Wort cooler

[Scooby]

man that's some project!
It took me 10 mins to wrap 20m of 10mm round a demijohn!
curves are excellent , but the up pipes kinked

Thing is the way I see it, you dump the 20m of copper in the boiler to sanitise, so it's all at 100c, as soon as you turn the water on it gets 3m or 4m down the line and its at the same temp as wort, so it travels 16/17m doing nothing.

Ok that may be not quite what happens but you see what I mean, it all changes as the temp drops, you need to have a fast flow at the start but as the temp drops the flow can be slowed, ideally keeping the exhaust temp as close to wort temp all the way through.

This is the sort of thing I was thinking of, c/o Vossy but I don't think he'll mine me nicking it. FWIW mine feeds 2 coils from top to bottom and bottom to top with a combined exhaust.

[CJBrew]

Thing is the way I see it, you dump the 20m of copper in the boiler to sanitise, so it's all at 100c, as soon as you turn the water on it gets 3m or 4m down the line and its at the same temp as wort, so it travels 16/17m doing nothing.

Ok that may be not quite what happens but you see what I mean, it all changes as the temp drops, you need to have a fast flow at the start but as the temp drops the flow can be slowed, ideally keeping the exhaust temp as close to wort temp all the way through.

This is the sort of thing I was thinking of, c/o Vossy but I don't think he'll mine me nicking it. FWIW mine feeds 2 coils from top to bottom and bottom to top with a combined exhaust.

I have been musing on the idea of using a bucket full of ice and water. After the first 5 minutes or so of running cold tap water through the chiller after which a lot of heat is lost (you can burn yourself on the exhaust) you could transfer the tubes to pump from a bucket of ice water (and back to that bucket). You'd need a pump of course... I think it'd be quite efficient. I can't try it -- I don't have a pump

[coatesg]

and flow rate would be impeded by all the corners, but it'd almost certainly work.

In fact - though it'll impede flow rate, it'll increase turbulance in the water passing through the coil and so prevents laminar flow (which is not particularly efficient at carrying away heat).

[coatesg]

I have been musing on the idea of using a bucket full of ice and water.

Have two coils. The first sits in the wort and works as per usual method. The second is connected in line (before the main coil) and can be dumped into a bucket of ice water when you get the temperature down low with the primary coil. The cooling water is pre-chilled going through the ice bucket, and can then carry away more heat from the wort. No pumps needed (but maybe a lot of ice ).

[Aleman]

You also need to stir the ice water as well as the wort . . . It is worth doing though once you get down to around 35C as that remaining 10-15C can be a real pain . . . . I'm planning on making a CFC with two coils, and driving the second coil with Pre-chilled water from my PHE and python line.

[Scooby]

I always thought that was a prerequisite on Jims we've got our fair share on here and maybe I have let myself be influenced I'll try harder in future

[edit1now]

OCD1

OCD2

[dynamic dave]

SCREW FIX also sell Microbore Copper Tube 8mm × 25m for £35

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsess ... ton=submit


then you need two Brass Coupling 15mm x 8mm and small piece of 15mm copper pipe so you can push hosepipe onto it.


http://www.screwfix.com/prods/45857/Plu ... 15mm-x-8mm

Have not made it yet but I think I can run a small diameter coil inside the out coil giving double cooling power.

[salnajjar]

Well, I figured I might as well 'fess up'. I went and purchased 9 meters of 15mm copper, I purchased a pipe bender from ebay, I swore, I cussed, and I would never do it again. It works, but it's certainly not going to win any beauty prizes.

I now have my eye on the one from Leyland Homebrew (cheapest I could find).

Oh well, you guys all knew better and I apologise for thinking I could prove you wrong

[pantsmachine]

OCD1

OCD2

Next stop, Museum of modern art New York for you 2!

[delta9]

That price from B&Q is expensive for 10x10 copper.

Shockingly, city plumbing are the same price... boooooo

I rang a few small plumber suppliers and got the coil for £10 (including vat)

[floydmeddler]

I use the good old fashioned single coil. I stir it vigorously as it's cooling and I get it down to pitching temp in just 20 mins. I then let it settle for 30 mins while I get tidying. Usually get crystal clear wort running off then into the FV.