Closed Transfer to Elevated Brite Tank

[Bernard Petersen]

I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to have any issues close transferring beer from a 1bbl fermenter to a 1bbl SSbrewtech brite that will be on a shelf using a pump. I have both a 7gpm Blichman and a 17gpm chugger nano. Will the head pressure be too much for the pump? See attached diagram.

 

[sicktght311]

You shouldnt have any problem pumping in terms of head pressure, however why dont you just use CO2 to push to the brite? A pump seems like a lot of work and many areas that could introduce oxygen if any of the seals arent 100%. Its a slow transfer, but i'm assuming you're going to have your brite tank properly purged, so might as well put a couple psi on the fermenter, line out to the bottom of the brite, and open the PRV to ensure the co2 that you used to purge the brite escapes while the beer is filling.

No different than a closed transfer from a FV to a properly purged corny keg on a smaller scale

 

[Bernard Petersen]

Yes, I'll have the brite purged. The fermenter is at ground level and the brite is 4' off the ground. It doesn't have any effect with the brite being that much higher? I just thought once the brite started filling, the downward pressure of the liquid would require a pump. Is that not the case?

 

[Qhrumphf]

You may have to increase the inlet pressure to your FV higher than if the tanks were level to counteract the additional resistance of gravity, or increase the differential between them, but as long as you maintain a higher tank pressure in the fermenter than the brite, it'll flow.

It's not significantly different than pushing the dregs of an empty fermenter into a full brite.

You'll need to prevent backflow though.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I also don't like using any impeller pump for transferring finished beer unless absolutely necessary.

 

[sicktght311]

What he said above haha, as long as your brite isnt pressurized, and your fermenter is, or at least the fermenter is at a higher PSI than the brite, you're good to go

 

[Vale71]

4 feet of height will require about 0.12 bar of additional pressure to compensate for, which shouldn't be a problem unless your fermenter is already at the highest pressure it's rated for.

If the beer is fully carbed then you should set the transfer up in such a way that the pressure in the brite tank will always be at least equal to the equilibrium pressure of the beer or you risk foaming unless you transfer at a very slow speed. If the beer will be force carbed in the brite than you can set a minimum of pressure in the brite tank (let's say 0.1 bar) and then use a spunding valve to release pressure from the brite tank at a steady pace while you use the regulator on the fermenter side to set transfer speed.