Using a RIMS as a boiler?

[DannyD]

Well then it would not be "RIMS" anymore, but I read somewhere that some big breweries has a stand allone type boiler with many tubes to boil wort? and circulate it (many tubes to get boil off)
Could this be done with a standerd electric brew rig?

EDIT:Ok, so I see its called a " calandria"any home brewer tried it?

 

[MalFet]

I've seen people do it. You probably won't even need multiple tubes if you have powerful enough of an element. I'd want some kind of flow switch to manage the element PID, though. You don't want to be dry firing a big element like that.

 

[JKoravos]

I could be wrong, but i believe a calandria is just a steam 'coil'. I didn't think there was any recirculating going on there.

I guess I'm not following why you would want to put an element in a tube to boil you wort when you could just put it in the kettle and it would be far more efficient. You're going to run into other issues trying to recirculate boiling liquid as well. It'll significantly reduce the life of your pump, for one. Not to mention the safety aspect.

 

[DannyD]

I could be wrong, but i believe a calandria is just a steam 'coil'. I didn't think there was any recirculating going on there.

I guess I'm not following why you would want to put an element in a tube to boil you wort when you could just put it in the kettle and it would be far more efficient. You're going to run into other issues trying to recirculate boiling liquid as well. It'll significantly reduce the life of your pump, for one. Not to mention the safety aspect.

well from what i read is it could even be more efficient then a normal boiler (up to 30% more) better nuclation = evaporation, and even better hop utilization.

 

[Retrofit]

My understanding is a calandria is steam powered and a conventional impeller pump can withstand the heat of full boil, but will not survive (over time) the 'bubbles' of boil. A impeller moves liquid and will stutter/fail in a boil scenario. If I'm wrong, someone please tell me.