feel more comfortable using the HLT as normal (I only want to fill it instantly with hot water for use). Hope that lays out my wants and reason for curiousity better for you.

 

[kladue]

An answer to the superheated steam and flash boiler, yes the superheated steam is more hazardous than saturated steam as it will have to cool back to the saturation point to become visible. This is one of the sphincter puckering aspects when working around 1,000 degree steam at 2K psi and you hear the hiss/scream of flowing steam but can not see the vapour. The operation of the flash boiler should be such that as temperature goes above 250 you increase water/steam flow to limit superheat. But you have to take into account the small volume of water being boiled, full boiler is abot 16 ounces, steaming mode is about half that.
The condensate could be sent to HLT to conserve energy, as water is warmed the operating aspects of the flash boiler will change as boiling happens lower in the tubes unless flow is increased. I use a gravity setup with a March MD-2 pump for water feed to the boiler so changing back pressure would not affect flow during operation.

 

[WPStrassburg]

The question I had posed about gravity feeding the boiler, comes from the stand point I have a 3-tier with my HLT on the very top. I was just curious if that would be enough pressure falling from the HLT to not "back-up" into the HLT during the flash boiling process (I have no working knowledge of how these things work other than basics). I was also curious about "used" steam and condensate being able to move upwards under pressure created during the flash boiling process and into the top of the HLT for re-use (like during a step or during kettle boiling).

Without a boiler inlet water pressure greater than the height you are pumping up to I think the boiler would just flood, then burp pockets of steam as they are formed either way into the supply/condensate piping. Unless you used a pump as klaude or condensate trap i think you've just got to let it drain off into a bucket them heft it back up to dump it in the hlt if you want to reuse the condensate.

I use a gravity setup with a March MD-2 pump for water feed to the boiler so changing back pressure would not affect flow during operation.

You like the pump better than direct fed from a garden hose or is there another reason?

 

[kladue]

The reason for the pump is both systems use a water tank to measure water volume for brewing. This was the simplest cost effective method to handle water volumes used in both strike and steam/sparge phases of brewing. Old system uses a cork float and level indicator rod with a SureFlo pump, new system uses an elevated tank with level transmitter and March AC-2CP-MD pump. The control program for the new system calculates and controls water volumes and boiler operation for the various steps.

 

[GreenMonti]

Without a boiler inlet water pressure greater than the height you are pumping up to I think the boiler would just flood, then burp pockets of steam as they are formed either way into the supply/condensate piping.

If the HLT is gravity feeding the boiler, and the boiler outlet is going back to the same HLT, there is no head pressure. Now if the boilers outlet is going up over the top of the HLT, then the only head pressure seen by the system will be whatever the difference in height is. Ie...The top of the water surface to the top of the HLT. It wont be much. If the strike water was already taken from the HLT then lets just say about 12" too make things easy. That would be .5 psi head.

I still don't think it is a good idea as the system will rely on the steam bubbles to create the water movement. Which may never happen. I would bet the boiler would make steam bubbles come out both ends and do nothing but sit and shutter from all the water flowing right back in on it.

 

[WortMonger]

That sounds like what I was thinking. I just thought if it would work then why not. I will probably just use tap water pressure and collect my output for cleaning/etc. I cannot wait to start building mine now. I am still thinking about using my Therminator for a heat exchanger though. I just can't get the thought out of my mind. What about boiling with a high input of super heated steam run through the Therminator and a pump moving the wort through the other way? Anything passing through it would be boiling right? I have good filtration for no worries with using it for mash stepping, so I figured wort boiling would work as well. Still worth getting good answers from you guys in the "know."

 

[WPStrassburg]

What about boiling with a high input of super heated steam run through the Therminator and a pump moving the wort through the other way? Anything passing through it would be boiling right?

The wort out temp would be based on in wort temp and flow rate and steam temp and volume in. One way or another if you slow the wart stream down enough, you will get boiling wort out. The plate exchangers like the therminators are very efficient and are close to 100% if insulated. With the superheated steam you may risk scorching in the first area of contact due to the high temps. If all the therminators are the same and the ports are in the same plane, but on opposite sides it may be better suited for liquid/liquid exchange rather than steam/liquid exchange. Some exchangers are made to steam in the top, condensate out the bottom, cool liquid in the bottom, hot out the top.

Play with your by switching which port you hook the steam into to get higher wort out temps.


