IC idea - critique needed

[kcinpdx]

I have quite a bit if 3/8" OD (1/4" ID) copper tubing laying around and I've not been happy with my CFC. I've heard that 1/4" tubing is not very effective for cooling 10 gallons, so my thought is to split the water supply and run two parallel (not exactly parallel) tubes at 50 feet each, and the tubes coming back together for the water out. It may be a bit bulkier and heavier than going 1/2", but it is free and I am thinking could be more efficient.

 

[DarkNoonBrewer]

Yes indeed. The problem with smaller diameter IC's is that the cooling water heats up WAY before it reaches the end of the chiller. This is an excellent idea. It should work well. Also, you will have greater flow through the chiller. But wait... im going to get slammed here... wait for it... wait for it...

 

[DeafSmith]

Assuming that you have the tubes completely filled, it really only depends on the water flow rate through the whole assembly (single or double tube). The only advantage to splitting into two tubes is that the frictional resistance to flow will be less, so you may be able to get more flow. I did some math modelling here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/thermal-dynamics-ic-188809/index3.html#post2227131

which shows that for the same flow rate it doesn't make any difference. The water in the two tubes only moves half as fast as in the single tube, so it heats up "faster"; i.e., greater heat change per unit length than the single tube, thus decreasing the cooling effect along the length at a more rapid rate.

 

[DarkNoonBrewer]

It boils down to flow, basically. If you can increase the flow by using the same amount of tubing, but splitting the flow path into two lines, you will create a coil that is cooler by removing heat from the coil faster. The cooler the entire coil is, the faster your wort will chill. This is only assuming that the 50' foot coil is restricting the flow so much that by the time the cooling water reaches the end of the coil, its at the temperature of the wort. If this new configuration increases the flow rate through the chiller, you should notice that the temperature of the cooling water leaving the chiller is much cooler than the wort.

Flow rate is dependent on restirction. If you can decrease the restrictio, you can increase the flow. But, the avaible flow for the chiller is largely dependant on where in the house the spigot is located. At my house, every faucet has different flow rates because of location. Your best bet is to build a water tower 115 feet high so you can acheive 50 psi at your chiller, and be absolutely certain that the temperature of the cooling water leaving the chiller is well below the temp of wort. <----for reference only... dont quote me on these numbers. (But, 50psi / 0.43333psi/ft_elevation = 115.4ft)