Under Pressure

[brewmebaby]

Hey fellow zymurgists, help me out please.

For optimum heat transfer between the cooling wort and the water flowing through the chiller, should the pressure of the water from the faucet be high (forceful) or low(a trickle)?????

Thanks in advance, joe

 

[Dmay]

I find the wort chills faster if the water is running faster. Not a jet stream across the floor but faster than a trickle.

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

Faster flow = larger temperature drop. If it is slow, the water is in contact longer and loses its ability to cool. In summer when my hose water is near 70F, I have to run it full blast. In winter when it is closer to 40F, I crack it less than an eighth of a turn or it cools the wort too much.

 

[Brewsmith]

In winter when it is closer to 40F, I crack it less than an eighth of a turn or it cools the wort too much.

I wish I had that problem.

 

[brewmebaby]

thanks for the replies, i'll try closer to the forceful(high volume) end of the spectrum on the next batch

 

[TexLaw]

Be careful that your hose clamps are good and tight before you do that. Otherwise, you might blow a hose off. I tighten every time before I chill, and I usually keep a hand on the input hose to give a little extra stability.


TL

 

[malkore]

a decent flow is all you need. if you gently stir the wort, you'll greatly reduce cooling time. fluid dynamics allow cold and hot spots in the wort, stirring helps a ton.

 

[TexLaw]

Malkore is absolutely correct. I just move my chiller around in the wort for a similar effect.


TL