New jacketed tanks - what are my options?

[MadDwarf]

Just picked up 3 terrifyingly robotic-looking stainless tanks from a guy who bought a bunch of equipment from a pharmaceutical lab before they shut down. He described them as fermenters, but I don't know what the lab was using them for. The tanks are 50L (~13 gallons), and apparently can be pressurized to 45 psi in the vessel, 148 psi in the jacket. Two of the tanks were built in 1990 and are identical. The third was built in 1991 and is very similar, with some changes where the bottom of jacket connects to the vessel.

I'm planning to contact the company that picked up the Precision line and see if I can get some more information about the tanks. I'm not sure how the jacket is set up internally - whether it's designed for steam, circulating liquid, or something else.

My initial thought was to use two of them as fermenters and sell the third, but after I got a closer look at the specs, there's probably a lot of other uses I should consider, like as a mash tun, or even a boil kettle if it's possible to transfer enough heat without direct fire.

Anyone worked with these before, or have more ideas I should keep in mind? Also, how likely is it that these are going to come to life and murder me in my sleep with their evil tiny pincers?

 

[Displaced MassHole]

Those look BADASS! Can't really offer any suggestions other than to use them for fermentation unless you built a steam system to use as a BK/MLT/HLT.

Not sure what you paid for them, but they look like they'd be worth a pretty penny for scrap.

 

[Catt22]

Those look BADASS! Can't really offer any suggestions other than to use them for fermentation unless you built a steam system to use as a BK/MLT/HLT.

Not sure what you paid for them, but they look like they'd be worth a pretty penny for scrap.

I agree, those are the coolest looking kettles I've seen lately. The first thing I would do is research them some and find out what they are worth new an used. Also find out if they are still manufactured and if replacement parts are available. You might also be able to get some operation manuals for them from the manufacturer. Once you establish their value, you can decide what to do with them. If they are in demand and costly, consider selling them and using the proceeds for other brewing stuff. OTOH, they might make really nice fermenters which you could cool with a DIY glycol system. Looks like they might be suitable for heating with steam for a MT and possibly a boil kettle too, but they are on the small side for a BK and messing with steam requires some expertise and more equipment that won't be cheap or easy to build. I think i would modify them a little to look more like actual space aliens, then put them out in my front yard as lawn ornaments (securely anchored in concrete, of course). You could do some cool lighting effects with LED's and such for max impact. Might even need to build a small flying saucer to accompany them on the lawn.

 

[Sawdustguy]

I would simply have tri clover couplers welded into them and build one georgeous looking conventional electric brewery. I wish I was lucky enough to happen across something like those kettles.

 

[SankePankey]

Alrighty then.

For the large top tri-clover- Get Derrin @ brewershardware to do a custom cap weld for corny post gas in and bev out (w/ dip tube).

1st smaller TC-
Sanitary pressure gauge.

2nd smaller TC-
Sanitary Adjustible pressure relief valve

3rd smaller TC-
blow-off tube assembly

Those would be great fermenters. They look like what some use as a yeast brink. (Have seen some in wineries like that).

 

[warehouse]

I would simply have tri clover couplers welded into them and build one georgeous looking conventional electric brewery. I wish I was lucky enough to happen across something like those kettles.

All of the fittings except the lid dome are already tri-clover fittings.

 

[wyzazz]

You could circulate glycol through the jacket for cooling/heating if used as a fermenter.

 

[Bobby_M]

It doesn't even need to be glycol. Run water in a reservoir inside a dorm fridge and run a pump triggered by a thermowell in the fermenter. Sure, if you need more cooling power you can make it glycol in a freezer, but that would only be necessary if your ambient it really warm and you want to ferment a lager.

 

[wyzazz]

I was just thinking glycol to prevent Galvanic Corrosion (I think that's the proper term). I agree with Bobby_M, I don't think it would be a necessity.

 

[buzz122]

On a side note, Steam is the most efficient and precise way of heating any pot. So you have a really good start there. The only thing you would need then is a steam generator. could be a really bad-ass setup.

 

[wyzazz]

Tell you what, I'll give you a dollar for the one in the middle that doesn't match.

 

[Sawdustguy]

All of the fittings except the lid dome are already tri-clover fittings.

I was thinking about a triclover 2" fitting lower in the kettle for an electric heating element so the kettles could be used as an HLT or BK. I did recommend these be used in an electric brewery.

