I am looking at some pictures of various setups and see some people have the pump at the kettle exit and some after the chiller. I was planning on putting mine before the chiller/kettle exit so it would be "sanitized" with the wort. I also planned on whirlpooling it back into the kettle. Wondering what's the best placement for the pump?
Whirlpooling with Counterflow Chiller where does the pump go?
- Thread starter theck
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Because it's judgement that defeats us.
I've not done this, but generally it is better to maintain suction head on a pump, so pumping before the chiller seems better.
orangehero
Well-Known Member
As close to the kettle as possible.
To reduce the chance of pump cavitation, you want to put any flow restriction on the output side of the pump. So, the CFC should be connected downstream of the pump.
Brew on
Brew on
Mine is kettle, pump, chiller, then back into the kettle. Pump is located below the kettle to allow wort to flow into the pump on startup.
OP
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theck
Well-Known Member
I have 1/2 tubing but the other tubing I have is smaller, 3/8 maybe. Will that screw up the system if I use it? I was going to do kettle->1/2 tubing->pump->1/2 tubing->CFC->3/8 tubing->pot... I hopefully will get 2 more fittings so I can run 1/2 all the way down the line but working with what I was given.
3/8 is fine, just make sure all your tubing is high temp, like silicone.
OP
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theck
Well-Known Member
Ya it is... acquired from another brewer.
If its a march or chugger go kettle pump chiller.. The pump handles pushing a lot better than pulling. I used that method many times on my Brutus 10 build. Just pump wort through the chiller for ten minutes before turning on the water and you'll be good
Yeah, that's probably the best place for the 3/8" tubing. 3/8" tubing will have almost twice the flow resistance of 1/2" tubing (cross section area ratio = 1.78), so keep the runs of 3/8" as short as possible.
Brew on
During the last 15 minutes of the boil and 5 minutes after flame out:
Kettle outlet > pump > trub filter > plate chiller > whirlpool inlet
Then after whirlpool I wait 10 minutes for the trub to settle, I turn the cooling water on and disconnect the whirlpool arm and chill directly into the carboy.
View attachment 1420164592054.jpg
Kettle outlet > pump > trub filter > plate chiller > whirlpool inlet
Then after whirlpool I wait 10 minutes for the trub to settle, I turn the cooling water on and disconnect the whirlpool arm and chill directly into the carboy.
View attachment 1420164592054.jpg
^^^This is how I have mine set up. I use a 3/8" copper tube that's bent to hang over the side of my BK. It goes almost to the bottom and has another 90° bend for my whirlpool. I control my chilling by controlling the pump output flow. This time of the year I can chill 6 gal to 64-66° in about 20 min.
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theck
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that's probably the best place for the 3/8" tubing. 3/8" tubing will have almost twice the flow resistance of 1/2" tubing (cross section area ratio = 1.78), so keep the runs of 3/8" as short as possible.
Brew on
The length is about 10 foot so guessing I should bring that down a bit ha... Thanks.
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theck
Well-Known Member
The filter an extra precaution? I guess there could be a good amount of trub in there on the first runs though. Do you guys see a lot of clogging? I have an old ss hop spider I used in my keggle that I might modify to fit my new kettle to try and keep some of that out. Or I was going to snag one that v hung on the side... What are you guys using?
I use a hop basket from Arbor Fabricating that essentially eliminates any hop gunk. I also have a 90° pickup at the BK outlet. I can adjust the angle as needed and the trub slides under it with very little being picked up. The majority is in a nice pyramid pile in the middle of the BK.
Yes, that is the main reason most people do it. Additionally it allows you to recirculate your wort into a whirlpool for a "hop stand" which essentially drops the temperature down to above 175F (180F or so) which is hot enough to isomerize hops but won't drive off volatile hop aromas, which have various flash points somewhere near boiling (from what I've read). Then when you're done with your hop stand, you can kick on your water and you're already in the position to chill.
A word of advice if you aren't used to cold break. Having a very efficient cooler like a plate chiller, counter-flow, etc can generate a lot of cold break that will be suspended in the wort. Now there's two schools of thought...lots of experiments...some people say pump it all straight into the fermenter. If you don't want it in your fermenter, I suggest killing the pump and letting the wort sit...say 30 minutes? All that material will settle and you'll be less likely to transfer it. Again many people say they get faster fermentations, clearer beer, etc from leaving it in the primary...it's your call; I just wanted to bring it to your attention.
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theck
Well-Known Member
I gotten quite a bit with my IC. I used one in a bucket of ice and the other in the kettle. It went to pitching in maybe 20 mins... I would fill my fermenter until the top but leave a bit behind. Back in the day is dump the whole thing in... Not too particular really. I usually pretty mine sit a good 4 weeks or more before kegging anyhow. I just don't want to have to mess with a clogged system ha... Thanks!
The filter is mostly there to prevent hop gunk from getting onto the plate chiller. I LOVE the way it cools, but I HATE cleaning it.
I am of the school of thought that cold break belongs in the fermenter.
The filter is mostly there to prevent hop gunk from getting onto the plate chiller. I LOVE the way it cools, but I HATE cleaning it.
I am of the school of thought that cold break belongs in the fermenter.
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theck
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I'm thinking the CFC has more room to move the wort so less clogging? I plan on running the water though my old IC in a bucket of ice before it hits the CFC to try and get it down faster as well.
Black Island Brewer
An Ode to Beer
Just another observation on whirlpooling: while it may not be important to keep the cold break out of the fermenter, those who are recirculating their chiller output back into the boil kettle will be mixing their hot break and cold break together (along with hops if not using a bag or spider). Allowing the cooled wort to settle after whirlpooling will allow one to more easily separate ALL of the break material.
If one wanted to put cold break into the fermenter and leave the rest of the trub behind, one could whirlpool through the CFC to sanitize, kill the pump and allow it all to settle, 20-30 mnutes, then turn on the water and go in one pass into the fermenter. If it didn't get down to pitching temp in one pass, one could then put the fermenter into the fermentation chamber (or an ice water bath) and chill to pitching temp.
If one wanted to put cold break into the fermenter and leave the rest of the trub behind, one could whirlpool through the CFC to sanitize, kill the pump and allow it all to settle, 20-30 mnutes, then turn on the water and go in one pass into the fermenter. If it didn't get down to pitching temp in one pass, one could then put the fermenter into the fermentation chamber (or an ice water bath) and chill to pitching temp.
OP
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theck
Well-Known Member
Thanks, good tips.
Yes, a filter is not required in a tube-in-tube style heat exchanger. The plate chiller has very narrow convoluted flow channels that are easily clogged.
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