I think heating for strike water, step mashing, and sparge water heating are perfect candidates for this style of heating, but what is everyones drive (besided being super cool!!!) for boiling with indirect steam? Direct (like klaude) makes sense, but indirect seems to be wasting a lot of fuel just for boiling.

 

[GreenMonti]

I think heating for strike water, step mashing, and sparge water heating are perfect candidates for this style of heating, but what is everyones drive (besided being super cool!!!) for boiling with indirect steam? Direct (like klaude) makes sense, but indirect seems to be wasting a lot of fuel just for boiling.

I will admit the the cool factor is what got me interested. Now that I see what it can do, I am intrigued by what steam is capable of. I have been looking and reading a bit. I don't understand it, but I get some questions answered by Kladue.

Once a recirculating loop is placed on this setup it will be just the same if not more fuel efficient then just a direct fired kettle. Not to mention WAY faster. Would direct firing be easier, yes.

On our scale to me it seems to be just as good if not better. My coil is only fed 225-230* steam so my chances of scorching wort is none. I will be better off from that stand point right off the bat. No red hot glowing kettle skirts for me. I get to a boil in just 10-15 min from sparge temps.

Oh yea, then there is the cool factor.

 

[WortMonger]

I'm thinking the Therminator would be similar to the Merlin steam boiler the big boys use. I may be way off. I also don't think scorching would be much of a problem using a counterflow exchanger. I just find the thoughts interesting of the possibility of having a system hooked up that does heat and chill in the same setup.

 

[GreenMonti]

I just find the thoughts interesting of the possibility of having a system hooked up that does heat and chill in the same setup.

Like what I am trying to do with my coil.

 

[WortMonger]

Oh yeah, the coil is awesome. I just personally don't like the idea of having a coil in my kettle if I can get away with the heat exchanger. I'm totally open minded and love your concept. But... imagine if the Therminator would work powered by the same flash boiler. Once you turn off the flame, you have that efficient chiller doing all your cooling. I am just fascinated with the concept is all. Your thread gives me great hope is all. You rock man, you rock!

 

[GreenMonti]

Oh yeah, the coil is awesome. I just personally don't like the idea of having a coil in my kettle if I can get away with the heat exchanger. I'm totally open minded and love your concept. But... imagine if the Therminator would work powered by the same flash boiler. Once you turn off the flame, you have that efficient chiller doing all your cooling. I am just fascinated with the concept is all. Your thread gives me great hope is all. You rock man, you rock!

Ha,Ha. Thanks.

I thought that is what you were saying. You want boiling wort to be entering the kettle out of the Therminator. Interesting. I wonder about the gas? Will it create slow flow, surging of flow, or lock up the unit totally? I know nothing of the plate chiller design. I have never looked into them.

 

[kladue]

What WM is contemplating is an external calendria like some of the breweries use, the trick though will be keeping the internal passages from clogging from hop particles. It should not take that high of temperature steam to get the wort to boiling, but the steam requirement would be large to get it to boil then not too bad to hold boil. This would be well beyond the pressure cooker steam generator capacity to get to boil from wort temps even with a couple gallons of water in cooker, but once boil was achieved it could hold the boil rate.

 

[WortMonger]

Exactly Kladue! Hops shouldn't be a problem seeing as I now chill the same liquid I would be boiling with the Therminator. I use a hop sack, and wouldn't think it would clog. I also am not using a pressure cooker. This, if done, would be powered by something similar/identical to GreenMonti's flash boiler, only powering a Therminator. I would insulate my brew kettle and hope for the best. Based on that, what say ye?

 

[GreenMonti]

What WM is contemplating is an external calendria like some of the breweries use, the trick though will be keeping the internal passages from clogging from hop particles. It should not take that high of temperature steam to get the wort to boiling, but the steam requirement would be large to get it to boil then not too bad to hold boil. This would be well beyond the pressure cooker steam generator capacity to get to boil from wort temps even with a couple gallons of water in cooker, but once boil was achieved it could hold the boil rate.

More or less efficient then the coil I built?

 

[GreenMonti]

Exactly Kladue! Hops shouldn't be a problem seeing as I now chill the same liquid I would be boiling with the Therminator. I use a hop sack, and wouldn't think it would clog. I also am not using a pressure cooker. This, if done, would be powered by something similar/identical to GreenMonti's flash boiler, only powering a Therminator. I would insulate my brew kettle and hope for the best. Based on that, what say ye?

