Cleaning Convoluted Counterflow Chillers

I'm in the market for a new chiller (currently using an immersion type) and have been reviewing the discussions on HBT about plate vs. counterflow chillers. The horror-stories of cleaning plate chillers (or, rather, of the gunk that builds up if you don't do a thorough enough job) have almost convinced me to go with the counterflow.

But here's the thing: the higher-dollar counterflow chillers all use convoluted copper tubing for the inner coil, i.e. the inside of them is full of nooks & crannies for gunk to hide in. Wouldn't this make them just as bad as a plate chiller to get thoroughly cleaned out? While I understand that convoluted tubing boosts the efficiency of the counterflow chiller relative to smooth-walled tube, if it's just going to trap a bunch of crap, why not go with a plate chiller (cheaper)?

So here's my question: for those of you who own a counterflow chiller with convoluted inner tubing, what's the verdict on keeping them clean? Is it just as tough as keeping a plate chiller clean? Does it harbor a bunch of gunk?

 

I just run boiling wort through to sterlize. Then pbw afterwards at 160 f for a few minutes, no problems after 30 batches.

 

If you slow down the circulation that your sending through the chiller that should help get in all the nooks and crannies. Might have to circulate a little longer but should get all the junk out..

 

Thanks milldoggy, do you have a trub filter in the line or do you push the trub through your chiller?

 

I have a plate chiller so not quite the same, but close.
I would think that recirculating hot PBW would clean almost if not all of it out. However, occasionally, I would still run a batch of caustic sodium hydroxide through it just to make sure. PBW does not clean everything out of my plate chiller, but caustic does. Amazing stuff. Available at hardware stores as drain cleaner. Just make sure it's pure sodium hydroxide.

 

Caustic is incredibly scary stuff; you REALLY need to be careful and wear spash goggles and heavy duty long gloves. PBW is a heck of a lot safer even if you need more contact / recirc time.


Adam

 

I have a 1/6Hp utility pump from Harbor Freight, I recirculate PBW through the chiller in reverse (backflush) for 10-15min after brewing, then clear water. I all so blow filtered air through it at 5-10 psi to try to dry it out.

Before brewing I circulate sani-star acid sanitiser through it to remove any Copper oxide that might have formed inside the chiller. Williams brewing makes a SS CFC, this would require a less attention because no need for rinsing and no copper oxide formation.

 

You *can* use a line cleaning brush for the first few coils on either end....I have also heard of people putting an earplug in and flushing it through.

You're right though...it's almost as bad as a plate chiller....especially with the convoluted tubing.

However, a lot of plate chillers, especially the less expensive ones that advertise a high number of plates (30-60)...the wort actually flows across all plates at once versus "down and back" if that makes sense. The water flows across the adjacent plates in a similar fashion. The problem with that is that it allows some of the plates to clog and harbor junk while the wort flows in other places. You're not guaranteed to knock out all the debris if you backflush, etc. I guess this design lowers restriction, but it also keeps you from developing a high flushing pressure and also from forcing cleaning agents into all the nooks.

Still, I think a CFC is probably going to harbor less gunk and respond better to flushing because it doesn't have the complex channels. Food for thought.

 

You are correct. Anytime you're using sodium hydroxide, you should be wearing safety equipment. For me the benefits of cleaning EVERYTHING out of my chiller, or beer lines, or fermenters, or whatever I need, far outweigh the need to wear some gloves and goggles. Because it does clean everything out.