Can HLT be used as chiller also?

[BrentJ]

I'm wondering why a separate plate chiller is utilized on most HERMS rigs. Can't the hot wort be pumped through the HLT coil with the HLT filled with ice water? I live in Houston so ground water through a plate chiller won't get the wort cold enough so I need ice chilling as well. Am I missing some reason this won't work? I understand the HLT coil would need to be sanitized but it seems this could be done while wort is boiling in the brew kettle. Help me out here as I'm no expert and am getting close on my first all grain build....

 

[passedpawn]

Yes, and I've seen that on this board. HERMS is a heat exchanger, works both ways. I'd bet you will go through a LOT of ice though. That alone might make it a bad idea.

 

[BrentJ]

Is anyone doing this without first going through a plate chiller?

 

[Yooper]

I did it! ONCE. It took 42 pounds of ice to chill 5 gallons of wort. CFC is much easier!