 

[MadDwarf]

Awesome ideas, keep 'em coming. I've already given Derrin a heads-up that I'm going to need a hand getting these kitted out. I also have email out to Holloway America, which services and sells replacement parts for Precision Stainless tanks.

Using the jacket as a chiller for temp control or lagering was my original intent, though I've started looking at pressurized fermentation. I assume that's what SankePankey's list was about, although I've never seen a pressure relief valve that cool looking.

If they can be used for steam, then an MLT would be the next option. I'm not planning on welding anything new onto these until I have a good idea of their value and potential usages, but it should be possible to build an external boiler, electric or otherwise, and use the existing ports to transfer the steam. I've also thought about using the larger top port for some sort of mixer so the MLT can stay sealed the entire mash. Unfortunately, Catt's probably right about them being too small for a BK.

Wyzazz, your offer intrigues me. I assume the dollar is taped to a large stack of other dollars, or perhaps to the red-headed twin penthouse pets referenced in your sig?

Also, while the units did not kill me in my sleep, I checked this morning, and they still look as menacing as ever. Once I have my spherical composter assembled, I'm definitely going to have to stage a lawn battle. Not sure whether to pit them against each other, or to collect hundreds of lawn gnomes to be massacred by invaders from the stars.

 

[Catt22]

Also, while the units did not kill me in my sleep, I checked this morning, and they still look as menacing as ever. Once I have my spherical composter assembled, I'm definitely going to have to stage a lawn battle. Not sure whether to pit them against each other, or to collect hundreds of lawn gnomes to be massacred by invaders from the stars.

Excellent !! Now you are talking. Be sure to post some pics. Could be an epic battle for sure. Be sure to generate some smoke on the battlefield.

 

[wyzazz]

Wyzazz, your offer intrigues me. I assume the dollar is taped to a large stack of other dollars, or perhaps to the red-headed twin penthouse pets referenced in your sig?

Also, while the units did not kill me in my sleep, I checked this morning, and they still look as menacing as ever. Once I have my spherical composter assembled, I'm definitely going to have to stage a lawn battle. Not sure whether to pit them against each other, or to collect hundreds of lawn gnomes to be massacred by invaders from the stars.

I thought it might, what a deal for you huh?!! I'd offer up the twins, but alas they work for Revvy alone.

I also want pics or a video of that lawn battle, it's sure to be epic!

 

[SankePankey]

Using the jacket as a chiller for temp control or lagering was my original intent, though I've started looking at pressurized fermentation. I assume that's what SankePankey's list was about, although I've never seen a pressure relief valve that cool looking.

Yes, that's what I was talking about. I found that at breweryparts.com. It's not cheap ~$250. I have the spunding setup recommended on the pressurized ferment thread (wortmonger's) and I like having a discharge tube off the valve so it's not messy. You'll love pressurized ferments.

Should be usable with steam. Most give a temperature rating at a certain pressure. As long as it's within the numbers...

I don't know if this would actually work, but I use a steam generator in my system for sanitation. It's one of those "replaces the iron" clothes steamers you find in SkyMall, etc. I just took off the wand and it's 3/4" NPT on the base. It gets my sanke fermenter up to 212 in about 10 minutes or so from cold. I even daisy-chain kegs from the fermenter and THEY get up to near 200 degrees. It works so well for that purpose. Don't ever forsee having any contamination.

Not sure if it has enough power for grain, but I'm sure you could find one on ebay or craigslist cheap(ish) and try it out if you wanted.

 

[WPStrassburg]

From the data tag it looks like the vessel is good for 45 psi at 347 degrees and the jacket, or whatever the H.T.S. is, is good to 148 psi at 347. 10-15 psi would be good for mashing, even 5 would get you enough for a decent ramp rate.

This open hole in the bottom has me confused though. If these are jacket and sealed then what is the perf'd screen for?

To me it looks like the jacket connection ports might lead to a coil in the jacket rather than a flooded jacket. There's no vent at the top of the jacket which would mean that it would be airlocked above the higher port and not do any heating/cooling.

Either way your battle bots should make killer fermentrs and mlt's!!

 

[SankePankey]

Maybe they are jacketed and clad like big fermenters. i.e. there is self contained apparatus underneath the outside stainless shell for the coolant to flow thru and that's just a hole for condensation, etc.


EDIT: Oh, oops. You said that.