frettfreak
Well-Known Member
I want to build a closed system counterflow chiller and looking for some feedback and suggestions from the people in the know about this stuff. I already have a 50' counterflow chiller and honestly it works amazing. In the summer i have to hook it up to a pre-chiller that is submerged in an ice bath, but wort comes out at pitching temps or lower (in the winter if i use a prechiller i can get as low as 55 coming out). However, i am in CA, and with the drought going on i would really like to make an all inclusive / closed system but trying to figure out the best way to go about it. I have a couple options in mind but always open to suggestions.
I will not ever do a no chill and just let it sit though so please dont suggest it (just too many opportunities to mess up the beer).
I do have an old dehumidifier that i could disassemble and would give me a radiator to use and whatever else i can pull from it but the compressor may be shot (it trips a breaker when i turn it on). I also have a couple pumps that i could use (a 1/4 hp and a 530gph pump)
Here are my thoughts:
1. Use the radiator submerged in ice and an inline pump to move a water/glycol mixture through the cfc. this seems to me like it would work, but would love to find a way to do this without using a bunch of ice.
2. use the radiator with some fans and shrouds to cool the liquid as it passes through and push to the CFC. My concern with this would be that it just wouldnt cool the liquid enough to get the results i am looking for.
3. Use a cold plate and a couple peltier coolers to chill the liquid as it passes though and recirculates though the cfc. my concern with this would be the peltier setup. its been many years since i used a peltier cooler (long ago in my PC modding days), and just dont have much experience with electrical wiring and what i would need to accomplish this.
those right now are my main ideas, but like i said, fire away if you have a better one. I can throw some money into it if i need to but seems like i have most of what i need already. really seems like one or all of these would work, feel free to poke holes in them so i can avoid any issues.
If i can make it small enough to be portable that would be a HUGE plus. thinking maybe self contained unit inside a cooler for portability
thanks in advance!!
I will not ever do a no chill and just let it sit though so please dont suggest it (just too many opportunities to mess up the beer).
I do have an old dehumidifier that i could disassemble and would give me a radiator to use and whatever else i can pull from it but the compressor may be shot (it trips a breaker when i turn it on). I also have a couple pumps that i could use (a 1/4 hp and a 530gph pump)
Here are my thoughts:
1. Use the radiator submerged in ice and an inline pump to move a water/glycol mixture through the cfc. this seems to me like it would work, but would love to find a way to do this without using a bunch of ice.
2. use the radiator with some fans and shrouds to cool the liquid as it passes through and push to the CFC. My concern with this would be that it just wouldnt cool the liquid enough to get the results i am looking for.
3. Use a cold plate and a couple peltier coolers to chill the liquid as it passes though and recirculates though the cfc. my concern with this would be the peltier setup. its been many years since i used a peltier cooler (long ago in my PC modding days), and just dont have much experience with electrical wiring and what i would need to accomplish this.
those right now are my main ideas, but like i said, fire away if you have a better one. I can throw some money into it if i need to but seems like i have most of what i need already. really seems like one or all of these would work, feel free to poke holes in them so i can avoid any issues.
If i can make it small enough to be portable that would be a HUGE plus. thinking maybe self contained unit inside a cooler for portability
thanks in advance!!