Build it so we know!!

 

[WortMonger]

I would have to become a TimeLord like Dr. Who to get the time these days, lol. I am trying, just need absolute I CAN DO IT information and I will. Keep your stuff coming, as it give me hope!

 

[kladue]

If the hop sack was used and pump maintained circulation it will work, the unknown will be what is happening when the wort boils inside the therminator. Will steam flashing off boiling wort cause the flow to be erratic as steam displaces the liquid, will steam bubbles collapse and make noise or will hot surfaces prevent collapse. It looks like you will have to start pump then throttle up boiler to wort boil level needed to keep things under control. There are a lot of unknowns here and no direct comparisons to brewery equipment so this will have to an experiment.

 

[GreenMonti]

If the hop sack was used and pump maintained circulation it will work, the unknown will be what is happening when the wort boils inside the therminator. Will steam flashing off boiling wort cause the flow to be erratic as steam displaces the liquid, will steam bubbles collapse and make noise or will hot surfaces prevent collapse. It looks like you will have to start pump then throttle up boiler to wort boil level needed to keep things under control. There are a lot of unknowns here and no direct comparisons to brewery equipment so this will have to an experiment.

It doesn't seem I am too far off on my thinking. That's good.

I would have to become a TimeLord like Dr. Who to get the time these days, lol. I am trying, just need absolute I CAN DO IT information and I will. Keep your stuff coming, as it give me hope!

I have gone out to left field. Now its your turn. I would but I don't own a Therminator.

 

[skirunnr]

Would cavitation in the pump be an issue with recirculating boiling wort (through the therminator)? Or are you assuming that the wort drawn off the kettle would be completely in liquid phase?

I've been following this thread with much anticipation.

 

[GreenMonti]

Would cavitation in the pump be an issue with recirculating boiling wort (through the therminator)? Or are you assuming that the wort drawn off the kettle would be completely in liquid phase?

I've been following this thread with much anticipation.

Depending on how it was set up, I would guess that there would/could be a place like the bottom of a keegle that would allow for solid liquid pickup. I think if it really was needed a cover over the drain would allow things to be drained/sucked in by the pump for smooth operation. The other factor would be just how fast the heat would exchange. Ie... How much you could actually pump through the Therminator.

 

[WortMonger]

On full bore, during chilling mind you, it moves very fast. I figured I could (in thinking only mind you) pull in the wort from the kettle directly from the center bottom drain, and then go directly to the pump before being pushed through the Therminator and re-entering the kettle just below the liquid level creating a circular stirring.

My hop sack dangles directly in the top center of my kettle so I don't think I would get cavitation from a funnel or anything. Since the wort would be boiled inside the Therminator, the kettle might not actually bubble like a boil would, but... the wort would still be boiled right? I see some of these big guys doing 30 minute boils in their Merlins recirculated boils.

I am just very curious so I am asking a lot of questions about things I don't absolutely know about. Considering this school of sorts for myself. I do know that the Therminator will hold way higher pressure, not that I want higher pressure just knowing it wouldn't blow up on me. I am curious about full flowing wort and then what the steam might do on it's end. Maybe if the Therminator had a smaller restriction on the steam out (normally water out port) some pressure could be built and allow a spit of hot water from condensing steam coming out of it.

I don't know what to ask to look for as possibilities for noises, banging, etc. In my mind, it isn't any different than what one would encounter with a steam jacketed kettle. Only there is no kettle, only the heat exchanger condensing the steam or blowing it out the way a pressure cooker does when you pull the rocker valve off when you're done cooking. Any thoughts to this would help me think better.

 

[kladue]

One item to consider would be a sping loaded check valve for back pressure control of the steam condensate leaving the therminator. A 1 or 5 PSI check valve would open after pressure built and stay open until pressure dropped below spring rating. I am still not sure what the steam is going to do inside one of the plate heat exchangers, it might get rather noisy if the condensate can not get out quickly. The plate and frame heat exchangers fed with steam that I have encountered all drain verticaly so the condensate is not trapped.

 

[WortMonger]

I was actually thinking of turning the Therminator where the flow would fall out downwards. Thanks for bringing that up. So, would a pressure relief let enough condensate blow out with steam/hot air/whatever else? Could you attach a hose with the relief inline before the hose so you could collect the heated water dripping out for later cleaning? Man I am getting excited that this is possible, in theory at least!!!

