Brewstand Chill-side Question

[PtreeCreekBrew]

I'm working on a design for Brutus 10-style system (with some changes!).

Lonnie Mac's design calls for returns built into the kettle lids--I understand why he does this, but my design offers the opportunity for a couple of changes without losing the ease of transfer from vessel to vessel.

I'd like to be able to:
1) avoid hot side aeration that can come from dumping the wort to the bottom of the kettle
2) whirlpool
3) make cooling as efficient as possible

I really like Brutus 10's closed loop cooling (as opposed to heat exchanged cooling on the way to the fermenter) but I don't like the opportunity for hot side aeration (especially at mash out and in the first stages of cooling).

My thought: rather than have the BK fill inlet at the top of the kettle, I'd place it approx 1/3 (or lower) up the side of the kettle, angled inward, as in a commercial full-scale kettle's whirlpool return. Outlet valve would be as normal, low on the kettle wall. As such, cooling return wort would initiate and sustain the whirlpool.

Would this effectively cool the batch? Would the stirring motion of the whirlpool sufficiently distribute the heat, or would I be left with long cooling times?

Any other pitfalls to this design that I may be overlooking?

Thanks!
J

 

[dcbc]

My return is on the side of my kettle near the top. ON the inside of the BK, there is an elbow that connects to a section of 1/2" ID copper tubing that goes about half way down the kettle and bends to form the whirlpool return. Works well running through a CFC for chilling in a whirlpool loop. One final runoff through the CFC on the way to the fermenter. Valves on the return inlets to prevent draining the BK accidentally with a siphon.