Filter for plate chiller?

[Technotrucker]

I've got a plate chiller off Wiltec (Ebay) and I got to thinking about how easy it must be to clog these buggers up, so if anyone out there as sorted any type of filter to use with these plate chillers I’d appreciate any information you could give me.

[boingy]

It depends hugely on how good your hop filter in the boiler is. I have a decent one so all I added to the boiler outlet was one of these:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Plumbin ... 696/p79459

The sticky-out bit unscrews and reveals a simple stainless steel mesh filter. I've only used the plate chiller once so far but that filter collected about half a leaf and 5 or 6 hop seeds. I did recirculate about a litre of wort before screwing on the filter to let the filter bed settle.

[Technotrucker]

Cheers boingy, looks just the thing. I don't think my filter is that bad in the boiler, it's a SS tube and I recirculate till the wort clears. Like you say it would be easy to screw on to the boiler tap, as I don't think it would take a lot to block one of these chillers, and that's the last thing you need.

[bellebouche]

I remember seeing a picture of a disassembled plate chiller that had been in use for a spell. Messy.

The inherent problem is not so much hop solids but congealed cold break adhering to the plates - big surface area / low flow rate and all that.

I know large commercial concerns use these a lot so I assume there is way of effectively cleaning and sterilising them.

Having said that...I am guessing that the finer he inbound wort is filtered... the less binding points you'll have to jam the plates of the heat exchanger.

[bellebouche]

I remember seeing a picture of a disassembled plate chiller that had been in use for a spell. Messy.

Found it here. picture's worth a thousand words but the article is a good read on cooling.

[gregorach]

Hmmm... I'd be really interested to know what cleaning regime that's been subjected to - or even if it's been cleaned at all between its last use and that photo being taken. I recirculate Murphy's Cleaner / Steriliser through mine for 30 minutes after use, and I know that stuff is great at dissolving gunk.

[Kev888]

From reading around, it seems that if you keep ahead of things then all well and good, but once some parts get blocked and prevent cleaner recirculating into all areas it can become a downward spiral. (Also make sure its very clean if you sanitise by dry heat, as that can burn stuff on).

I didn't discover this until after I'd bought a used one, but fortunately it was from a member on here and seems to have been well looked after. Just to be sure I still recirculated for many hours with hot PBW and then a short time with caustic soda and then phosphoric acid, so hopefully it won't look like that picture inside

EDIT: looking again at the photo, it almost appears burnt or at least dried on - I wonder if it was left rather than cleaned after use, or if it was even sanitised in an oven without being cleaned first?

Cheers
Kev

[Highlander]

How about one of these. I've been using it in my siphon hose.
http://shop.lodgefarmleisure.com/shurfl ... -375-p.asp

[bellebouche]

Ahh... I've never really paid much attention to these plate heat exchangers.. I think seeing that image a few years ago put me off.

On doing a bit of research I see the pro ones can be disassembled for inspection/cleaning - so that explains a lot.

On a homebrew scale and using a sealed unit one... visual inspection is out but I'd be tempted to (after cleaning) run 500 ml of boiling water through the wort side alone, let it cool and then taste for off flavours. To be double sure and check for any microbiological load that was being carried if you had some spare agar plates I'd pipette a sample of the run-through water onto the disk to see what you could culture up.

[Technotrucker]

Thanks guys, That's given me something to think about. I do intend to pump cleaning solution through at the end of the run. If it's cleaned well then I hope it will stay like it.