How high to make recirculation port on my hot liquor tank?

[slayer021175666]

Hello,
Its an 8 gallon SS turkey frier that I use for 5 and 10 gallon batches. For the 10 gallon runs, I fill it for strike water and, while the mash is working, I fill it again with sparge water. When the mash is complete the sparge water is heated and I begin the sparge. For 5 gallon runs, I fill the HLT with the total water volume. I release some of it for the mash and then, heat the remainder up to sparge. My problem is, heat stratification in the HLT. I have a dedicated recirc pump on it so, I want to put a return port higher on the tank but... How high should I make it?
Here is a pic that shows the tank with the little pump and some hose coming from the pump outlet that will go to the return port. No ball valve needed on the return port because the pump is dedicated to stirring the HLT and will remain attatched to the tank, always.
Thanks Guys.
And, if any of you have pics of how you did this, I'd love to see them.

 

[Bobby_M]

It really doesn't matter that much. Put it at a height such that it will always be under the water level. I generally keep them pretty low, in the lower half and then the interior fitting that causes the whirlpooling can be tipped upward to keep the up/down stratification to a minimum.

 

[slayer021175666]

Thanks Bobby.
Does that also apply to recirculating the boil kettle?
Also, do you think this little solar pump could get a good whirlpool going in a keggle with up to 13 gallons of wort in it? Its rated flow 2.1 gallons a minute.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I run a single tier 3V2P herms rig and have recirculation ports on all three of my 20g kettles. My BK return is at the same elevation as my drain valve port, and my HLT return is mid-kettle as the herms coil exists in the bottom half of that kettle. Not really relevant but my MLT uses an autosparge valve mounted at the highest point on the sidewall possible while still allowing the lid to fully seat - but that still has a silicone hose with a float ball that simply lays atop the mash.

It doesn't take a high flow rate to break up stratification. I've often read of folks using those little tan solar pumps successfully and that would be the benchmark I'd rely on

Cheers!

 

[slayer021175666]

Ya, Day_trippr.
That's the kind I have. Check out my picture above. It's rated at 2.1 gallons a minute. Do you know if one of them can actually Whirlpool a 15.5 gallon boil keggle?

 

[McMullan]

The 'fan' type whirlpool fittings (e.g. SS Brewtech's) minimise temperature stratification, because of the spray pattern, but, IME, it reduces the whirlpool effect, so, IMO, good for a HLT. I found it much better - for cooling - to position the recirculation port higher up the kettle, where it's best to use something more like Blichmann's. I actually put 2 recirc ports in my kettle so I can cover half and full (even 1.5) batches.

 

[day_trippr]

Ya, Day_trippr.
That's the kind I have. Check out my picture above. It's rated at 2.1 gallons a minute. Do you know if one of them can actually Whirlpool a 15.5 gallon boil keggle?

At 1/3rd the flow rate of my March 815PLs I would assume the tan pump should rotate the volume at roughly 1/3rd the rate. That should still be plenty to prevent stratification...

Cheers!

 

[slayer021175666]

At 1/3rd the flow rate of my March 815PLs I would assume the tan pump should rotate the volume at roughly 1/3rd the rate. That should still be plenty to prevent stratification...

Cheers!

I mean, for actually being powerful enough to make a hop cone.
enough to

 

[day_trippr]

Well I don't have a solid answer for that one. I'd be inclined to believe a cone would eventually form, but not knowing much about them - particularly how wide the internal path is through those tan pumps - whether the pump could self-clog would be a concern...

Cheers!

 

[slayer021175666]

I have this one. Will it do? I just liked the idea of having the little pump permanently installed and dedicated to the boil kettle. I guess it doesn't have to be, though. Capacity says 8/12 L/min I'm not real good at metric measurements but, that seems like about the same as the little tan pump.

 

[slayer021175666]

Eh?

 

[day_trippr]

The build plate sez at 1.5 meter head that pump should move between 2 and 3 gpm. I think that's been established for some time
That pic doesn't show the in/out ports, so no light shed wrt potential for plugging.
My 815pl heads use 1/2" pipe threads and don't get plugged up with pellet mush. If that pump uses 1/2" ports I'd be comfortable at least plumbing it in and giving is a try...

Cheers!

 

[slayer021175666]

Yes, they are 1/2 npt ports.
What did you mean when you said, I think that's been established for some time?

 

[day_trippr]

The gpm rating for these small pumps always seems to be in the 2-3 gpm range

 

[slayer021175666]

Ok. So, if that's how much power most of them have, there's a good chance that it will make a hop cone?

 

[day_trippr]

I'd say there's a good chance