Wort recirculation alternative??

[Bukit]

The Jamil style recirculating immersion chiller method is the best I've seen. The downside is the need for a decent pump, more tubing, some wort loss and more cleanup and maintenance.
I thought about another approach assuming you already own a stir plate for working up yeast cultures, etc.
Once your immersion chiller has sterilized in your wort (10 - 15' before flameout), move the BK onto the stir plate and drop a large, sterile stir bar into the BK. Start the rotation and IC water flow. This method should generate good wort circulation without the need for additional equipment and attachments.
Once you're down to 100F consider a pond pump to recirculate ice water through your IC until pitching temp is reached.
I'll be giving this a try next time around unless the concept gets flamed down by the HBT experts.
I love to cook but hate to clean. Less equipment and cleanup is a bonus in my book and frees up funds and time for other things.

 

[Photopilot]

You must have one hell of a stir plate to pull this off.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

^^ Agreed.

 

[acidrain]

This method should

Are you just thinking out loud, or have you actually done this... successfully.

 

[Bukit]

Are you just thinking out loud, or have you actually done this... successfully.

I can't speak for other's stir plates but the one I use (with a beefy stir bar) can circulate 5 gallons without issue.
I haven't tried this approach yet but thought I'd throw it out there. If there's a way to use less equipment for a similar result, I'm willing to give it a go.

 

[ChandlerBang]

My stirplate is big by most standards. But I'm not going to try to manhandle 11 gallons of boiling wort in a kettle.

Beyond that for a batch of any size, part of the reason to recirc while chilling is to let the hot break and other particulates settle out and creat a cone at the center of the pot. That said, a lot of people just dump it all in the primary.

I appreciate your thinking outside the box.

Also, the bottom of your pot at flameout is ~212 degrees. Is the stirbar and stirplate top rated for that temp?