Automate Hot Water Temperature during Sparge?

[lhommedieu]

I'm currently doing 60-90 minute fly sparges, and the temperature of the water in my hot water tun falls over this time. Consequently I lose temperature in the lauter tun as well. Currently I just use direct fire to bump the temperature in the hot water tun up, and continue to heat the water and sparge until the temperature in the lauter tun reads 170F again. Then I turn the burner off, and monitor the lauter tun again. I think that if I could automate this process I could find a "sweet spot" wherein the water coming out of the hot water tun is hot enough to maintain the temperature in the lauter tun (but not too hot to create tanins in the wort). If I could do this, I could turn my attention to other things during the sparge.

I'd like to automate my hot water temperature by heating the water with a device coupled to a controller. Some suggestions that I've seen include (1) adding a 120 volt immersion heater to the tun, and use it to maintain water temperature in the hot water tun after the water has been brought up to 170F with direct fire. Another suggestion is (2) to do something similar to what Blichmann does with with their Tower of Power, but on a single tier system, and only under the hot water tun. I guess that this would a involve low pressure burner, solenoid valve, igniter, PID, etc. - and I have no idea how to do this.

Has anyone ever completed such a project? Is it worthwhile - or is worrying about sparge temperature after mashout or after extractable sugars have been obtained not worth the bother?

 

[atoughram]

I dont have a good picture of it so I cant share at the moment. My HLT is a standard keggle with a 5500W element, a sight glass, a low-point drain and a whirlpool fitting. The element is controlled by a PID. I fill the HLT up with a measured amount of strike water, set the PID to what temperature I desire, and pump the water to whirlpool the keggle, keeping it from stratifying. That way I have a measured amount of water at a constant temperature.

I worry more about strike water temperature that I do sparge water temp.

 

[lhommedieu]

Thanks for the response. I am beginning to think that an immersible heater is the way to go: bring the water to temperature and then use a simple feedback loop with a temperature controller to maintain that temperature.

 

[atoughram]

Found a picture, but it doesnt show much. It really doesnt matter what type of immersible heater you want, could be an element like mine or a heat stick, but I think the circulation is important to homogenize the whole volume of water.

 

[lhommedieu]

Thanks. I'm going to do something similar with a STC and a heat stick. Much less expensive than an automated direct fire system.