Has anyone experimented with plastic tubing for wort chillers? I have been reading a lot about the use of plastic tubing to replace copper finned tubing in A/C and other heat exchange systems. Sources say that new polymers make plastic as efficient as copper in heat exchangers (max temp 220 degrees). The benefits, they say, are the lack of corrosion and oxidization. It also sounds a hell of a lot cheaper. Just wondering if anyone's tried it.
Plastic Heat Exchangers
- Thread starter brad451
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It would need to be food safe, and impart no flavors or odors. Check your sources for those requirements. It would also need to be caustic safe since cleaning is normally done with caustic solutions.
This would be my concern as well. You have to be careful with some plastics and be sure of what their composition is before using it in contact with your wort.
That sounds amazing that they make plastics with such thermal qualities.
Searches yeild a ton of abstracts and patents, but here's an article that
talks about the advantages of all plastic heat exchange. Temperature
seems to be a limitation, as well as pressure. But 220F is our top limit,
right?
One of the advantages they list is resistance to corrosion, oxidation, etc.
The Advantages of Using Plastic Heat Exchangers
Searches yeild a ton of abstracts and patents, but here's an article that
talks about the advantages of all plastic heat exchange. Temperature
seems to be a limitation, as well as pressure. But 220F is our top limit,
right?
One of the advantages they list is resistance to corrosion, oxidation, etc.
The Advantages of Using Plastic Heat Exchangers
Eh, because $100 for a stainless plate exchanger is too expensive?
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