HLT / MLT Design Question

[micahfhale]

My guess is that I must have just flat out put this in the wrong forum. Kind of confusing since I'm "Just Getting Started".

So here I am moving my question to the DIY Projects Forum.


I've read everything that I could get my hands on about commercial and home designs for a MLT. Of course I've read the pros and cons of direct firing, HERMS and RIMS, steam injection, electric heating elements, and steam jacketed tanks.

My question for you is why couldn't you use hot water in a simular way fermentation tanks use glycol cooling jackets? Even though you would require more water in your HLT, you could recirculate the water through copper piping around the MLT.

Has this even been attempted or considered an option by anyone else?

 

[Brewmoor]

It seems like it might work but, I would think it would be very inefficient. Also I think in the end you might not be able to get the heat transfer you are looking for.

I would think you would want to just stick with steam. Put coil around the inside or outside of the MLT and push steam through the coil instead of water.

 

[willynilly]

You will need to mix the mash throughout the mash regime. This fact is what drives most people to pump the wort through a heat exchanger and not place the heat exchanger in the mash or around the mash tun.