The last IC copper tubing question ever

[Komodo]

I have combed through a million threads. Please forgive me if this has been discussed somewhere.

Given IDENTICAL surface area, and all other variables the same, is there a difference in chilling with a longer 3/8" or a shorter 1/2"?

 

[horseinmay]

The difference will be in the flow rate through the chiller. You will be using more water with the 1/2" tubing. If you could regulate the flow to be the same in both chillers, then the 3/8" tubing would chill a bit faster because of turbulence in the tubing. Smaller diameter would equate to a faster flow, and therefore more turbulence. Regardless of diameter, I would not use anything shorter than 20-25 feet. Isn't 1/2" a lot harder to bend? Consider that.

 

[dobeluvr]

with same flow smaller tube = more turbulence, larger tube=more surface area arguments could be made both ways without a test who knows

with the hose on full
my 3/8 chiller cools five gallons faster than the 1/2 due to more tubing in the wort but
my 1/2 chiller cools ten gallons faster than the 3/8 alone however
using the 3/8 chiller in an icewater bath as a prechiller to the 1/2 in the keggle rocks

I didn't have any problem bending the 1/2 tubing around my cornies (I may have used a spring bender, don't remember)

 

[Komodo]

So, same faucet on full blast, the 1/2 would have more flow and carry heat away faster even though its shorter. But if you regulate the flow so they both have the same output then the 3/8 chills faster with more turbulence?

Side track: would adding small dents in the tubing create a measurable increased turbulence on the inside? I've seen some jacked up bending jobs that must have extreme turbulence inside . . .

 

[watsonx11]

Its all about surface area of the component of the heat exchanger. In the case of a counter flow cooler, the outside of the cooler is were the water (cold) is flowing, and the inside is where the beer (hot) is flowing. All things being equal the larger the surface area that the cold (water) gets to touch the more effective the cooling will be. Subsequently you you increase mass flow rate of the water you will get a more efficient system; meaning the higher the flowrate the colder the liquid will be. Both of these are kind of due to the same concept. The bigger the tube or the faster the water you have, the more effective cooling water you have. Make sense?