Trunk line cooling reservoir

[Merkur]

I have built a copper cored trunk line with six beer product lines to chill the beer from the Kegerators to the taps. i have a small submersible pump to circulate the cooling water and the flow is good. I realize that chilling a water reservoir in a kegerator is not the most efficient way of chilling and that using a metal reservoir has better thermal properties than a plastic one.

What are people using as a cooling reservoir and how much does it hold?

Paul

 

[duncan.brown]

My original plan was to use a 5 gal stainless-steel drum for coolant in my keezer. I picked up a 5 gal open-head drum from The Cary Company:

https://www.thecarycompany.com/containers/drums/stainless-steel/open-head
It took up a keg's worth of space in my keezer which I wanted to use for beer, so I hooked up my lines to my glycol chiller instead. I use it for cleaning now.

 

[Merkur]

Thanks Duncan. I really wanted to use the full four keg capacity of my Komos kegerator and squeeze in a smaller reservoir. Back in my college days I could have calculated the amount of coolant capacity needed given the ambient temperature, the insulation on the trunk line, the kegerator temperature, line length and pump flow rate! My gut however tells me something between 1 and 2 gallons is the right amount and I think I can squeeze that in. Not worth taken up valuable beer space!

Paul

 

[duncan.brown]

The 4 and 5 gal drums are shorter and fatter than a corny keg (both 11.25” Dia, 9.63” and 11.75” H, respectively), so if you have enough height in your keezer, you could put a keg on top of it with enough room at the side for an out and return connector on the lid. I'll grab my lid this weekend and post some pictures.

I considered doing a similar calculation (although it's been a while since I've taught thermodynamics) but then figured... nah, I'll just use my glycol chiller

 

[Merkur]

I just did some meausuring and I think I have two options.
1) Find a metal container that is 5” diameter and tall enough to hold 2-3 gallons. A paint can is too wide to fit.

2) Buy 2-3 ‘shorty’ torpedo kegs and use one for the water reservoir to chill the trunk line and the others, stacked on top, for beer.

Paul

 

[mux11]

what about just putting a coil around a keg for the reservoir? Like an immersion chiller concept, copper would be a good exchanger.
I may just do this for mine as I was thinking a trunk line would be a good idea for my coffin box. The first 1/2 pint is warmer than what comes from the main keezer.
Thanks for the idea guys!!!

 

[duncan.brown]

@Merkur let us know how it goes. I’m curious to hear if a loop of water from a keezer will work.