Racking during whirlpool?

[natefitz]

I am in the process of converting a keggle and I plan to run a curved dip tube to the edge to minimize the drag on a whirlpool.

It got me thinking... if I understand the principle correctly, it seems to me that the pressure gradient which forces trub to the center would be strongest while the whirlpool is still spinning. If this is correct you would get better results if you opened the spigot while the whirlpool was still turning or even while you continued to stir rather than waiting for the cone to form.

Whaddayall think?

 

[david_42]

If you had precise control of the stirring, this would be true. The Pros run a continuous flow through their whirlpools. But, stirring with a spoon, it's better to let the hops settle.

 

[FlyGuy]

I think it would be best to let it all settle, as well. Remember that there is a lot of suspended break and hop material in the whirlpool, and it simply settles when it hits a pocket of slowly moving liquid (i.e. the center). It isn't actually 'pushed' there by a pressure gradient. Regardless, the moving liquid at the outside of the kettle is moving fastest and will actually have the highest levels of suspended sediment until everything has finally settled, so it probably won't work to siphon while the whirlpool is still moving.