HEPA filters for wort oxygenation - which type

[SimonB]

Hi all

I've been on the hunt for reasonably priced oxygen cylinders for a while now in my quest to oxygenate my wort properly - nothing available in my budget.

John Palmer suggests a cheap aquarium pump with an in-line HEPA filter.

But now I have managed to source a local manufacturer, I don't know which type of HEPA to get from these:

• Polyethersulphone (PES)
• Mixed Cellulose Ester (MCE)
• Nylon

Any thoughts/recommendations

 

[illinibrew04]

Northern brewer sells this whole kit with pump, filter, and oxygen stone. You don't need any fancy kind of hepa filter.http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/aeration-system.html

 

[SimonB]

Northern brewer sells this whole kit with pump, filter, and oxygen stone. You don't need any fancy kind of hepa filter.http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/aeration-system.html

Thanks for the post, but if you take a look at the blurb

An efficient, sanitary and inexpensive way to aerate wort in the primary fermenter. The aquarium pump forces room air through the sanitiary, in-line HEPA filter which removes dirt and contaminants. Then the air is delivered to the wort through a stainless steel diffusion stone, which promotes rapid absorption into the wort. For best results, aerate your cooled wort for 20-30 minutes.

you will note that this kit includes an in-line HEPA filter. All I am asking is WHICH HEPA filter I should use.

Secondly, shipping to my location from Northern Brewer is too expensive

 

[joshjv]

Any type of filter media should be fine since you are just passing oxygen through it. No need to be concerned of the filters suitability to high temperature or liquids..

 

[Biobrewer]

I use a small 0.2 um 25 mm surfactant free cellulose acetate membrane sterile filter in line, and it works great.

 

[MangoMead]

Air pumps are not really very good at oxygenation. Bubbles in the water don't put much dissolved gas into suspension. Pure O2 is an exception because of the purity. Breaking the surface tension barrier and getting more water in contact with the surface is the best way. Aquarium folks have learned not to rely on air pumps for oxygenation, but to use some kind of waterfall or turbulence at the surface. Knowledgeable aquarium people just use bubble to look pretty.

I'd suggest taking a sanitized pitcher and dipping it into the wort then pouring it back in a few times. Also check out the 08/07/08 episode of the basic brewing podcast. They do some scientific testing of different aeration techniques and aquarium pump bubbles come up short of even just plain old sloshing around.

You can use bubbles generate upward flow by releasing the bubbles inside an upright tube. The bubbles push the liquid up and if placed right the flow can creates surface turbulence.

 

[funnycreature]

That's what I do:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/entries/wort-aeration-how-to-build-a-free-pump.html

I use an in-line filter on the air-intake hose.