Why is it that the heat exchangers say operate horizontally? Does it really matter as long as a liquid pushes all the air/gas trapped inside of them or something? I have always wondered that.

 

[kladue]

The heat exchanger passages must allow the trapped air to leave through the upper opening. That would mean that the opposite is true, the condensate could leave through the bottom connection then making steam heating possible.

 

[WortMonger]

OK, so you are saying that operated horizontally with the pressure relief would be better then? I guess I am missing something in what you are saying about direction/orientation of the Therminator. Can you please specify for a guy that has had an incredibly difficult day?

 

[kladue]

If you can pour water into the steam in connection and nearly all runs out the other connection then the condensing steam can leave the exchanger by gravity without having to be pushed by the incoming steam. A back pressure valve will help retain the steam and raise the maximum heat transfer by letting the steam condense at a higher pressure/temperature.

 

[WortMonger]

Awesome news then. Something should be easy to rig up with garden hose fittings connected to a pressure relief.

 

[GreenMonti]

Awesome news then. Something should be easy to rig up with garden hose fittings connected to a pressure relief.

So, are you planning to use the superheated steam? With the hope that less volume of wort will boil with the superheated steam?

IME with this flash boiler, if superheated steam is what you want. Then any pressure on the line would be bad. I used a 1/4" hose barb on the very end of the output line to achieve a back pressure of about 4-5 psi and .5-1 qt per min flow to achieve a boil. When I reduce the flow to achieve the superheated steam all my pressure drops to 0. I can't build pressure with the superheated steam. "I THINK" if you use a pressure relief valve on the system as a govener then you will limit you ability to reach 300* steam without a lot of pressure.
Unless I missed something in your plan??

 

[WortMonger]

See, I don't know. This is what I would like to know. If I can blast super-heated steam through the exchanger on a full flow of wort through it too, I would be just as happy. I just need to know what would be best. I don't like the idea of the coils in the boiler like you have, but they are super cool. I just don't want them if I can "get away" without them and use the Therminator. This is just such an interesting thread to learn from and you have really made me think a lot! You the man! And... Kladue the man!

 

[WPStrassburg]

GM I couldn't tell if your pressure valve was at 3 or 8 psi, but either way your system is under pressure naturally from the friction of the coil piping. pressure or not you can have superheated steam. The degrees of superheating is only a function of the difference in temperature between the saturated steam at the pressure vs the actual temp of the steam at that same temp. 300 degree steam at 15 psi has about 50 degrees of superheating since the saturated steam temp at 15 psi is ~250 degrees, 3 PSI 300 degree has 78 degrees superheat.


Spirax has enough info to make your head hurt for days, but are one of the best sources for the info you need on this stuff.

http://www.spiraxsarco.com/resource...sfer/steam-consumption-of-heat-exchangers.asp

http://www.spiraxsarco.com/resource...eat-exchanger-and-steam-load-relationship.asp


Steam in the top condensate out the bottom is the preferred way since the condensate can fall by gravity and retain the steam until it condenses, getting all the heat compared to a steam/condensate discharge.

A check on the outlet of the hx would give you a few psi and let more of the hx be above 212

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ww...obeCompatable=true&toolbar=false&CatPage=3345

 

[GreenMonti]

See, I don't know. This is what I would like to know. If I can blast super-heated steam through the exchanger on a full flow of wort through it too, I would be just as happy. I just need to know what would be best. I don't like the idea of the coils in the boiler like you have, but they are super cool. I just don't want them if I can "get away" without them and use the Therminator. This is just such an interesting thread to learn from and you have really made me think a lot! You the man! And... Kladue the man!

Not me....Kladue is the man.

I can't say for sure whether or not superheated steam would boil your wort in the therminator. You have such a small volume of wort I would think it is very possible. If you go the pressure route with saturated steam.....then yes I would say your golden. As in, its in the bag baby. That is how I am boiling 6 gallons.

 

[kladue]

With the therminator you will probably find that superheating will probably not be as important as amount of steam created. The interesting thing will be how much steam will be necessary to maintain the boil once the whole kettle has reached 212 and only heat loss and evaporation loads are left. GreenMontis creation of an internal calendria with his copper coils and SS tube shroud has opened up a whole new range of possibilities for a single heat source brewing system on a homebrew system scale. This is probably the largest step forward that I have seen yet in wort boiling, and looks to be much closer to achieving the same performance as the new internal calendria boil kettles in use today.